Stretch Marks
Stretch Marks
Stretch marks
Stretch marks are long, narrow streaks, stripes, or lines that develop on the skin. They occur when the skin is suddenly stretched and are extremely common. Anyone can develop stretch marks, although they tend to affect more women than men. They can occur on a range of body parts, including the stomach, thighs, hips, breasts, upper arms, and lower back. This type of scarring happens when the skin cannot resume normal form after a period of intense growth, often due to pregnancy, weight gain, weight loss, or puberty. Over 50 percent of women experience stretch marks during pregnancy. Stretch marks are not physically dangerous but can cause problems with self-image and anxiety. For some people, stretch marks are a significant cosmetic concern that can affect day-to-day living.
What are the causes of Stretch Marks?
Extreme skin growth or shrinkage can cause stretch marks. Common causes of skin stretching include:
Pregnancy:
Between 50 and 90 percent of women who are pregnant experience stretch marks during or after birth.
Puberty:
Rapid growth is typical in young people going through puberty. This can lead to stretch marks. Putting on a lot of weight in a short space of time can cause stretch marks.
Medical conditions:
Certain conditions can cause stretch marks, such as Marfan syndrome and Cushing’s syndrome. Marfan syndrome can lead to decreased elasticity in the skin tissue, and Cushing’s syndrome can lead the body to produce too much of a hormone that leads to rapid weight gain and skin fragility.
HOW IS THIS TREATED?
Skin tightening procedure is phenomenally popular with our patients, with many seeking treatment to rid them of their sagging skin.
It's not always possible to prevent stretch marks. The best way to reduce your chance of getting them is by maintaining a healthy weight. Many creams and lotions claim to prevent, reduce or remove stretch marks. But there's very little evidence these work.
There are some treatments that may help make stretch marks look better, but they will not get rid of them. They include:
- retinoid (often called tretinoin) creams or hyaluronic acid – these may help if used on new stretch marks, but you should not use retinoid creams if you're pregnant
- light or laser treatments
- Microdermabrasion, which removes a thin layer of skin
- Carboxytherapy creates new collagen, which thickens the skin and improves its appearance.
Visible improvements from the first session
The treatment is non-invasive with virtually no recovery time necessary:
you can resume your normal activities immediately after treatment.
Improved confidence due to reduced appearance of stretch marks
Before and after stretch mark treatment
BEFORE
AFTER
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