How can stretch marks be avoided during growth or pregnancy ?

Most women are well aware that certain periods in life are particularly prone to the appearance of stretch marks. Unfortunately, however, it’s often too late when you notice them. Stretch marks have developed. So how can you minimize the risk of them appearing on your body, especially at those pivotal moments in your life ?

Understanding stretch marks

What are stretch marks ?

A stretch mark is a break in the structure of the skin, more precisely in the epidermis / dermis, the lower layers of the skin that are invisible from the outside. This is where the skin cells reproduce and build the tissue matrix – containing collagen and elastin in particular. Together, they give the skin its resistance to the mechanical stress factors and its ability to renew itself and heal.

Growth, pregnancy… and stretch marks

During a growth phase or pregnancy, the body lengthens or increases in volume, and the skin has to keep up. As in the case of rapid weight gain or muscular growth accelerated by intensive exercise. But these rapid changes in volume don’t always give the skin matrix time to adapt, and it stretches until it creates a break, in a linear shape; known as a stretch mark. The skin reacts like an elastic band. Capable of being stretched to a certain length and returning to its initial position, it can however, if stretched too quickly or too far, remain lax or even rupture. The stretch mark is therefore evidence of a break in the skin, which has been over-stretched.

This effect can be increased by hormonal changes, as is the case during pregnancy or puberty. Hormones influence the composition of the skin matrix and reduce its mechanical resistance.

Recognizing a stretch mark by sight and touch

The colour of a stretch mark changes. When it’s fresh and fully in healing and vascular activity, the stretch mark is red. Then the color gradually fades as the healing progresses because the number of vessels goes down. Once the break in the structure of the dermis has been repaired, the inactive stretch mark is completely white.

When in doubt, you can also tell if you have a stretch mark by touching it with your finger. You can clearly feel the break in the structure of the dermis. The skin is much thinner on the stretch mark area than on the surrounding skin.

4 tips to avoid stretch marks

As mentioned above, growth spurts, hormonal changes and mechanical stress on the skin are the triggers for stretch marks.

Since the first two are beyond our control and are intrinsic to periods of growth, puberty or pregnancy, prevention must focus on reducing mechanical stress.

Control your weight !

Trying to avoid rapid weight gain is the first piece of advice to prevent the appearance of stretch marks. An increase in body fat increases mechanical stress on the tissues. And body fat stimulates the production and the effects of hormones such as estrogens, which also play an important role in the appearance of stretch marks.

Moisturize your skin !

To prepare the skin and relieve as much stress as possible, moisturizing is absolutely essential. Whether before, during or after a period of growth or pregnancy, a moisturizing skin care routine applied morning and night is a solid strategy against the appearance of stretch marks and provides better protection for your skin.

Choose the right products !

There is a wide range of stretch mark prevention products available. Choose carefully : look for a product that has been scientifically proven to be effective, that is suitable for your skin type and that is unlikely to cause adverse reactions or undesirable effects, especially during pregnancy. Above all, don’t hesitate to ask a health professional for advice.

These precautions also apply to so-called ‘natural’ products and grandmother’s recipes, such as shea butter, essential oils, specific plant extracts, etc. Not everything is good or suitable for your skin.

Exercise !

Muscle strengthening is an important factor in preventing stretch marks, especially during pregnancy. As the muscles of the abdomen – the straight abdominal muscles and obliques – help to carry the baby’s weight, they can reduce the tension on the skin, which then has less to compensate.

Among our patients, we have found that women who had a good quality of abdominal muscles before their first pregnancy tend to have far fewer stretch marks than less active women. It is therefore advisable to train your muscles regularly before pregnancy and to resume exercising as soon as you are able, after the birth of your child.

Prevention is better than treatment

Prevention can considerably reduce the risk of stretch marks, but it cannot guarantee that you will never get any. However, prevention is still the best way to avoid them.

Some treatments do exist and can be used once the stretch marks have appeared – but there are not miracle cures !

When the red color of the stretch mark persists beyond 12 months and struggles to fade naturally, certain treatments can accelerate the process of improving the color. This type of laser treatment is similar to what we do with Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) on facial vessels.

Other treatments or products promise to induce skin retraction or even repair stretch marks. However, according to the expertise of Dr Schlaudraff, a recognized specialist in skin regeneration and stem cells, many of these products have not been scientifically proven to be effective.

Finally, new promising techniques combining ultrasound treatments and stem cell reatments are currently the subject of scientific studies. If the results are conclusive, this could open up a whole new world of possible treatments. To be continued.