Stretch marks happen when the skin is pulled by rapid growth or stretching. Although the skin is usually fairly elastic, when it's overstretched, the normal production of collagen, the major protein that makes up the connective tissue in your skin, is disrupted. As a result, scars called stretch marks may form.
Stretch marks appear as parallel streaks of red, thinned, glossy skin that over time become whitish and scarlike in appearance. The stretch marks may be slightly depressed and have a different texture than normal skin.
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Stretch marks are the result of the rapid stretching of the skin associated with rapid growth common in puberty or weight gain (e.g. pregnancy). Stretch marks are generally associated with pregnancy, obesity, and can develop during rapid muscle growth from regular exercise.
Several treatments are available to help prevent and remove stubborn stretch marks:
1. Prescription Creams — Using Retin A Cream (vitamin A) following pregnancy. This cream, available with a doctor’s prescription, helps remodel the collagen and elastin in the skin and improve its appearance.
2. Exercise — A balanced exercise program, breathing exercises and meditation help balance hormone levels, especially cortisol, the stress hormone that, if elevated, can cause changes to one’s hormonal balance.
3. Diet — While there is no magical food that can help prevent stretch marks, drinking at least six to eight glasses of non-carbonated water to flush out toxins and keep the body and skin hydrated as well as consuming fresh leafy greens can help.
4. Moisturizing Twice Daily — Keep the entire body moisturized. Choose a moisturizer that is paraffin- and chemical-free and which contains alpha hydroxy and vitamin A.
5. Fraxel Laser Treatments — A non-invasive, FDA-approved laser treatment. The laser has shown excellent results in proving stretch marks. The laser passes through the top layer of skin like light through glass, reaching into the dermis below to create thousands of tiny, microscopic areas that stimulate the body’s wound-healing response, notably new collagen production and replacement of damaged marked skin with new firmer skin.
Depending on the amount of stretch marks approximately three treatments can reverse and remove stretch marks as well as tighten and tone the skin’s texture and pore size.
Fraxel can also be used to treat and remove melasma, brown spots known as the mask of pregnancy, c-section, superficial scars and acne scars, fine lines, wrinkles and loose skin.
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