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What are Stretch Marks - Causes - Preventing Stretch Marks During PregnancyStretch marks of the skin affect a large percent of the population. Stretch marks appear as streaks on the skin, often in the stomach, breast, buttocks, hips, arms, and thighs. They can initially be pink, brown, or purple, they normally fade to a whitish-silvery shade over time. It is estimated that almost 90% of pregnant women develop stretch marks, along with 60-70% of adolescent women, and 30-40% of adolescent males. What causes stretch marks? Stretch marks occur when the skin stretches rapidly due to weight gain, pregnancy, muscle building, or physical development. The underlying dermal layer of skin is stretched beyond its ability to recover normally and the tissue tears and is damaged, causing scar tissue to form in the affected area. Its like stretching a rubber band or balloon too many times - eventually it does not return to its original shape. This can happen during rapid weight gain or muscle gain, or during rapid growth spurts.
Preventing Stretch MarksSince the causes of stretch marks are known (rapid weight gain or muscle gain), preventing stretch marks involves avoiding the causes. If you are planning on having children, you probably can't avoid getting pregnant and the resulting rapid weight gain. However, wearing a good support maternity bra can help, as can using some creams to maintain skin elasticity. Controlling your diet and avoiding excess fats also helps. Retin-A has also been shown to minimize and reduce stretch marks, but it is prescription only and should not be used during pregancy and breast feeding. You'll likely see a million creams aimed at pregnant women who don't want stretch marks - keep in mind that the vast majority won't do anything more than basic hand cream, which itself won't do much.Laser Treatment for Stretch Marks - Laser Stretch Mark RemovalAs lasers have become more common in the treatment of skin problems and disorders (wrinkles, age spots, hair removal, spider veins, etc.), doctors and clinics have begun using lasers to treat stretch marks and other scars. Most scars are visible because they are a different color and texture than the surrounding skin. Laser treatment of stretch marks and scars are claimed to stimulate collagen production below the skin as the dermal skin layer absorbs the laser light, filling out the skin and helping to return pigment to the scarred area. There is still disagreement within the health care industry regarding using lasers to treat scars and stretch marks and many physicians and plastic surgeons claim lasers cannot treat stretch marks. Since stretch marks result from torn dermal tissue, and lasers are normally used to destroy and vaporize tissue, some clinical trials have shown no improvement in visibility of stretch marks after laser treatment. Some people have claimed to notice an improvement in the appearance of stretch marks by using lasers to bring back pigment and normal skin coloration to the affected area. Normally laser treatment requires 5 or more treatments to make a lasting difference.Plastic Surgery For Stretch MarksStretch marks in the stomach region can be removed via plastic surgery during a tummy tuck procedure. A lot of the stretched skin below the navel is removed during the procedure as the remaining skin on the sides is stretched across the middle and sewn together. There is no way to remove individual stretch marks or scars surgically without causing additional scarring.Be on the lookup for ads for creams and oils and other "natural" treatments that claim to prevent, erase, and cure stretch marks. From our research, we've never seen any proven results that these treatments work. Given the underlying causes of stretch marks, putting extra moisture or massaging the outer layers of skin would not have any effect on the stretching and damage that is taking place below the surface of the skin. Many companies proclaim money back guarantees and "testimonials" to prove how great their products are - take them all with a grain of salt, and realize that most people never take advantage of money back offers -- that's why everyone offers them! Companies like StriVectin make a lot of claims and sell a lot of very expensive creams - ask your friends, read some magazine, check some websites, and decide for yourself if you think such magical treatments are for real.
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