What causes stretch marks? 50% to 90% of pregnant women experience stretch marks around their stomach in the latter part of their pregnancy. Teenagers often experience stretch marks during puberty due to growth spurts. Though stretch marks may fade over time, they will rarely, if ever, completely disappear.
Weight lifters are also prone to stretch marks on their arms and shoulders. The muscles expand quickly in these areas which stretches the skin faster than it can handle causing stretch marks.
Stretch marks, referred to as striae in the medical field, are one of the most common skin problems affecting as many as 50% to 90% of all women. They are an unsightly form of scarring formed by too much stress being put on the dermis of the skin. It’s the stretching of the skin too fast that is what causes stretch marks.
The appearance of stretch marks varies with each person and skin tone. Many stretch marks start with a red hue due to the vascular nature of the scar, and gradually fade to white or silvery marks over time. Most medical research about stretch marks is aimed at the initial darker stages. Doctors report that stretch mark treatments are most effective during the first red or purple stages.
Many women try to treat the white or silver lines and indentations with over-the-counter creams and lotions, often with little to no success.
Men and women of all ages can suffer from stretch marks. Some people develop them very early in their lives, others develop them later. Caucasian women are more prone to stretch marks than those of Asian or African descent.
The stretching of the skin due to increased size of the body and an increase in cortisone is what causes stretch marks. Cortisone is a stress hormone created by the adrenal glands.
Simply stated, the collagen layer in the dermis of the skin is not able to keep pace with the expansion of the body, resulting in damaged collagen that splits the skin (stretch marks are actually scars). The most common causes of stretch marks include pregnancy, weight gain, weight training, use of certain medications and certain diseases.
Mechanisms proposed include hormones, physical strain, and structural changes in skin collagen and elastic tissue.
The cause of stretch marks is thought to be linked to alterations in extracellular matrix (ECM) components such as fibrillin, elastin, and collagen. These structures give the skin elasticity and stress resistance.
People with stretch marks reported higher glycosaminoglycan content and a substantial decrease in vertical fibrillin fibres under the dermal-epidermal junction (DEJ) and elastic fiber dermis when compared to normal skin.
The elastic fiber network is severely disturbed in the early stages of stretch mark formation, and the newly produced tropoelastin-rich fibrils are thin and disordered, not working like typical elastic fibers to induce skin laxity.
Stretch marks occur more often in women than men, mostly due to pregnancy. Other common causes of stretch marks include:
New medical data indicates that stretch marks may be caused by glucocorticoids which include natural stress steroids. Cortisol is the most common and well-known of these steroids. The human body releases Cortisol in response to elevated amounts of stress, which can include:
To make the conditions that cause stretch marks even worse, Cortisol prompts the body to accumulate excess fat. This additional fat is often stored around the middle of the body, forcing the skin to stretch and eventually causing stretch marks.
Your doctor can diagnose stretch marks in a routine examination of your skin. The doctor may gain more knowledge of your stretch marks and what may have caused the stretch marks by asking about your family medical history, medications or any other medical conditions you have. If necessary, your doctor may request blood, urine or other tests to further diagnose the origin of the stretch marks.
Now that we have learned what causes stretch marks, it’s time to talk about how to prevent stretch marks. Even daily use of lotions or creams will not completely eliminate your chances of getting stretch marks. The surest way to reduce the chances of getting stretch marks is to stay at a healthy weight.
According to multiple published comprehensive evaluations, topical creams are often recommended to prevent and treat stretch marks, but there is little to no evidence of efficacy. Clinical trials have been of poor quality, with a small number of subjects participating.
There are several things you can do to help prevent stretch marks, or at the very least, lessen the chances that future ones may appear.
Now that you know what causes stretch marks and how to prevent stretch marks, what do you if you already have stretch marks? Can the stretch marks be treated? Are the stretch marks a sign of some other medical problem?
While stretch marks do not look pretty, they are harmless and should fade over time. Stretch marks do not require medical treatment if they are not bothersome. Regardless of what caused the stretch marks, if they bother you, there are many stretch mark removal treatments available to help get rid of stretch marks. The most effective treatment for stretch marks by far is laser stretch mark removal.
Some factors you should consider when choosing the best treatment for your stretch marks:
The scientific medical field generally dismisses the claims that stretch mark removal creams and lotions are effective. However, many women and men who suffer from stretch marks swear by the use of lotions as a remedy for stretch marks. The most common stretch mark creams contain Vitamin E, Vitamin A, Cocoa butter and Shea butter.
While the medical field does not fully promote the use of stretch mark creams and lotions as effective treatments for stretch marks, it does recognize the benefits of applying moisturizers and massaging. A daily routine of applying and massaging these creams can help promote blood circulation and lymph flow and ultimately improve the collagen creation in the skin which is essential in protecting against stretch marks.
Stretch mark removal creams are unable to dramatically reduce the appearance of stretch marks as their effectiveness is limited to the outer layer of the skin. Stretch marks are rooted in the dermis, or middle layer of the skin, and can therefore only be remedied by treatments that penetrate into the deeper dermis. Creams for stretch marks are most effective at creating overall skin health and while they may not be very effective treatment for stretch marks, they will decrease your chances of getting them.
By far the most effective treatment for stretch marks are laser treatments. Used by many dermatologists on both prominent and faded stretch marks, laser stretch mark removal is a holistic solution to reduce their appearance from the inside out.
The laser treatment helps boost new collagen production, which is damaged when stretch marks form. When the skin makes new collagen, the stretch marks fill in, tighten, contract and are reduced in size and depth.
In dark red or pink stretch marks, physicians utilize vascular lasers to direct their focus on swollen or damaged blood vessels within the stretch marks. When the vasculature within the stretch marks is removed, the stretch marks fade and become much more difficult to see. Laser stretch mark removal treatments typically require multiple sessions.
Phase #1 – Color blending: When stretch marks are formed,
Phase #2 – Collagen remodeling – Converts the stretch mark collagen into healthy collagen
Phase #3 – Stretch mark contraction – Shrinks the stretch mark from side to side
Phase #4 – Stimulation of new collagen production – Fills the stretch mark with new healthy collagen
Phase #5 – Resurfacing – Smooths the surface of the stretch mark to blend with the surrounding skin
With a series of treatments, the stretch marks will lighten and fade due to the fact that the scar tissue is actually being healed and eliminated rather than simply covered up.
Doctors Alice Pien, MD and Asher Milgrom, Phd are established pioneers in the fields of Regenerative Medicine and Skincare. Their expertise ranges from advanced laser systems to HCT/P – Stem Cell medicine. Their medical education and advanced certifications span from medical schools of NY State University, the University of Chicago, to Johns Hopkins, Harvard and UCLA. They approach medicine with the clinical expertise of over 85,000 successful treatments over the past 20 years and significant scientific research resulting in proprietary protocols that they customize for each individual patient.
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