More information about stretchmarks:
In the case of stretchmarks, the term "striae" refers to the narrow grooves or lines in the skin that usually lie parallel to eachother.
Firstly it is important to know about the skin before we can understand how these striae (stretchmarks) form. Your skin is made up of 3 different layers: the Edidermis is on the surface, the Dermis is in the middle and could be likened to the mattress of the skin, and finally the Subcutaneous layer is deepest and holds the fat cells. Your dermis is the layer affected when we talk about stretchmarks. It is composed 80% of a fibre called collagen and 4% of another fibre called elastin. These two fibres form a mesh network together in the part of the skin called the Dermis. The elastin component is responsible for giving the skin flexibility and its ability to stretch & recoil.
If this elastin becomes damaged through rapid or too much skin stretching (due to weight gain or pregnancy (75% – 90% of women develop stretchmarks to some degree during pregnancy) for example as well as common during puberty as the body changes shape and rapid muscle growth with body building) stretchmarks become visible as a ‘scar’ of the trauma to the elastin. Initially this ‘scar’ is pinkish in colour and eventually settles to a white or silver colour. They feel soft and almost empty of substance.
The most common areas affected by stretchmarks are in areas that tend to expand/change shape for a number of different reasons (as mentioned above). Most common places are obvious: tummy, breasts, arms, underarms, hips, thighs and even buttocks.
Whilst stretchmarks are not at all a health risk and certainly do not compromise the body’s function, they create more of a visual unsightliness for someone bothered by them.
Elastin tissue needs to be rebuilt/strengthened to have any kind of improvement in the visual appearance on the skin’s surface. Although it is unlikely that stretchmarks will disappear completely, one published study conducted on pregnant women that found the daily application of some stretchmark creams was associated with fewer stretchmarks developments during the pregnancy.
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