Stretch marks on the skin - Causes, symptoms and treatment. MF.

Stretch marks, or striae - are scars on the skin, consisting of connective tissue. They have the shape of strips and are formed on the skin of the thighs, abdomen and chest. Most stretch marks occur in pregnant women, but there may also be people with endocrine diseases and athletes. With stretch marks, not only women are faced, as is commonly believed, but also men.

Skin stretch marks

Reasons for stretch marks

Stretch marks appear on the skin in response to sharp stretching. When a woman begins to grow a belly, breast enlargement and rounded hips. The skin does not have time to adapt to the new conditions, and collagen and elastic fibers, unable to withstand stretching, are torn.

There are skin defects, from which the body tries to get rid quickly. In place of these defects, a connective tissue is formed, from which striae consist.

In pregnant women, stretch marks on the abdomen appear usually in the third trimester, when the fetus increases in size most quickly. In addition, progesterone, released during pregnancy, reduces the synthesis of collagen, which makes the skin even more vulnerable. During breastfeeding, when it becomes much longer than it was before, stretch marks can also appear on the chest.

If stretch marks do not appear during pregnancy or lactation, the cause may be rapid weight gain, sudden weight loss or hormonal imbalance, for example, with Itenko-Cushing syndrome, during puberty.

Disturbance of the hormonal balance causes a reduction in the synthesis of fibers by fibroblasts, which is why the regenerative abilities of the skin deteriorate. On an altered hormonal background, stretch marks can appear even without a strong stretching of the skin.

In athletes, stretch marks are more often formed on the inner surface of the shoulder due to a sharp increase in muscle mass.

There is a genetic predisposition to the formation of stretch marks. Low content of collagen fibers in the skin is inherited.

Appearance of stretch marks

The striae look like thin crimped stripes. On the abdomen and chest they are located radially, on the hips, the inner side of the shoulder - vertically.

The color of the stretch marks depends on their prescription. The newly appeared striae have a coloration from pink to purple-cyanotic. This color occurs because the young connective tissue is rich in blood vessels. With time, the blood vessels become smaller, and the stretch marks turn pale until they turn white. In the connective tissue there is no melanin, therefore on the background of the tanned skin stretch marks are seen even more.

Generally, stretch marks are on the same level as the surrounding skin. There are times when they have a retracted or even convex relief.

Stretching is not a disease. They do not cause pain, do not cause any complications and are not hazardous to health. It's just a cosmetic defect. Nevertheless, many stretch marks create psychological discomfort, so it is better to get rid of them. If the appearance of the skin with stretch marks does not matter much, they can not be removed, they will not do any harm and with them you can live peacefully all your life.

Preparations for the treatment of stretch marks

The sooner the treatment begins, the better it will be. It is easiest to get rid of young stretch marks when they have a pink color. Older striae of whitish color is harder to treat.

During treatment of stretch marks, it is important to monitor food. Food should be varied, with increased amounts of protein and vitamins. A lot of protein in meat and legumes, and eating olive oil and nuts saturates the body with carotenoids and vitamin E.

When pregnant and during lactation, you can take ascorbic acid 500 mg once a day. So the effect of treatment will be stronger.

There are a lot of creams and gels from stretch marks from different manufacturers. The most popular creams are companies StriaSan, Sanosan, Biolane, etc. The key components are the following components:
• amino acids;
• vitamins A, E;
• Collagen;
• Mineral substances;
• active humidifiers.

You can use them even before the appearance of stretch marks as a prophylaxis, as well as for the treatment of stretch marks. Such drugs are not toxic, they can be used during pregnancy and during lactation. Attention: during pregnancy, any physical effect on the skin can provoke the appearance of stretch marks, so if stretch marks appear when carrying a finger over the skin, it is better to wait with the creams before delivery.

A small amount of cream is applied to the skin of the problem areas with light massaging movements once a day.

Often the composition of these creams includes vegetable oils. You can yourself rub olive oil, avocado, jojoba, cocoa oil into your skin. They moisturize the skin and nourish it, contributing to the disappearance of stretch marks.

Mumiye is an excellent remedy for getting rid of stretch marks. It also produces creams for the treatment of striae. In a domestic setting, you can also make such a cream. To do this, you need to dissolve a few grams of mummy in a teaspoon of warm boiled water and add to any cream. Apply it to problem parts of the body once a day. The remains of the product should be stored in the refrigerator.

