Cause of Stretch Marks
As we know, stretch marks are white silvery lines that traverse on the surface of the skin just like veins or arteries. It is caused when the skin is stretched beyond its limit and loses its elasticity. The production of collagen, a type of protein, is disrupted. Losing elastin and the disrupted production of collagen causes the skin to have stretch marks on the epidermis or the top layer of skin.
Stretch marks often occur in women and can be seen around the thighs, hips, butts and pregnant abdomens. They are often made worse by fast growth, pregnancy, hormones and some other natural causes. Severe stretch marks can also be caused by some medications like steroids such as cortisone. Stretch marks develop when the skin is excessively stretched beyond its limit during pregnancy, growth spurts or weight gain.
Collagen production on the dermis of the skin is damaged and blood vessels dilation causes the development of purplish colored early stretch marks. The inflammation and collagen disruption may cause the obscuring of production of melanin. After a period of time, this lacking of pigment leads to the white pigmented scars that we call stretch marks. The stretching of the skin beyond its limit can also be caused by the rapid weight gain in a short duration such as puberty or during pregnancy. Stretch marks can also be formed on children who have rapidly become obese or on teens or adolescents who have undergone growth spurts during puberty.
Due to constant repetitive exercises, athletes and body builders can also develop stretch marks. The most common areas on the human body affected by stretch marks are the hips, breasts, thighs, buttocks and abdomen. It has even been suggested that stretch marks are caused because of an increased level of a hormone called glucocorticoids circulating through the body. This hormone is secreted by the adrenal glands and its production is increased during pregnancy, adolescence, obesity and weight lifting. The glucocorticoids affect the dermis or the skin by preventing the fibroblasts from forming elastin fibers and collagen. These are required to keep growing skin firm. What follows is dermal tearing as there is a lack of supportive substance when the skin is being stretched over its limit.
It has also been suggested that some people are more prone to getting stretch marks than others. The stretching may determine where the stretch marks will occur. Skin type may be a factor. For example, dryer skin has less elasticity than oily skin, and more likely to develop stretch marks. Stretch marks can also form more easily in skin with a high proportion of cross-lined collagen that occurs in teenagers.
Another hypothesis on the cause of stretch marks is that they can occur due to the abnormal collagen formation as a result of chemicals that interfere with collagen formation. It is also suggested that some medications that are hormonal or steroid based may cause stretch marks. It is best to leave the stretch marks alone are they are harmless scars on the epidermis.
