Stretch marks – What are they and how do you get rid of them?

How to remove stretch marks

Striae (or stretch marks as they are more commonly known) form when an individual’s skin is stretched rapidly over a short period of time : More accurately, the skin’s second layer is not stretched, but torn. They are most common around the stomach, breasts, thighs and hips. Anyone can suffer from them and they affect the majority of the population. Luckily, stretch marks don’t affect our health and only blemish the skin. Of course, During the summer months, Stretch marks are more concerning for us because they are on show more as we wear fewer clothes.

Why do stretchmarks Develop?

Stretch marks develop when the body expands at a rate which the skin doesn’t stretch fast enough to keep up with it. Stretch marks are commonly associated with pregnancy but are also a normal part of puberty: Body building and rapid weight gain can also cause stretch marks.

Although the skin is usually fairly elastic , when it is overstretched, the normal production of collagen is disrupted. It is this collagen which helps to keep the skin firm and elastic. There are other factors which affect the skins natural ability to produce and maintain collagen levels such as diet or smoking It is the level of collagen in the skin which affect lines and wrinkles on the face. They also help determine how other blemishes, like surgery scars and acne scars, heal.

What do stretch marks look like?

When initially formed, stretch marks can look red and/or purple and be very visible. They are indented and feel different to the surronding skin. when you’ve had them a while, the deep colour fades, turning a silvery colour. The ability to heal however does vary considerably from individual to individual.

Stretch Mark Removal

To treat Stretch marks you must first understand how they are caused and how the body can be aided to heal them. Stretch mark treatments range enormously in price and effectiveness, treatments range from treatments brought in a shop to having expensive surgery For many people, stretch marks are embarrassing and often make people feel self concious, but this can be overcome or eliminated by treatment to remove stretch marks.

Creams and oils are the cheapest variety of stretch marks removal but, not much of the cream is actually absorbed into the skin so, creams on their own aren’t affective to treat stretch marks. Using creams with techniques such as micro-needling, allows a much higher percentage of cream absorbed by the skin so this method is the most reliable method for most people.