ALL ABOUT STRETCH MARKS – CAUSES, PREVENTION & CURE

 

Feeling some kind of ridge or indentation when you touch your skin? Seeing some kind of tiger stripes on your skin? Finding an answer to what it is and what can be done? This is one of the most common issues faced by most women during pregnancy and is called stretch marks. Medically, they are termed as Striae Gravidarum.

Almost 55%-90% of women get stretch marks during their pregnancy. Stretch marks are one of the most common side effects of pregnancy. They are a natural result of the skin stretching during pregnancy. It usually occurs on the

• hips
• abdomen
• breasts
• thighs

It starts as a flat, pink to red band and then later it becomes raised, longer, violet top red in colour.

Reasons for the occurrence of stretch marks :

Stretch marks are basically caused due to the stretching of the skin. They appear when the skin gets stretched over a certain area causing the collagen to break down and leave a mark. Here listed below are some of the reasons for its occurrence –

• Raised hormonal levels like estrogen, androgens and glucocorticoids.
• The increased stretch of the abdomen causes the breakdown of collagen and elastin fibres.

 

Does everyone face stretch marks?

People tend to develop stretch marks under the following circumstances –

• Family history
• Increased pre-pregnancy weight
• Excessive weight gain during pregnancy
• Reduced Vitamin C levels
• Gestational diabetes

How to prevent stretch marks :

 

While you are busy taking care of your bundle of joy it’s necessary to not ignore the stretch marks on your body. Here stated below are few remedies by which you can cure and reduce your stretch marks –

• Centella Asiatica, alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E), have proven benefits in preventing and reducing the intensity of stretch marks when started as early as 12 weeks.

• Hyaluronic acid creams have also shown to be effective in some studies.
• In a few studies done – Olive oil, almond oil, cocoa butter did not seem to work for prevention or reducing the appearance of existing stretch marks.

 

Treating stretch marks :

Finding ways to bid goodbye to your stretch marks? Here’s are some ways by which you can do it –

• It’s better to start the treatment in the early stage for a better outcome when it’s flat, pink to red in colour.
• During the initial stages, topical Tretinoin will help.
• In later stages, when it becomes raised, pale in colour, procedural treatments like fractional or ablative CO2 lasers, Microneedling, helps in improving the stretch marks.
• Stretch marks once formed will not disappear. Only the appearance of the stretch marks can be made better. Earlier you start the treatment, can be made better.

 

Prevent it with Armoraa :

Stretch marks usually fade away with time but if you are not confident enough or you don’t want to wait then we have your back. We have specially curated treatments to treat stretch marks like –

• CO2 Laser
• Collagen Induction Therapy

Time to bid a final goodbye to our stretch marks with Armoraa. Get in touch with our expert dermatologist to find out more about how to treat your stretch marks during and after your pregnancy.