Stretch marks are red to white, linear, sometimes depressed scars that can stay in your skin for years. Stretch marks occur in the dermis, the elastic middle layer of skin that allows it to keep its shape. However, when constantly stretched, the skin can break down leaving behind scars. Dermal collagen is ruptured and blood vessel dilation results in the appearance of reddish or purple-colored stretch marks.

When your skin is excessively stretched during pregnancy, weight changes or growth spurts, stretch marks or striae can appear. They can also be caused by certain medications, mainly hormones and steroids. Stretch marks occur when rapidly expanding skin is stretched to its limit and tiny tears appear in the supporting layers of skin.

Over time the redness of the original scar may fade and the bands of the stretch mark may become lighter in color than the surrounding skin. The bands may become depressed and shiny in appearanceor develop an aberrant scar like texture.

Men and women can have stretch marks on several patches of their bodies, including the abdominal area, flank, breasts, hips, thighs, upper arms or lower back. They afflict 70% of teenage females and nearly 40% of young males.

Stretch Marks and Pregnancy

Though the nine months of pregnancy are a wonderful time in a woman's life, there are a number of unwanted alterations that happen in the skin during this time. Some of these are due to hormonal influences and others are due to the mechanical alterations in the body linked with pregnancy.

Stretch marks are one of the most recognized and talked about skin alterations that can happen during pregnancy. They are believed to be a consequence of the thinning of the skin during this time period due to female hormones which alter the protein balance in the skin. Almost 90% of pregnant women will experience stretch marks, commonly developing during the third trimester.

There is a genetic predisposition to developing stretch marks during pregnancy. Many women find the look of stretch marks to be distressing. Fortunately, the removal stretch marks is possible.

How to get rid of stretch marks

There are several over-the-counter therapies aimed to prevent stretch marks, such as Strivectin. Sadly no local remedies have been medically demonstrated to enhance the look of stretch marks. RetinA, glycolic acid, alphahydroxy acids have been prescribed with very little success. Dermabrasion or chemical peels have also been tried. The effects of these therapies range from fair to minimal.

Surgical alternatives to deal with these types of lesions, involve removing large patches of stretched skin. In a tummy tuck intervention, for instance, skin under the belly button is removed. This is usually an area in which stretch marks are prominent. It also works by toning the skin in nearby regions. These surgical techniques are efficient, but are more invasive than other options and thus involve longer recovery time.