Symptoms of Extension: Causes and Treatment
1.Extension Signs Are Scars
If your skin is more stretched than it used to be in a short time - during pregnancy or baby development, for example - the stretch marks on your skin may tear. Those damaged areas form long, small scars called stretch marks. They can look like pink, red, or purple stripes.
2.Where You Find Them
You will not find stretch marks on your face, hands, or feet, but they can be anywhere else. It is more likely to be where your body stores fat, such as your stomach, hips, thighs, breasts and buttocks. You can also see them on your lower back or behind your arms. Genetics may be involved in stretch marks. For example, if your mother found them in her lap during pregnancy, you may have had them there.
3.Anyone Can Find Them
About 50% to 90% of women have it, but men can get it too. It is also common for young girls (breasts, thighs, hips, or buttocks) and boys (low back or waist) to get easy marks during puberty.
4.They do not move
Like any other scar, the stretch marks do not disappear. But over time, they tend to be darker and lighter than your entire skin - they may look white or silver. If you feel embarrassed about them, remember, more than half the adults have them.
5.Cause: Weight gain
You can get stretch marks when you are young and your body changes quickly. If you are overweight and premature, you are more likely to develop stretch marks. Getting muscle mass fast, as bodybuilders sometimes do, can also result.
5.Cause: Weight gain
You can get stretch marks when you are young and your body changes quickly. If you are overweight and premature, you are more likely to develop stretch marks. Getting muscle mass fast, as bodybuilders sometimes do, can also result.
6.Cause: Medication
Some drugs can cause obesity, inflammation, constipation, or other physical changes that stretch your skin and lead to stretch marks. Hormones (such as birth control pills) and corticosteroids (which reduce inflammation in your body) can both do this. If you are taking medication and are worried about stretch marks, talk to your doctor about things you can do.
7.Cause: Medical Conditions
Any health condition that leads to weight gain, sudden growth, or skin problems can cause stretch marks. Some medical conditions lead to physical changes that can cause them. For example, problems with your prostate gland, such as Cushing’s disease and rare cases such as Marfan and Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (affecting the connective tissue), can make you more likely to get them.
8.Can You Control Yourself?
Experts think that genes play a role in stretch marks, but if your parents have them, that doesn't mean you will. One of the best ways to prevent it is to keep your weight strong. Drinking plenty of water can help prevent damage when your skin is stretched. And foods that keep your skin healthy may reduce your chances, too. Eat foods rich in zinc, such as nuts and fish, and other sources of vitamins A, C, and D, such as citrus fruits, milk, and sweet potatoes.
9.See a Dermatologist
A board-approved skin specialist is the best person to talk to about skin problems, including stretch marks. They can tell you about the best treatments for your skin type, and ways to reduce your chances of getting more. Make sure you tell them all the medications you are taking (including vitamins and over-the-counter drugs) and if you have any other health problems.
10.What May Help: Retinol Products
Retinol, which is derived from vitamin A, can help to make stretch marks invisible. It causes your skin cells to break down, or “turn around,” quickly and can make new skin grow faster, too. Catch: You should start using it as soon as the stretch marks appear, and use it regularly to make it work. And the retinol type that has been shown to be effective (tretinoin) is only available through a prescription. Talk to your dermatologist about whether you should try it.
11.What May Help: Laser Therapy
The American Society for Dermatologic Surgery states that laser or simple treatments can make the stretch marks invisible - light causes changes in the skin that help the stretch marks to coalesce. Studies show that they are more effective in skin with a medium tone. Laser treatment can be expensive, and it can take up to 20 sessions to see results. If you are going for a laser route, see a dermatologist with a board certified or plastic surgeon who has worked with your skin tone.
12.What can help: Sugar Products
These lotions and sprays can darken your stretch marks and make your entire skin tone look more radiant. That can make them invisible, especially if they are white or very light in color. You may need to try different products and shades before you find the one that works best for you.
13.Unable to Help You: Removing the Skin
Exfoliation ads may claim to make the stretch marks invisible. Scrubs, buffs, and microdermabrasion (this removes the top layer of skin with a tool) can make your skin smoother. But there is no evidence that any of these treatments are really helpful - and some dermatologists think that microdermabrasion can make simple symptoms worse.
14.You Can't Help: Many Lots and Creams
Many skin products claim to eliminate stretch marks. But there is little evidence that over-the-counter products can repair broken cords that cause them to rupture. And experts do not know whether brushing with oil or cocoa butter products will prevent stretch marks during pregnancy, either. They may make your elastic skin less sensitive, however, which can make you more comfortable.