What are stretch marks?

Stretch marks start out as streaks on the skin, characterized by a glossy surface and thin skin on top. Over the passage of time, these become whitish and resemble scars.

How do stretch marks form?
In scientific terms, stretch marks are known as striae. These stretch marks develop when the skin gets stretched more than normal. This usually happens during weight fluctuations, sudden growth or pregnancy.
Certain medicines, steroids and hormones can also result in such stretch marks. The skin begins to expand very fast and this stretches the skin resulting in tears on the deeper layers.

Where in the skin do these occur?
Stretch marks typically occur in the middle layer of the skin. This layer, called dermis, is elastic in nature and helps provide the skin its distinct shape. Excessive stretching of the skin can break the dermis down. The collagen in this layer is destroyed and the dilation of blood vessels causes purple or red marks. With the passage of time, these marks become lighter in color and this is why stretch marks look whiter compared to the rest of the skin. Primary areas in the body prone to stretch marks include the hips, thighs, breasts, flank and abdomen, lower back or upper arms.

Age groups affected
Stretch marks affect over 70% of most adolescents while almost 90% of all pregnant women get affected too. This is because the skin experiences sudden changes. The growth spurts accompanied by hormonal changes in the body can lead to such stretch marks. More than 40% of men get stretch marks too. Therefore, stretch marks are not a women’s problem, so to speak. In young women, the common places where stretch marks develop include the hips, thighs, breasts, buttocks and abdominal region. The sudden loss of weight and subsequent gain can also contribute to stretch marks. This is especially so if the weight fluctuations have been rapid. The skin can get damaged because of the sudden loss of fat and can get torn in the dermis resulting in stretch marks. In sports activities like weight lifting the body can undergo dramatic alterations, which can also lead to stretch marks. In addition, the intake of certain steroids can also trigger stretch marks owing to the hormonal change in the body.

Pregnancy and stretch marks
A woman experiences the maximum amount of stretch marks during pregnancy. This is because the excess production of female hormones or estrogen can hamper protein balances across the skin. The third trimester is the period when a woman gets maximum stretch marks. In genetic terms, women are more prone to getting stretch marks when they are pregnant.

Most topical agents have long promised to do away with stretch marks. However, none of them have really produced any evident results. Now, a new fractional laser technique called Fraxel laser has shown promising results. By causing a small amount of tissue damage on the stretch mark, the body’s natural healing process is triggered. This, in turn helps to heal the stretch mark faster than it normally would.