Stretch marks, what are they?

When you are young, you often don't think about the different thing that impact your body and you don't always think about the way you look and pay attention to little flaws. As we start to grow up, we pick out every flaw. One flaw most people have is stretch marks. Stretch marks commonly happen when you rapidly put on weight or rapidly lose weight.
A stretch mark doesn't look like a scar, it has its own unique and distinct look. Instead it can appear reddish in color or it will look like the same color or your skin, but shinier. It is simply a piece of stretched out tissue. The stretch mark is actually found on the inner layers of the skin, although you can see it from the upper layer of your skin. The elastin and collagen allow the skin to stretch and move. If the collagen and elastin have been stretched out, they become quite thin and they can break. Initially the stretch mark will look red or purple until it heals. This is because there are blood vessels in the skin that need to heal. Once the blood vessels are healed, the stretch mark will blend in with the rest of your skin, but it will appear translucent.
Again, it is common to gain stretch marks if you rapidly put on weight or you lose weight quickly. This is why many women experience stretch marks during pregnancy because they usually put on 20 pounds or more during pregnancy. The common areas for stretch marks are on the breasts, abdomen, thighs, buttocks, arms, chest, back, and legs. For women that are pregnant, the stretch marks are practically inevitable. This is because the body naturally softens the collagen so the skin can move easily during childbirth.
Genetics also play a role in stretch marks. Some people simply have weaker collagen than others and it's easy for them to get stretch marks. Even if you don't gain weight, you can get stretch marks from exercising and building your muscles. As the muscles start to expand, the skin must stretch and expand around the muscles; this can easily cause stretch marks.



It's also common to get stretch marks when you hid your teenage years and you suddenly go through a growth spurt. Until your body reaches its maximum growth, you will probably get some stretch marks on your back, stomach, or legs.
There are tons of "stretch mark miracles" out there that claim they can solve your problem. However since stretch marks are underneath the upper layer of skin, all the creams in the world really won't make a difference. They may lessen the intensity, but unless you can soften the collagen, you will get stretch marks.
If you are a bodybuilder, take it slow. This is the best way to prevent stretch marks. If you have gained weight, slowly work it off. Don't try crash dieting to lose the weight quickly because it will cause stretch marks. Going slowly allows the skin to adapt to the changes.
Once you have stretch marks, you just need to learn to love them. They are a part of your body and there really is no cure for them. Some people will undergo extensive laser therapy treatments or plastic surgery treatments to remove them. Plastic surgery does work because the doctor will cut away the layers of the skin where the stretch marks have occurred. Lasers need to be used when you first notice a stretch mark. They are effective at curing the blood vessels that are trying to heal after being stretched.