Stretch Marks Cream
Stretch marks are normally seen on the areas of bodies like the thighs, hips, buttocks, breasts and pregnant abdomens. Though they are harmless, but nevertheless they are a cause of concern for some people because these scars can be seen as white silvery lines that traverse on such parts of the human body. Hence, to reduce the visibility of such scars, creams are created and selling like hot cakes in the market.
Although, stretch mark creams have a low rate of effectiveness, many people still patronize pharmacies to purchase the creams and apply to their stretch marks. However, there are a few creams on the market that utilize an effective combination of ingredients to effectively reduce the deepness of the stretch mark furrows and decrease the visibility of the stretch marks themselves. These products work to keep the skin supple, elastic and nourished, thus helping in reducing the appearance of stretch marks or prevention of stretch marks.
Most stretch mark creams and products contain ingredients such as Vitamin E, Vitamin A, cocoa butter, wheat germ oil, lanolin and AHAs (alpha-hydroxy acids). These elements work wonderfully in soothing and softening the skin, keeping the skin well-nourished and supple.
Basically, stretch marks are tears in the epidermis characterized by spurts of growth, puberty and pregnancy. Skin affected by stretch marks is characterized by thinning, weakness, roughness, sagging, stiffness, and decrease in the size of tissues.
The skin is the largest organ in our bodies which cover a wide surface area. On one hand, skin matrix is continuously synthesized by fibroblasts which are cells in connective tissues that make and secrete collagen. For your information, collagen are connective tissues found in muscles. On the other hand, whenever collagen is damaged, malformed or worn out, the structural proteins and elastin- is broken down into fragments by collagenase and gelatinase enzymes and then recycled. By digesting key matrix proteins, such as collagen and elastin, such enzymes play a critical role in skin physiology.
The synthesis and degradation of the matrix are in balance in healthy and youthful skin. Damaged skin matrix is degraded while the deficit is replenished by ongoing synthesis. This intricate balance gets disrupted because of hormonal imbalances, malnutrition and aging, unfortunately. Too little of the matrix is synthesized and too much is degraded. It can be improved by either increasing supply like boosting synthesis of the matrix or reducing demand such as inhibiting the breakdown.
The synthesis of elastin is important, for although elastin is only 2% of the total protein in the dermis, those skin fibers provide the resiliency of skin. Elastin synthesis and the regulation of the quantity of cross-linked insoluble elastin and collagen fibers depend on the presence of active fibroblasts, which secrete the soluble precursor of elastin, tropoelastin.
Treatments that combine harsh glycolic acid peels and L-ascorbic acid which is Vitamin C, or combinations with lactic acid, citric acid or others such hydroxyl acids have been tested, albeit only on very few subjects. The study shows both tretinoin and L-ascorbic acid when used daily for 12 weeks after glycolic peeling for each and every day, can help with newly formed stretch marks a little, although it may have adverse side effects such as redness and scaling.
Now, tretinoin is not for women who are pregnant or about to get pregnant for it may cause damage to the growing fetus in mom’s belly. The epidermis gets thicker with those after the professional procedures. Superficial peels are generally performed with glycolic acid. The practice of glycolic acid treatment over stretch marks is not so effective. This is not unexpected as alpha-hydroxy acids act only superficially.
Although there are several stretch mark creams available and many more being brought out each year, only some are truly effective in diminishing the furrows and discoloration of stretch marks. It is important to conduct research to determine which stretch mark creams are effective at removing the unsightly appearance of stretch marks. However, with the right product, it is easy to ensure that your skin diminishes current stretch marks and prevents future ones.
