subject: Cause and Solution for Body Stretch Marks – Men & Women [print this page] Cause and Solution for Body Stretch Marks Men & Women
The cause of body stretch marks on men and women is mainly due to weight gain. But there is a fundamental reason or process that contributes to the cause. Let's look at the cause and then How to Get Rid of Body Stretch Marks on Men and Women.
What is Striae?
They are also known as striae in the dermatological field and are actually a form of scarring. They are visible as thin lines that differ in color from the rest of the skin. In the worst cases, they can be felt. It all depends on how much stretching has occurred.
They are sometimes seen during growth spurts of puberty. Girls may have them on their breasts. Depending on the skin's natural color, they may appear blue, purple, pink or white.
Weight lifters may see them because of quick muscle growth. The forearms and legs are common locations.
Women sometimes see them on their stomachs or backs during pregnancy. Women who gain a great deal of weight during a single trimester are most likely to experience them.
What Causes Stretching?
While weight gain or body changes are what cause the stretching, the underlying cause of body stretch marks on men and women has to do with the elasticity of the dermis. The dermis is highly elastic and can do a great deal of giving. But, when dermis elasticity is overcome, the result is this form of scarring.
Certain hormones known as glucocorticoids are involved. They prevent fibroblasts from forming new collagen and elastin fibers quickly enough to keep up with the stretching.
Eventually, there may be tearing in the dermis and the epidermis. The epidermis is the outermost layer of the skin. The dermis is beneath the epidermis and above the skin's fatty tissue layer. Tearing in the epidermis and the dermis is the cause of body stretch marks on men and women that cannot be correct with laser surgery.
Almost all striae fade with time.
As the body makes new collagen and elastin fibers, the damaged ones are replaced. The fading process is similar to what happens when scars are diminished. If you are older, you have probably noticed that scars present during your childhood are thinner. Some may have disappeared completely.
Basically, the skin has the ability to repair itself.
e refer to that as rejuvenation. The rejuvenation process slows down with age. Although age is not a contributing factor or a cause of body stretch marks on men and women, aging does affect the reparative processes. Striae that occur later in life may not fade, because collagen and elastin production has decreased.
On the other hand, increased production of collagen and elastin could cause the striae to fade faster. There are compounds that have been shown to stimulate collagen and elastin production. They are typically found only in anti-aging face products, however. Using them on other parts of the body is usually too expensive.
Now that you understand more about the cause of body stretch marks on men and women, you might want to learn how to get rid of them. There are affordable alternatives. You'll learn about them in my next article: How to Get Rid of Body Stretch Marks on Men and Women. Click on the link in the resource box below for the article. Be sure to sign up for the Free Skin Care Guide and Newsletter.
