Stretch marks

Stretch marks symptoms

The areas that are most prone to stretch marks include the chest, stomach, thighs and bottom. However, they can also occur in other areas where the skin tissue is subject to high stress, such as during intense physical activity or rapid growth during puberty.

In their early stages, these cracks in the subcutis appear as bluish-red lines that stand out clearly from the rest of the skin.

Over the course of time, stretch marks take on a white-yellowish appearance and become a type of scar that is flatter and less noticeable than in its original state.

Although stretch marks are not medically dangerous, they can be a cosmetic problem for many people. They can affect self-esteem and make sufferers feel uncomfortable in their skin. Therefore, interest in stretch mark treatment is widespread.

Stretch marks causes

Stretch marks occur when the connective tissue is overstretched and the elastic fibers - collagen and elastin - in the hypodermis, or subcutis, tear. The causes of such tears in the subcutis are manifold.

• Stretch marks are most common during pregnancy, especially in the second half of pregnancy, when the growing baby stretches the skin considerably. These marks are also known as striae gravidarum. The hormonal balance also plays a role during pregnancy: the cortisol level in the blood is increased during pregnancy, which leads to a reduction in the elasticity of the skin. This makes it more likely that it will tear and stretch marks will appear. Women with sensitive, fair skin who gain a lot of weight during pregnancy, were already overweight beforehand or have weak connective tissue are particularly susceptible to this.
• Weight gain or rapid growth of body volume due to Fat or muscle mass can also cause stretch marks. They are independent of gender and age and can occur even outside pregnancy.
• Hormonal changes can also lead to the development of stretch marks, or striae cutis, e.g. during puberty or with prolonged use of cortisol.
• In rare cases, stretch marks have medical causes such as Cushing's syndrome, which is also caused by an abnormal overproduction of cortisol.

Before starting the treatment of stretch marks, a thorough examination should be performed to rule out such diagnoses.

Stretch marks treatment

Unfortunately stretch marks do not disappear by themselves and were long considered untreatable. However improved the treatment methods and stretch marks can now be partially treated with the fractionated radiofrequency therapy become.

The treatment options include

• With fractional radio frequency eMatrix can improve stretch marks by around 50% in six sessions in most cases. This is an effective method of treating stretch marks and can also be used on darker skin types.
• Alternatively Infini can be used. This is a radiofrequency method that is delivered into the skin using a deep needling procedure. This method corresponds to the currently heavily promoted Morpheus8.

Neither method can completely remove stretch marks, but they often achieve very pleasing improvements. The treatment also improves the overall appearance of the skin, pores become finer, structural irregularities are evened out and redness and pigment shifts can be minimized. This can also counteract the initial loss of elasticity.

As already mentioned, 3-6 treatments are normally performed at intervals of at least 4 weeks. However, this information may vary depending on the skin condition. Let us advise you.

Stretch marks Frequently Asked Questions