Medically termed “striae,” stretch marks are scar-like lines on the skin. These discolored, slightly sunken lines can appear on the body and are generally not harmful, although they can make some people feel uncomfortable about their skin. This article will discuss some things you need to know about scars.
Stretch Marks are Scars
The tear in the elastic fibers of the skin causes this. This tear may occur during certain circumstances, such as pregnancy. During such periods, the skin stretches more than it usually does within a short period. This results in scar-like marks across the body, which may be pink, red, or purple streaks.
Where Can You Get Stretch Marks?
Stretch marks occur in places where your body stores fat. Therefore, you cannot experience stretch marks on the face, hands, or feet. Instead, you may get these scar-like lines on your stomach, hips, thighs, breasts, lower back, and even buttocks. Genetics may also play a significant role in the appearance of stretch marks on someone’s body. For instance, if someone’s mother experiences stretch marks on the thighs during pregnancy, the child is likely to have such marks on the thighs.
Anyone Can Have Stretch Marks
Although it has been indicated that about 50-90% of women get stretch marks during pregnancy, men can also have stretch marks. Concerning pregnant women, experts believe that pregnancy hormones are responsible for the skin’s vulnerability, which leads to stretch marks.
Stretch Marks Don’t Go Away
Stretch marks are permanent –just like every other scar on your body. What happens is that, with time, these marks get lighter than the rest of your skin.
Weight Gain May Cause Stretch Marks
The more weight you gain and the faster you achieve the said weight, the more likely you will have stretch marks. For bodybuilders, gaining mass muscles quickly can also cause stretch marks to appear on the skin.
Medications May Also Cause You To Have Stretch Marks
Some medications cause you to gain weight or even have swelling in some parts of your body, and these swellings may also come with stretch marks. For instance, birth control pills and corticosteroids –which ease the inflammation of some body parts– may cause you to have stretch marks.
Medical Conditions Can Cause Stretch Marks
If you have any medical condition that causes you to gain weight, it may also cause the appearance of stretch marks on the skin. In addition, some conditions cause physical changes to the skin, such as Cushing’s Disease, Marfan, and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome.
You Can’t Prevent Stretch Marks
Finally, even though many home remedies have been praised as the cure to eliminate stretch marks or even prevent them altogether, the truth is that there are no effective ways to avoid them. This is because these marks are scars, and the only way to prevent them is not to gain or lose weight significantly.
