Almost 70% of pregnant women know firsthand about such a cosmetic defect as stretch marks, or striae, and athletes, ladies who are fond of diets, and even adolescents experiencing a rapid period of growth have encountered it. The essence of this aesthetic defect is the formation of skin atrophy in the form of stripes, which develops in places of strong stretching of the skin. Even among doctors, there is no single approach to removing stretch marks. Some suggest treating striae as scars and to correct them accordingly, others generally believe that it is pointless to correct the already formed connective tissue and will not bring the desired effect. Is it still possible to correct stretch marks, and how it can be carried out, we will consider with estet-portal.com.
How are striae obtained and what determines success in removing stretch marks
Stretch marks are a rather serious cosmetic defect that develops mainly in young people. With excessive stretching of the skin (which happens, for example, during pregnancy, in athletes who are rapidly gaining muscle mass, intensively growing adolescents, dieters who are rapidly losing weight and getting fat), there is a rupture, destruction of the mesh layer of the skin, collagen and elastin fibers, blood vessels, while maintaining epidermis intact. At the same time at the site of the breaks, the so-called dips in the form of narrow wavy stripes are clearly visualized.
Scientists call hormonal imbalance in the body the main reason for the formation of stretch marks, and the following are considered to be predisposing factors for the formation of skin stretch marks:
- genetic predisposition to skin stretch marks,
- increased production of stress hormones, as well as hormones of the adrenal glands, thyroid and gonads,
- heavy lifting, strenuous sports, extreme weight fluctuations.
Stretch marks can also become a symptom of certain diseases – such as hypercortisolism, Itsenko-Cushing's disease and others.
Most often, skin stretch marks form on the chest and abdomen, hips and buttocks, in the waist area, and in athletes pumping up muscle mass – in the area of the shoulder girdle.
The best results in stretch mark removal are achieved when therapy is started as early as possible.
The fact is that with newly formed striae in the affected area, many vessels, fibroblasts, enzymes, growth factors are still preserved, and therefore the skin retains the potential for its recovery.
Features of stretch marks formation and their classification
The formation of stretch marks is influenced by many conditions, including the characteristics of the patient's skin, and the hormonal background, and the force of skin tension, and the presence of concomitant diseases. The length of one stretching strip can be up to 10 cm, and the width is 1-6 mm. Striae can be single or multiple, retracted or convex, parallel or radial, by color – pinkish whitish, mother-of-pearl, purplish red.
To determine the most effective scheme for removing stretch marks, their inflammatory and atrophic stages are distinguished. If stretch marks appeared recently, they are less than 6 months old, they are classified as "young", inflammatory. Due to stagnation of blood in the tissue, stretch marks are red or pink in color, and cellular elements and dilated vessels are preserved between the torn collagen and elastin fibers. More "old" stretch marks are classified as atrophic, they are already formed in the form of cavities with walls of ordered collagen fibers, there are no vessels or cellular elements in the surrounding tissues.
The older the striae and the older the patient, and, accordingly, the terms of skin regeneration, the less potential for removal cosmetic defect.
stretch marks removal methods: individual choice of correction program
Before starting the removal of stretch marks, it is necessary to exclude endocrine pathologies in the patient, as well as determine the stage of the process, with methods of influencing the surrounding tissues. Work with stretch marks should be carried out in a complex, according to an individually selected scheme.
Correction procedures are aimed at stimulating metabolic and microcirculatory processes in the area affected by striae, at stimulating the activity of fibroblasts, increasing tissue tone, delivering trace elements and vitamins to the correction area.
Stretch mark removal is effective when combined with both home care using local cosmetics and salon treatments – chemical peels, mesotherapy, revitalization, intradermal biostimulation. Physiotherapeutic correction and laser therapy give a good effect.
Visually, the result of stretch mark removal can be expected as a smoothing of the skin relief, a change in color, a decrease in the depth and severity of stretch marks.
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