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| Source: Stretch mark photo from BCOG.com |
Oh sweet, sweet stretch marks. They’re large and coloured in
bold shades of red, purple or white. They hang around on tummies, thighs and
hips permanently. They’re reliable little scars because they’ll always be there
on your body even when you don’t want them to.
Stretch marks are basically the best self-esteem destroyers,
especially when beach season rolls in and everyone’s half naked. Tons of people
have them and I could say without real statistical evidence that they all
despise them. I’m sad to say that stretch marks cannot be rid of permanently.
But there are ways to reduce the look of it. Before seeing how you can treat
stretch marks, learn more about stretch marks before you try to conquer this annoying
problem.
Stretch Marks Are Usually White or Silver
When stretch marks are just starting to appear on your body,
they can look red or purple. Purple or red stretch marks occur when your skin
is expanding and when there are micro tears in the skin’s collagen and elastin.
With more blood vessels in your injured skin, that’s why stretch marks appear
red or purple. These colours could last for months or years after the stretch
marks first showed up (Awesome. Not.)
If you have older or mature stretch marks, they look white
or silver. This happens after blood vessels fade and when there’s no longer an
inflammatory response. More mature stretch marks have less collagen and elastin
compared to non-affected skin.
Getting a Good Tan Removes Stretch Marks
Tanning won’t remove your stretch marks. White and silver
stretch marks don’t tan the same way as unaffected skin. The first layer of
your skin turns darker, but your stretch marks will stay the same. The colour
doesn’t change, so white stretch marks stand out even more against tanned skin.
Plus, if you are basking in the sun, make sure you’re
wearing SPF sunscreen. Too much sun exposure can damage your skin’s collagen
and that’s’ the last thing you want if stretch marks are your concern.
Weight Loss Gets Rid of Stretch Marks
Stretch marks are considered scars so they’ll still be there
when you drop pounds. Stretch marks usually occur due to a few things that
cause the skin to stretch: pregnancy, weight gain and weight loss.
Thin People Are Immune to Stretch Marks
It doesn’t matter how big or small you are—people of all
sizes can have stretch marks. When people go through puberty, a stage where
hormones are rapidly changing, stretch marks can form. Even if a thin person
has an impossibly fast metabolism and never gains weight, hormonal imbalances causes
stretch marks.
Body builders who are notoriously fit and built can also
sport some stretch marks. These marks are usually seen on the upper chest or
shoulder areas.
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| Source: SpaMedica |
Reduce Your Stretch Marks With These Treatments
Physcians use fractional lasers and radiofrequency devices
such as Enerjet. During this treatment, the Enerjet applicator is applied on
the skin where the stretch marks are. The Enerjet propels solubilized soft tissue fillers like Restylane and Juvederm across the skin.
This product is evenly distributed within and under the
stretch mark to make them smooth and tight. There aren’t any needles used and
there’s no pain. It’s a 30-45 minute treatment depending on how much needs to
be treated.
Different methods and devices are used to reduce the looks
of stretch marks. A series of treatments need to be performed for the best
results. These programs usually take 3-6 months to finish since each treatment
is separated by a few weeks. Expect to see 30-75% improvement in your red,
purple or white stretch marks.
Curious for more information? Read more on stretch mark reduction treatments.
