Stretch marks appear at different ages. They can be the cause of complexes for teenage girls, but also for ladies in their 40s. In order to effectively prevent them or remove the existing ones, you need to know the mechanism of their formation.
Stretch marks consist of connective tissue that has become fibrotic. It forms elongated scars that differ from the surrounding skin in color and texture. They are especially noticeable when squeezing a piece of skin. At first they are red in color, but quickly fade into a fixed form that is often paler than the surrounding skin.
Causes of stretch marks
The direct cause of stretch marks is overstretching of the tissue. The skin produces insufficient collagen and is unable to expand at the same rate as the tissues underneath. Indirect causes can vary. Skin elasticity can be weakened by dehydration, hormonal fluctuations accompanying hormonal contraception, pregnancy or menopause. Other causes may include rapid growth during puberty, a sudden jump in body weight or the growth of muscle tissue.
Stages of stretch mark formation
At first, the skin, where collagen fibers are overloaded, begins to burn or itch slightly. This symptom is not unusual, which is why it is so easy to overlook it and not realize that stretch marks are beginning to form on the skin. The continuity of the epidermis is then lost. The skin defects are replaced with strands of connective tissue, which is dark red in color at first. At this stage, when the changes are not yet fixed, various types of stretch mark creams can be used to stimulate the skin to regenerate.
The next stage is the consolidation of stretch marks. The lesions begin to fade, making them less visible. One may think then that they are fading away but this is a false impression. The skin becomes flabby, uneven in texture, wrinkled and sunken. At this stage, home remedies for stretch marks can only help make the skin more elastic, they cannot reduce the appearance of pearly scars or even out the texture of the skin.
The places where stretch marks most often appear are the thighs, buttocks, abdomen, breasts. This problem affects not only women. They are often faced by bodybuilders who are rapidly increasing muscle mass.
A way to fix stretch marks
Fortunately, even long-healed stretch marks can be removed. However, this cannot be achieved by home means. Treatments such as the iPixel laser are needed to stimulate skin regeneration. This fractional laser creates a series of micro-damages in the altered tissue. Thus, it stimulates it to renew and regenerate. We can carry out such a procedure at Beauty Skin Aesthetic Medicine Clinic.
“Stretch mark removal with iPixel is an alternative to traditional ablative laser resurfacing. Unlike it, Alma Harmony’s technology reaches only damaged and altered cells, making it more effective and not affecting healthy tissue.” – reassure experts at Beauty Skin Clinic.
Fractional laser treatment works selectively only on a selected type of tissue, thanks to which recovery is much shorter than with ablative laser treatments. The standard is a series of treatments consisting of 3 to 5 sessions.
We usually find out that stretch marks have appeared on our skin when they are already pale and there is little that can be done about them at home. However, we are not doomed to hide our thighs or belly covered with stretch marks. A series of several fractional laser treatments will effectively reduce their visibility.