Stretch marks cannot be completely cured

What is stretch marks?

Stretch marks often occur due to excessive weight gain in a short time, causing the skin to not have time to grow to adapt. Connective tissue under the skin, made up of collagen and elastin fibers, helps the skin to be elastic, is stretched too much and then breaks, forming long indentations, many branches look like tree roots. At first, stretch marks are red, purplish, may be accompanied by tingling. Later, they will fade in color. These vulnerable skin areas are thighs, abdomen, groin, hips.

Stretch marks are usually caused by excessive weight gain in a short period of time

Causes of stretch marks

Due to pregnancy

In pregnant women, stretch marks usually occur at 6-7 months, but can also appear from the fourth month. During pregnancy, the skin of a woman's abdomen and buttocks often increases so quickly that the skin does not have time to stretch.

Due to obesity

Due to the increased body weight, the size also grows rapidly. Stretch marks usually appear on the abdomen and thighs, but they can also appear in other areas of the skin. 

Due to rapid weight gain

During puberty, hormonal changes during this period reduce the elasticity of the skin, if you gain weight too quickly, it will be easy to stretch. In men, stretch marks often appear on the outer surface of the thighs and waist area; For women, stretch marks appear on the thighs, buttocks, and breasts.

Due to the use of drugs or chemicals

Stretch marks can appear when collagen production is disrupted by the body absorbing certain drugs or chemicals. They can suppress collagen production, causing stretch marks. Besides, when you use skin creams or apply drugs containing chemicals for a long time is also the cause of stretch marks. Long-term application of corticosteroids can also cause stretch marks, but only in the affected area.

Stretch marks cannot be completely cured

Stretch marks cannot be completely cured, but can only be blurred

Stretch marks do not affect health, but reduce the beauty of women. Many people are seriously forced to part with bikinis and sexy clothes. Therefore, the beauty salons introduce a lot of treatment services, from massage, cream to super-abrasive, light. with a cost that can be up to tens of millions of dong. However, according to experts, the treatment effect is extremely limited.

According to dermatologists, if treated early, the application of certain drugs will help stretch marks appear less visible, less visible thanks to the effect on pigments and skin structure. But if the stretch mark is old or too deep and wide, the drug is very ineffective.

Once the skin's connective tissue has been broken, there's no way to fix it. So, curing stretch marks is not possible, either by cream or by light energy irradiation.

The application of ultra-abrasive techniques is also not very effective in removing stretch marks, because the elastic fibers of the skin are located in the dermis, while the dermabrasion can only affect the epidermis. Not to mention mechanical grinding can cause darkening by damaging the basal cell layer at the end of the epidermis.

The only way for stretch marks to completely disappear is to cut that area of ​​skin, usually applied to cases of excess skin, excess fat in the abdomen. Doctors will shape the abdomen and combine removal of excess skin and fat. Stretch marks on the hips and thighs can also be removed in this way.

Prevent stretch marks

To prevent stretch marks, doctors recommend controlling your weight, avoiding gaining weight too quickly. If you are tending to get fat quickly or are pregnant, you should apply creams to prevent stretch marks to partially limit the risk. However, if the skin is not healthy, has poor elasticity and stretches a lot or quickly, this cream is not very effective.

Lesley Montoya

Update 08 May 2023