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Stretch Marks During Pregnancy

Mon 15 Feb 2016 15:09:00 +0200

Most pregnant women fear them. Many won't even talk about them. Some particularly enlightened ones wear them proudly as a "red badge of motherhood." Yep, they're pregnancy stretch marks - and though your baby's not even born yet, she's already started to leave her mark when you're somewhere around 13 weeks to 21 weeks pregnant. More than half of all expecting women get these pink or red (sometimes purplish) streaks; you'll most likely notice them across your belly, butt, thighs, hips, and breasts.

Stretch marks are actually tiny tears in the supporting layers of tissue under your skin as it's pulled tight to the limit during pregnancy. Susceptibility has lots to do with genetics: Chances are, if your mother got them, you probably will too - while if she sailed through her pregnancies with smooth skin intact, you'll probably stay as smooth as your baby's butt. Rapid pregnancy weight gain can also make you more likely to get stretch marks. And darker-skinned women are less likely to get stretch marks as fair-skinned gals (plus they're not as visible on dark skin).

Try as you might to avoid stretch marks, there's no proven way to treat them or to stop them from zigzagging their way across your body. Fortunately, they won't stay so vividly hued forever. After delivery, they usually fade to a less noticeable (and more easily concealable) silvery gray color. Meanwhile, try to wear them with pride.

Striae in Adolescents

Mon 01 Feb 2016 22:43:00 +0200

Striae are common linear, red to violaceous atrophic lesions, also known as striae cutis distensae or striae atrophicae. Commonly several centimeters in length and between 1 to 10 mm wide, striae's long axes are perpendicular to the direction of skin tension lines. Initially, striae may appear pink, red, or violet. In severe cases, they may have raised and inflamed edges. They tend to occur on the thighs, buttocks, shoulders, breasts, and lumbosacral areas in boys. Over time, they become flatter and acquire a white to silver appearance.

Pregnancy Stretch Marks

Mon 01 Feb 2016 21:31:00 +0200

Stretch marks are narrow pink or purplish streak-like lines that can develop on the surface of the skin. They're also known as stria or striae. If you get them, they usually appear on your tummy, or sometimes on your upper thighs and breasts as your pregnancy progresses. The first sign you notice might be itchiness around an area where the skin is becoming thin and pink.

Stretch marks are very common in the general population and don't just affect pregnant women. They can happen whenever the skin is stretched – for example, when we're growing during puberty or when putting on or losing weight, but hormonal changes in pregnancy can affect your skin and make you more likely to get stretch marks. Our skin is made up of three main layers – the epidermis (the outer layer), the dermis (the middle layer) and the subcutis (the inner layer). Stretch marks happen in the middle layer, when the skin is stretched quite a bit over a short time. This stretching can break the dermis in places, forming stretch marks. Whether or not you get stretch marks depends on your skin type, as some people's skin is more elastic. After your baby is born, the marks should gradually fade and become less noticeable, but they won't go away completely.

You are more likely to get stretch marks if your weight gain is more than average in pregnancy. Most women gain between 10kg and 12.5kg (22 and 28lb) in pregnancy, although weight gain varies a great deal from woman to woman. How much weight you gain depends on your weight before you were pregnant. It's important that you don't diet to lose weight when you're pregnant, but you should eat a healthy, balanced diet. If you are worried about your weight, talk to your midwife or GP. They may give you advice if you weigh more than 100kg (about 15.5 stone) or less than 50kg (about eight stone). Stretch marks are not harmful. They don't cause medical problems and there's usually no need to see your GP, because there isn't a specific treatment for them. Over time, your skin will shrink and the stretch marks will fade into white-coloured scars.

Some creams claim to remove stretch marks once they've appeared, but there is no reliable evidence that they work. There is also limited evidence about whether oils or creams help prevent stretch marks from appearing in the first place.

A review of two studies looking at two specific creams marketed as preventing stretch marks found that massaging the skin may help to prevent stretch marks in pregnancy. The studies suggested that there was little or no benefit for women who developed stretch marks in a previous pregnancy, but that women who had developed stretch marks in puberty seemed more likely to benefit from massaging cream.

