Striae, or more commonly known as stretch marks is a normal and common skin issue that many people deal with. Stretch marks can occur due to excessive stress done to the skin in a quick amount of of time. So things such as pregnancy, rapid weight loss or gain, or even genetics are all reasons stretch marks can occur. When you initially get stretch marks, you will notice they look like red textured lines. As your stretch marks age, they will slowly become either white or a dark, muted red. Preventative measures should be take to avoid stretch marks. Once you get stretch marks, they will never fully fade from the body.

What are some of the causes for stretch marks?

PubertyBesides pregnancy and rapid weight gain or loss, there are other causes for stretch marks. Some teens can get stretch marks if they have growth spurts. The skin can’t keep up with how fast the body is growing which cause the marks.

People who overuse steroid creams such as cortisone can also get stretch marks. Another not so common cause for stretch marks are certain syndromes such as Ehlers-Danlos or Cushing syndrome.

What happens when your stretch marks heal?

When you first get stretch marks, you will notice that the skin is red with an uneven texture in the form of stripes or lines. As your stretch marks heal, they will change color. Depending on what type of skin you have and also the color of it, you may notice the stretch marks fading to a white or almost silvery color. Often times there are creams or medicines that claim to help stretch marks to heal and fade faster, however these creams often have little or no effect on the healing process.

Treatment of red stretch marks

The Differences Between Red and White Stretch MarksIf you have red stretch marks, you will need to treat them differently than white ones. Treatments such as creams with retin-A, laser treatments are effective against newly formed red striae.

There are other treatments where a laser helps to stimulate the collagen found underneath the marks to help promote the healing process. That being said, you should be aware that women who are pregnant cannot and should not use these measures to treat their stretch marks.

How to treat white stretch marks

For white stretch marks, the approach towards treatment is different. Since the marks have pretty much healed, you can only do things to help improve how the stretch marks look. Doing things such as microdermabrasion exfoliates the skin with tiny, crushed crystals. This results in the improvement of the appearance.

How to prevent stretch marks

In order to prevent and reduce your chances of stretch marks, you will make sure to not rapidly gain or lose weight. While the use of lotions of creams cannot prevent stretch marks or stop them from fully forming, it can help you to keep skin moisturized, which helps with the elasticity of the skin. This will also alleviate the dryness and also itching you can experience can stretch marks form.



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