WHAT ARE STRETCH MARKS?
Stretch marks are a common form of scarring that appears as dark, red or purplish linear marks on the skin. They are commonly located on the abdomen, breasts, arms, hips, lower back, thighs, and buttocks.
HOW DO STRETCH MARKS OCCUR?
The cause of stretch marks is poorly understood but is likely related to
- Physical factors – rapid increase in girth of the skin such as in pregnancy, rapid weight gain, exercise-induced muscle mass increase etc.
- Alteration in skin structure or function – e.g disruption in elastic fiber network, reduced procollagen, reduced proliferation of fibroblasts
- Genetic alterations in connective tissue – such as in Marfan’s syndrome.
- HORMONAL FACTORS – such as is seen in pregnancy, Cushing’s syndrome
They start out as swollen lines and then become discolored with associated fine wrinkling, a process which may take up to 6-10 months. They tend to persist indefinitely and become more prominent with age as the skin thins and loses additional elasticity.
“WHY” ARE STRETCH MARKS IMPORTANT FOR YOU?
They are significant because they may be disfiguring and psychologically distressing to patients. Treatment is aimed at improving the appearance of the affected skin through reducing color and texture differences between the stretch mark and the normal skin next to it. Unfortunately, no treatment induces complete resolution, and so treatment can be challenging.
Talk to your dermatologist or skin care expert regarding your stretch marks if they are a source of concern for you and they will be able to advise you on the correct modality of treatment to consider.