However, more research is needed into whether creams or massaging the skin can help to prevent stretch marks.

Stretch Marks on Stomach

Mon 01 Feb 2016 21:31:00 +0200

Stretch marks, also known as striae, are scars that appear on various parts of your skin, primarily around the stomach, thighs, hips, breasts, upper arms, lower back and even around your calves. They start out red and purple in appearance and later fade to a slightly off-colored hue that is similar to your skin tone, but still noticeable upon closer inspection. Stretch marks are often the product of stretching or tearing of the dermis, which is one of the layers of skin on a person's body. For many people, stretch marks can be embarrassing and unsightly, but most cases can be avoided.

1. Rapid Weight Gain and Obesity
One of the most common causes of stretch marks for most people is rapid weight gain or obesity. Anywhere in a person's body where fat is stored is most likely to be affected by stretch marks. The size and the amount of stretch marks that appear depend on the extent of a person's weight gain. The more weight that is gained in a short time frame, the more severe the stretch marks will appear.

2. Growth Spurts
Some teenagers may be alarmed to find stretch marks around their body, especially when they aren't overweight or haven't suffered from rapid weight gain at any point in their lives. The common explanation for the appearance of these stretch marks is from rapid growth spurts, especially during puberty. Just like rapid weight gain and obesity, any time the body grows or expands faster than the elasticity of the skin can handle, stretch marks can appear.

3. Weight Lifting
Weight lifting and those who start putting on more muscle mass at a rapid pace, like athletes, can expect to see stretch marks on their body, even though they are in good shape. This is why stretch marks cannot be used to identify a weight problem or obesity, since they can occur on people in top physical condition; the muscles under the skin are just growing too fast for the skin to handle. Those who are affected by stretch marks due to muscle building tend to see scarring primarily around the arms and shoulders.

4. Pregnancy
Pregnancy is most likely the predominant cause of stretch marks in most women. Because a woman's stomach is expanding at such a rapid pace during pregnancy, it is highly likely that she will develop stretch marks around her belly. Multiple pregnancies can lead to the formation of new stretch marks after each pregnancy.

5. Hormones
Hormonal imbalances have been labeled as one of the common causes of stretch marks. Since hormonal changes occur during puberty, pregnancy, obesity and even weight lifting, it's hard to pinpoint which particular factor is to blame for the appearance of stretch marks. The hormonal imbalance that occurs during these times can cause collagen and elastin fibers to tear over stretched skin, creating the appearance of stretch marks.

Striae

Mon 01 Feb 2016 21:30:00 +0200

Striae are irregular areas of skin that look like bands, stripes, or lines. Striae are seen when a person grows or gains weight rapidly or has certain diseases or conditions.

Stretch marks can appear when there is rapid stretching of the skin. They are often associated with the abdominal enlargement of pregnancy. They can be found in children who have become rapidly obese. They may also occur during the rapid growth of puberty in males and females. Striae are most commonly located on the breasts, hips, thighs, buttocks, abdomen, and flank. Stretch marks appear as parallel streaks of red, thinned, glossy skin that over time become whitish and scarlike in appearance. The stretch marks may be slightly depressed and have a different texture than normal skin.

Striae may also occur as a result of abnormal collagen formation, or a result of medications or chemicals that interfere with collagen formation. They may also be associated with longtime use of cortisone compounds, diabetes, Cushing disease, and post-pregnancy.

Stretch Marks on Legs

Mon 01 Feb 2016 21:30:00 +0200

Stretch marks are irregular areas of skin that look like bands, stripes, or lines. Stretch marks are seen when a person grows or gains weight rapidly or has certain diseases or conditions.

The medical name for stretch marks is striae.

Stretch marks can appear when there is rapid stretching of the skin. They are often seen when a woman's abdomen gets larger during pregnancy. They can be found in children who have become rapidly obese. They may also occur during the rapid growth of puberty in males and females. Striae are most commonly located on the breasts, hips, thighs, buttocks, abdomen, and flank.

