Stretch marks look awful and everybody who has them hates them, including me, and we are all prepared to go to great lengths for stretch mark removal. Stretch marks start off as unsightly red or purple marks which eventually fade to white scars. Women normally get them around the hip and lower abdominal area and sometimes on the legs and buttocks, while men suffer from stretch marks on the shoulders, chest and back. In rare cases stretch marks have actually appeared on peoples faces, which has done nothing for their self-confidence!
According to the experts, stretch marks can happen to anybody and are common in times of speedy growth. This means teenagers who are in the process of sprouting up rapidly (especially boys) can get these unattractive marks, and between 75 and 90% of pregnant women will also get them. Stretch marks also commonly afflict people who lose or gain weight very quickly, and weightlifters and manic gym goers who like to pump heavy weights are also at risk.
There are a number of remedies available for stretch mark removal, depending on how bad your problem is, how much you want rid of your stretch marks and how deep your pockets are! Creams and lotions are the most wallet-friendly options, with the most expensive being a surgical operation or laser therapy. Surgery is not an option to be taken lightly and is not suitable for everyone, but can give impressive, permanent results although there is obviously going to be quite a lot of swelling and postoperative discomfort. Laser therapy is less invasive and usually only gives mild discomfort and slight redness of the skin.
Stretch marks do not hurt when they appear, although they can make your skin feel a little tight and itchy – a common problem during pregnancy, as your entire body goes haywire getting ready for your baby. Stretch marks that appear with no warning should always be checked out by your doctor as there is a slight chance that you may have developed a disease called Cushing’s syndrome, where your endocrine system produces too much of a natural steroid, damaging the lower levels of skin and causing the tell-tale lines of stretch marks to appear.
Cushings syndrome happens when the adrenal glands within the body produce too much cortisol, a hormone that helps to regulate blood pressure and the immune system among other things. Too much cortisol causes problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure and the thinning of the skin as well as allowing damage to occur within the dermis, thus causing stretch marks. Cushing’s disease must be ruled out before any stretch mark removal is undertaken, as serious side effects could result. The good news is that Cushing’s disease is rare, and it is most unlikely that your stretch marks are a symptom of this problem.