What Causes Stretch Marks?
It is thought
that at least 90% of pregnant women, 70% of adolescent females, and 40%
of adolescent males in the US develop stretch marks. Despite, striae
(stretch marks) being quite common among the general population, the
factors that lead its development are still poorly understood. There is
no general consensus on what causes stretch marks to occur, but there
are several theories.
One theory is that they
develop when the skin is stretched to the point of breaking down, due
to a dramatic increase in the size of tissue. This stretching of the
skin is similar to elastic losing its elasticity. The actual stretch
marks develop in the middle, elastic layer of the skin, called the
dermis. It is made up of fibers called collagen that allow your skin to
stretch and then shrink back into shape.
If this
layer of skin is continuously stretched over a long period of time, the
elasticity breaks down and the skin tries to remedy the problem by
increasing the amount of collagen in the over stretched area. This is
what then creates the scars in the dermis which show through to the
epidermis (top layer of the skin).
The stretching
of the skin can come about from rapid weight gain over a short space of
time, such as during pregnancy. Stretch marks can also be found on
children who have become quickly obese or on adolescents who have had a
growth spurt during puberty. Athletes and body builders can also
develop stretch marks due to constant repetitive exercises. The most
common areas affected by stretch marks are the hips, breasts, buttocks,
thighs and abdomen.
However, some believe that
the term stretch mark is a misnomer and they are not caused by the
stretching of the skin at all. It has been suggested that stretch marks
are caused due to an increased level of a hormone called
glucocorticoids, circulating through the bloodstream. This hormone is
secreted by the adrenal glands and it is increased during pregnancy,
adolescence, with obesity, Cushing��s disease and weight lifting.
The
glucocorticoids affect the dermis by preventing the fibroblasts from
forming collagen and elastin fibers that are required to keep growing
skin taut. Dermal tearing then follows as there is a lack of supportive
material when the skin is being stretched. So the stretching may
determine where the stretch marks will occur but the actual stretching
is not seen as cause of stretch marks.
It has
also been suggested that some people are more genetically prone to
stretch marks than others. Skin type may be a factor; dryer skin has
less elasticity than oily skin, and more prone to stretch marks.
Stretch marks can also develop more easily in skin with a high
proportion of rigid cross-lined collagen that occurs in teenagers.
Another
theory on the cause of stretch marks is that they can occur due to the
abnormal collagen formation as a result of medications or chemicals
that interfere with collagen formation. It is also suggested that some
medications that are hormonal or steroid based may cause stretch marks.
Stretch Marks - What Causes Stretch Marks?
Solutions
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Mark Cream - Stretch mark Cover Up - Microdermabrasion
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