Striae are scars on the skin, therefore ointments from scars, for example, Kontraktubeks, are effective enough in the treatment of stretch marks. Kontraktubeks can be used by pregnant and lactating women, because this drug is not absorbed into the blood and does not have a systemic effect.

Procedures for the treatment of stretch marks

In cosmetic clinics, the following procedures for the treatment of stretch marks are suggested:
• chemical peeling;
• laser resurfacing;
• ozone therapy;
• plastic surgery.

These procedures are effective, but they are performed under anesthesia, therefore they are contraindicated during pregnancy and feeding. After weaning the baby from the breast, if other means do not help, you can conduct these procedures. They are made only by a professional in a specialized clinic.

Laser removal of stretch marks

LPG-massage, which is offered by many salons, helps fight stretch marks, it can not be performed during pregnancy, but can be used to treat stretch marks during breast-feeding. The essence of the method is that with the help of a special apparatus consisting of rollers moving in different directions at different speeds, an effective skin massage is performed. Such a massage stimulates blood circulation and cell renewal. The process is absolutely painless.

At home, you can independently conduct simple procedures from stretch marks, which are harmless and have almost no contraindications.

The algal wrap is an inexpensive and absolutely harmless method of treatment of stretch marks. Suitable for carrying a child and breastfeeding. Dry kelp, which can be purchased at any pharmacy, is diluted with warm water and the resulting gruel is applied to the problem parts of the body and wrapped with a plastic wrap. The session lasts 40-45 minutes.

Such wrappings can be done with clay, cocoa, Dead Sea mud. Laminaria wraps are considered the most effective, as they contain alginic acid, which makes the skin supple and elastic.

Older stretch marks are well treated by wrapping with clay and honey. To do this, a mixture of green, blue and gray clay is added with liquid honey and stirred until smooth. The resulting mass must be applied to the stretch marks to strengthen on the skin with the help of elastic bandage. All this is left for the night. Apply only when there is no allergy to honey!

Body scrubs exfoliate the upper layers of the skin, increase blood circulation and stimulate skin renewal, thereby helping in the fight against stretch marks. Scrub can be bought at the pharmacy, and you can cook yourself. For peeling at home, you can use scrubs with a sponge, ground coffee, honey.

For the simplest scrub, you only need sugar, salt and vegetable oil. Mix a glass of sugar with a glass of salt and a half cup of olive or sunflower oil. Massage the problem areas with such a scrub and rinse with warm water. The procedure should be done once in seven days.

With stretch marks you can not fight one by some methods. To achieve optimal results, an integrated approach is needed, based on combining several methods of combating stretch marks. This is the only way to get rid of this problem.

Prophylaxis of stretch marks in pregnant women

Doing prevention is always a lot easier than healing. It is possible to initiate prophylaxis before the onset of pregnancy and continue to be carried out during the entire pregnancy and after the birth of the child.

First of all, you need to take care of food. It should be balanced, saturated with vitamins, proteins, vegetable fats and trace elements. During pregnancy, it is important not to overeat. Extra pounds will stretch the skin even more, which will increase the likelihood of stretch marks.

Dosed physical activity improves skin condition, making it more elastic. Ideal for gymnastics, aerobics, swimming.

The contrast shower increases the tone of the skin vessels, thereby increasing its metabolism and regenerative abilities. Start better gradually, avoiding a sharp drop in temperature to avoid hypothermia.

Regular massages of problem zones stimulate the lymph drainage, increase blood circulation and improve the elasticity of the skin. You can do the massage yourself, but you can contact the specialists.

The use of vegetable oils rich in vitamins A, E( olive, sunflower) is suitable not only for treatment, but also for the prevention of stretch marks. They must be rubbed into the skin of the abdomen, thighs, chest with light massaging movements.

Regular use of scrubs, both domestic and special, works well on the skin and prevents the formation of stretch marks. Scrubs can not be used very often so as not to irritate the skin too much. The best option is to conduct peeling once a week.

Creams, stretch gels can be used even before they appear as a prophylaxis. Any creams from stretch marks for pregnant women will do.

Bandages for pregnant women well support the abdomen, reducing stretching of the skin. It is recommended to wear bandages starting from the 20th week of pregnancy. There are bandages for women in the postpartum period, helping to restore shape and improve the skin condition.

For the prevention of stretch marks on the breast, there are special bras for pregnant and lactating mothers. They support the breast, not allowing the skin to stretch excessively.

With the combination of various treatments for stretch marks and the use of prevention, persistence and patience, you can achieve the desired results.

Rev.doctor dermatologist Loginova OA