Stretch marks appear as parallel streaks of red, thinned, glossy skin that over time become whitish and scar-like in appearance. The stretch marks may be slightly depressed and have a different texture than normal skin.

Stretch marks may also occur as a result of abnormal collagen formation, or a result of medicines or chemicals that interfere with collagen formation. They may also be associated with longtime use of cortisone compounds, diabetes, Cushing disease, and post-pregnancy.

Striae on Thighs

Mon 01 Feb 2016 21:29:00 +0200

Striae, or "stretch marks", begin as reddish or purple lesions, which can appear anywhere on the body, but are most likely to appear in places where larger amounts of fat are stored; the most common places are the abdomen (especially near the navel), breasts, upper arms, underarms, back, thighs (both inner and outer), hips, and buttocks. Over time, they tend to atrophy and lose pigmentation. The affected areas appear empty, and are soft to the touch.

Stretch marks occur in the dermis, the resilient middle tissue layer that helps the skin retain its shape. No stretch marks will form as long as there is support within the dermis; stretching plays a role in where the marks occur and in what direction they run, however, there are a number of contributing factors (see: "Causes", below) to their formation. They can (but do not always) cause a burning and itching sensation, as well as emotional distress. They pose no health risk in and of themselves, and do not compromise the body's ability to function normally and repair itself, however, they are often considered a cosmetic nuisance. Young women are generally affected the most and often seek treatment for them from a dermatologist and following pregnancy.

Stretch Marks

Mon 01 Feb 2016 21:29:00 +0200

Stretch marks or striae (singular stria) or striae distensae, as they are called in dermatology, are a form of scarring on the skin with an off-color hue. They are caused by tearing of the dermis, which over time may diminish, but will not disappear completely.

Stretch marks are often the result of the rapid stretching of the skin associated with rapid growth or rapid weight changes. Stretch marks in most cases may also be influenced by hormonal changes associated with puberty, pregnancy, bodybuilding, hormone replacement therapy, etc. Medical terminology for these kinds of markings includes striae atrophicae, vergetures, stria distensae, striae cutis distensae, lineae atrophicae, linea albicante, or simply striae. Stretch marks formed during pregnancy, usually during the last trimester, and usually on the belly, but also commonly occurring on the breasts, thighs, hips, lower back and buttocks, are known as striae gravidarum.

Stretch Marks on Breasts

Mon 01 Feb 2016 21:27:00 +0200

Stretch marks are mostly associated with abdominal and leg skin. However, stretch marks can also appear on a person's breasts. If you notice stretch marks on your breasts, there is no cause for alarm; this is actually fairly common. Breast stretch marks can be the result of a many different factors, but stretch marks rarely mean you have any disease or irregular condition.

Breast stretch marks are typically the result of rapid changes in breast size. Breasts are composed of mostly fatty tissue, and increased calorie consumption can make breasts grow larger. Weight-related breast increase is more common in women, but it can occur in men as well. If you have gained weight recently, your breast stretch marks were likely caused by this. Even after losing excess weight, some evidence of the stretch marks will always remain, but they will become fainter and less noticeable.

During pregnancy, a woman's breasts grow, and they remain engorged after childbirth for as long as the mother is actively breast-feeding the infant. Many forms of prescription birth control cause a woman's body to react as if she were pregnant, so breast increase is common. Breast increases associated with childbearing often occur quickly, leading to stretch marks as the skin expands.

Stretch Marks on Thighs

Mon 01 Feb 2016 21:26:00 +0200

Men and women can get stretch marks on several parts of their bodies, including the belly, thighs, hips, breasts, upper arms, and lower back. The marks form in the dermis, the middle layer of skin that allows it to retain its shape. When constantly stretched, the dermis can break down, leaving stretch marks behind. This kind of scarring happens when skin doesn't bounce back after it's been stretched by pregnancy, weight gain, or extreme weight loss. The marks often start off looking reddish or purplish and then become glossy, making the skin appear to be streaked in silver or white.