Stretchmarksfirstappearasraisedstriationswhichvaryincolourfrompink,purpleorbrown,dependingonthemother&39;snormalskincolour.Striationsdevelopwherefatisstoredinthebody,suchastheabdomen,thighs,hips,buttocks,breastsandarms.Stretchmarksdevelopduringpregnancybecauseofrapidandexcessiveweightgaininareassuchasthelowerabdomenorthighs.Asweightincreases,thecollagenandelastininthedermallayeroftheskin,responsibleforretainingshapeandfirmness,isstretchedtothepointofbreaking.Thedermisisthelayerbeneaththeepidermis,orvisiblelayeroftheskin.Theelasticfibresinthedermisweakenwithstretchingandincreasedcortisonelevelsnormallyproducedinthelasttrimester.Asthesefibresseparateandtheskinstretches,collagenisoverproducedtoformscartissuewhichresultinstriationsInternationalSchoolInterview.Thereisnocureforstretchmarks.Thescarringprocessthathasoccurredinthedermiscannotbereversed,butstretchmarkswillflatten,fadeandlightenovertime.Creamswhichcontainsteroidssuchashydrocortisone,oractiveagentsliketretinoin(retin-A)shouldnotbeusedduringpregnancy,andespeciallynotduringthefirsttrimesterwhenthefetusishighlyvulnerable.Plasticsurgerymethodsareavailabletoreducetheappearanceofstretchmarks,suchasdermabrasionorlaser,buttreatmentsareexpensiveandresultsvarydermesvsmedilase.Geneticsplayaroleinwhetherapregnantwomanwilldevelopstretchmarks,butequallyinfluentialfactorsaretheconditionoftheskinandnutritionindeterminingtheonsetandseverityofstretchmarkdevelopment.Well-hydratedandhealthyskinstretchesmoreeasily,sodrinkingplentyoffluidsandeatingfoodsrichinvitaminC,vitaminE,zincandsilica,acomponentincollagenformation,arebeneficial.Lotions,creamsandothertopicaltreatmentswillnotreachthedermis,buttheycanhelprelievetheitchinessordrynessassociatedwithstretchmarks.Keepingtheskinmoisturizeddecreasesanydiscomfortthatmaybefeltandifstretchmarksaretreatedwhentheyfirstappear,theirappearancemaybereducedsignificantly.Massagingnutrient-richnaturaloilssuchaswheatgerm,jojobaorvitaminEcanhelphealtheepidermisandalsoincreasebloodcirculationtotheaffectedarea,assistingthehealingprocess.Pregnantwomenshouldavoidproductscontainingclarysage,basil,cinnamonorthyme,asthesemightadverselyaffectthefetusreenexHydraFacial.Stretchmarkseventuallyfadeandbecomelessobviousovertime.Maintainingabalancedperspectiveaboutstretchmarkscankeeppregnancyamostprecioustimeformotherandbaby.
