What Are Stretch Marks?

Rich or poor, young or old, we all wish to look our best. Although men can be just as concerned with aesthetics, the billion dollar health and beauty industry statistics attests that women are far more interested in their physical appearance.

This is why women become a bit more alarmed by the development of stretch marks after childbirth or rapid weight gain.

Although most of them understand how the skin issue can develop, what they do not fully understand is just what these skin demarcations are.

Stretch Marks

Stretch marks are created when scarring occurs in the upper dermal layers. The catalyst is an extension of the skin which happens so fast that elastin and other connective tissues cannot catch up. This is why stretch marks occur with growth spurts, bodybuilding, pregnancy and weight gain.

Striae

Stretch marks, also called skin striae, often appear red and purplish in hue when fresh. In time, the scars become silver-ish and glossy, with a raised look that is similar to an embedded scar. The difference between regular skin texture and a stretch mark is usually quite noticeable.

Two things occur when striae forms. One of them is the tearing and pulling of skin tissues and the depletion of elastin due to rapid and accelerated growth - the other is the creation of an abnormal amount of collagen which also contributes to the scars.

Stretch Mark Treatment

Can a woman treat or prevent stretch marks? The answer to this depends. Stretch marks caused by medical conditions, like Cushing Syndrome or diabetes can affect one's ability to remove skin striae. This is because some products that claim to get rid of stretch marks will only target certain problems and not others. For instance, some creams will plump up the skin but may not do anything to the actual scars. Read our Top 10 Tips for Preventing Stretch Marks.

The best stretch mark treatments combat the cause of the marks and repairs damage on the cellular level. Surprisingly, some of the more expensive creams may not produce the desired effect.

Ingredients that have been proven to reduce the appearance of or get rid of stretch marks will work best, so when you look into a stretch mark cream, be sure to investigate the product to see if they have the proper additives.

Once you locate the best stretch mark cream, you can begin stretch mark removal and look your best at any stage of your life!