SKINIPEDIA - Skin Encyclopedia: Stretch Marks Removal

Stretch Marks Removal

Skin does not bounce back if it's been stretched by rapid growth due to pregnancy, weight gain, or extreme weight loss. Instead, it becomes decorated by a form of scarring called stretch marks, or striae. Stretch marks often start off as reddish or purplish in color and then become glossy skin that appears streaked in silver or white.

Stretch marks occur in the dermis, the elastic middle layer of skin that allows it to retain its shape. However, when constantly stretched, the dermis can break down leaving behind stretch marks.

Men and women can get stretch marks on several areas of their bodies, including the abdominal area, thighs, hips, breasts, upper arms or lower back.

Stretch marks appear on the body in many different places for a variety of reasons.  Stretch marks occur when the dermis, the middle layer of your skin, is stretched to a point where its elasticity begins to break down.  At this point, microscopic bleeding occurs along with tissue inflammation which gives us the raised reddish purple look of newly formed stretch marks.

As the dermis is stretched, the outer layer of skin, the epidermis, also stretches making it translucent enough that you can see the reddish purple stretch mark forming.  As these marks heal, scar formation occurs, and you have a stretch mark.  Over time the marks fade to a silvery white color that is a few shades lighter than your natural skin tone.  The lighter color occurs because during the overstretching of the dermis, natural collagen production gets disrupted.  This in turn may cause loss of skin pigment producing cells.

Stretch Marks Removal Part II