If you are among those that want to find out “what are stretch marks?”, the first thing that you have to understand is that they are actually scars that appear on your skin. They are also known as striae and appear because of dermis tearing. Sometimes scars disappear as time passes but this is not always the case. Stretch marks will often appear because of rapid skin stretching that is associated with a rapid growth. In addition, hormonal changes can influence the appearance of stretch marks, and is linked with muscle building, pregnancy, or puberty.
What Causes Stretch Marks?
There are different causes that will promote the appearance of stretch marks. While teenagers are at a higher risk of ending up with severe striae, studies showed that women that have recently given birth are faced with situations that increase the possibility of getting pregnancy stretch marks. These include weight gain that is higher than 20 lbs., high neonatal birth weight, and low maternal age. All three of these circumstances put strain on the skin and stretch it faster than it can grow naturally.
Glucocorticoid hormones are responsible for stretch mark development because they prevent the formation of elastin and collagen fibers. These are necessary in order to maintain healthy growing skin. When supportive material is lacking, skin is stretched out and this causes epidermal and dermal training. All skin that is subjected to stretching force that cannot be handled will eventually tear. Genetics and hormonal changes are going to have an effect on the skin’s power to withstand exercises, dieting and stretching forces.
How Do You Get Stretch Marks?
This is a very important question because the answer will have an effect on the treatment that is offered. In the beginning they simply look as purple or reddish lines and will eventually be lighter. Affected areas are soft when touching and appear empty. They occur inside the dermis, which is the middle layer of your skin. There is no possibility to end up with stretch marks if there is enough support present inside the dermis. Stretching alone is not a cause but will have an impact on the direction of the marks when they appear.
Where Do Stretch Marks Appear?
Besides learning what stretch marks are, it is also important to properly understand exactly where they can appear. There is a common misconception that they are only going to appear in specific regions but the truth is that they can appear on any body part. It is quite common to see them in areas that show large fat storage. This includes the abdomen (near the navel area), upper arms, back, hips, thighs, underarms, as well as stretch marks on breasts and buttocks.
The good news is that stretch marks do not pose a health risk and will not compromise your body’s ability to normally function and repair itself. It is important to understand the causes because of the fact that this will aid you in making really good choices about treatment options. There are many different methods that you can use to remove them. This ranges from stretch mark creams to laser surgery. Just make sure that you are discussing with a qualified professional no matter what you choose.