All About Stretch Marks
July 3rd, 2009Stretch marks are the outcome of the body growing much more rapidly than the skin is growing or if the skin is being stretched much farther than the skin’s stretching limit. Other names for stretch marks are striae rubra, striae distensae, striae atrophicans, and striae alba.
What Causes Stretch Marks?
Other factors that can increase your risks of getting stretch marks include growth spurts, pregnancy, rapid weight gain and bodybuilding. There are also reports that heavy use of topical corticosteroid creams can cause stretch marks. Those with Cushing’s Syndrome may develop stretch marks as a result of extra adrenal cortical processes.
The Appearance Of Stretch Marks
Stretch marks appear on the skin as long, narrow abnormalities. Stretch marks are red when they first show up, but over time, they gradually take on a light silvery color. Some individuals may have stretch marks that are as wide as 10 millimeters. In general, though, stretch marks are much thinner than that and each is about a few centimeters long. If your stretch marks are mostly wide, or if you have them on your face, they may be symptoms of Cushing’s Syndrome of heavy use of topical corticosteroids. If you had stretch marks when you were a teen, you may have noticed that those have diminished over time.
Treating Stretch Marks
If you want to reduce stretch marks, you can use such stretchmarks treatments like chemical peel, cream, dermabrasion, laser surgery, lotions, oils, pulse dye laser therapy, and topical retinoid therapy.
Contrary to popular notion about stretch marks, children and men, as well as women, can get stretch marks. Any individual who puts on weight or increases in size rapidly is likely to develop stretch marks.
Maintaining good overall health happens to be a good way to forestall stretch marks. In order to be healthy, you need to exercise regularly and drink a great deal of water. Good nutrition is particularly an important component of healthy, elastic skin. Stay away from drugs (unless they are doctor-prescribed), particularly the common ones: caffeine, alcohol and nicotine. (Yes, these three are drugs.)
Vitamin E, which is mostly thought to be good for any skin health issue, is also thought to be beneficial when put on to stretch marks. If you wish to reduce stretch marks, try putting Vitamin E on the stretch marks every day for a few months. Many of the better stretch mark products, like Revitol Stretch Mark Prevention Cream, are formulated with this skin-strengthening vitamin.
Are Stretch Mark Treatments Covered By Insurance?
If you want medical treatments covered by your health insurance plan, you’re probably out of luck. Stretch marks are classified as a cosmetic condition, so their treatments are filed as nonessential optional treatments. So OTC stretch mark cream products that are recommended by a pharmacist are probably the best affordable treatment option for you. These over-the-counter treatments ordinarily works by getting rid of dead skin cells and rejuvenating skin cells.
Hopefully you now understand stretch marks better. This should enable you to better understand any changes that take place in your body.