The Ultimate Guide to Stretch Marks

Many people suffers from stretch marks due to neglect. Some feels hopeless to get the normal skin back while others cling to whatever hopes they can find. This is why it is just proper to know as much as one can about this skin problem.

What are Stretch Marks?

Plain and simple, stretch marks are scars that can be seen on the skin. However, this is not the kind of scar that you get from a cut where it first has to bleed and create a shallow texture on the topmost layer of the skin. It is just a kind of discoloration but without treatment, it will become a permanent discoloration. You can imagine it to be like a tattoo without form.

How does it Happen?

Stretch marks happen because there is a sudden change on the skin. The change is brought about by the abrupt stretch due to weight gain and the following weight loss. Because of this quick physical changes, scars appear. Examples of quick skin stretches are pregnancy, puberty, and muscle development in the gym.

What Areas are Affected?

There are many areas on the body that can be affected by this mark. Of course, for pregnancy, it will affect the area on the abdomen. Other areas affected are the hips and the biceps. Other skin areas are also candidates as long as it is a place where the skin can stretch due to weight gain or muscle development.

What are the Remedies for Stretch Marks?

As to the possible remedies for stretch marks, it is rather good to understand first the different layers of the skin. Basically, there are three layers of the skin. Starting from the top there is the epidermis, dermis, and the hypo-dermis. Among the three layers mentioned, the layer affected by stretch mark is the dermis, the one in the middle. In other words, the scar happens on the middle layer, a few millimeters underneath the out most layer of the skin. This is why without any surgical help, it is impossible to completely get rid of stretch marks.

Surgical treatments for stretch marks will include lasers treatment and skin dermabrasion treatment. They are expensive but they can almost completely heal the marks. For its non-surgical treatments, it will constitute substances that can enhance skin cell rejuvenation and the formation of collagen. These would include wheat germ oil, vitamin C, retinoids, and other products containing peptide.

As you can see, there is hope for stretch marks. All it takes is proper understanding. If you know the cause of the mark, the areas affected, even the layer where it tears the skin, then you may be able to prevent it before it happens. Prevention is and will always be better than cure. The only problem with stretch marks are for pregnant women because it can be inevitable not unless you do not want to have kids. But now that you understand stretch marks, you can then know what to do in inevitable situations like pregnancy.

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