Stretch Marks

With the image of pregnancy and motherhood, another image inevitably comes to mind.  The threat of stretch marks on various parts of your body is something to worry about.  Pregnancy is not the only way to get stretch marks but it is the way most women develop them over the course of their lives.   

There are basically two ways to get stretch marks: pregnancy and weight gain and then loss.  Stretch marks occur when the middle layer of tissue under your skin tears from quick growth or if your skin starts to stretch too far too fast.  Stretch marks do not cause any real medical problems.  They are much more likely to bother you just because of the way they look.  There are certain areas of the body and people that are more likely to have stretch marks: the belly and breasts in pregnant women, teenagers going through rapid growth spurts and those who are overweight. 

Pregnancy is the most common way to gain stretch marks.  There are a couple of factors that can determine if you will get stretch marks and how severe they will be.  One is family history.  If your mother had stretch marks, you will likely have them as well.  Also, the darker your skin, the less likely it is that you will get stretch marks.  One way to inhibit the development of stretch marks is to stay hydrated.  The more water you drink, the more water your skin will have in it and the easier your skin will stretch.  If your skin is able to stretch more easily, it will be able to stretch without breaking down the underlying tissues. 

For some people who are overweight and then rapidly lose weight, especially those who have had gastric bypass surgery, the chances of having stretch marks are very high.  As you gain weight, your skin stretches, just as it does in pregnant women.  Conversely as you lose the weight, your skin starts to shrink, but you may still have some stretch marks once your skin starts to decrease. 

There are options for dealing with stretch marks.  There are many creams or lotions on the market that promise miracles.  These generally have some effect by moisturizing the skin and helping it to heal a bit.  You can also try chemical peels, much like the ones that are used on the face to get rid of wrinkles.  There are also newer options with lasers that doctors can do as an outpatient procedure.  The laser treatments do not get rid of the marks; it just makes them fade and become less noticeable. 

Many of us will experience the cosmetic ugliness of stretch marks.  Around 75-90% of pregnant women will get them during the nine months they is pregnant.  There are preventative measures you can take.  There are also some treatments available after you develop the stretch marks.  Do not despair if you end up with a few marks here and there.  Generally it is a matter of how much they bother you since they do not have any underlying medical problems.