Stretch Mark Anatomy and Advice

Your skin is made up of layers. There is the outer most layer called the epidermis, the middle layer called the dermis and the inner most section called the subcutaneous fat layer. It is the middle layer that can affect your chances of having stretch marks. The middle layer is where the connective tissue is located. The collagen fibers can be pulled apart when the skin is stretched by rapid weight gain, or rapid growth.

There are two fibers, collagen and elastin that are interwoven throughout the dermis. These fibers are responsible for the flexibility and firmness that you experience in healthy, youthful skin. A stretch mark is the result of skin that tears after being pushed beyond its ability to expand and be flexible. The tear itself then causes the connective tissue to break down. The collagen fibers will then pull apart and the elastic fibers clump together along the edges of the stretch mark.

Reasons Stretch Marks Happen:

Rapid Weight changes (gain or loss).

Pregnancy

Rapid Muscle Bulking

Weight lifting can prevent collagen and elastin fibers from forming properly. The hormonal changes experienced during pregnancy can also interview with the normal formation of collagen or elastin fibers. Skin tears more easily when the support systems of collagen are not in place in the dermis.

Darker skin tones tend to show the stretch marks more easily than those who have lighter skin tones. This happens because when there is a dermal tear, the melanin which is the pigment in the skin that produces the color can be disrupted. this causes the pale marks that can be more noticeable against darker skin tones.

Treatments:

Macrodermabrasion: This is a treatment that uses sea salt and pressure and a compression device to resurface the skin. A cream called tretinoin which is a prescription-strength retinoid cream is then applied to stimulate the collagen produciton and to strengthen existing connective tissue. The cream is applied using ultrasound equipment which helps to drive the ingredients into the skin. The cost of this treatment is approximately $350 per treatment. Most individuals using macrodermabrasion need to have at least 7 treatments. This treatment is not adviseable for pregnant women.

Plant extracts and essential oils have been shown to be beneficial to some women. Some extracts to look for are: Erbaviva Stretch Mark Cream, Clarins Tonic body Treatmetn Oil, and Tretinoin cream (Retin-A).

Keeping healthy means having healthier skin and healthier skin can translate into a decreased chance for stretch marks.