Stretch Marks - How to Get Rid of Stretch Marks Fast

The Truth about Stretch Marks

Stretch marks are a simple part of life for people who go through a fast weight gain or pregnancy. You may get these fine lines on your body, caused by the skin stretching or being pulled by some type of rapid growth. Human skin is usually somewhat elastic, but when it is overstretched, the body's normal collagen production can be disrupted. When this happens, you will see scars known as stretch marks.

If you have stretch marks, be assured that you are not alone. Many women have stretch marks, most often on the butt, hips, thighs and breasts. They tend to appear more radically during pregnancy.

Obese people often have stretch marks, since their natural skin is stretched too thin over the areas where they carry the most weight. Bodybuilders sometimes get stretch marks because of the rapid buildup of lean muscle when they engage in strenuous weight workouts. Stretch marks can also appear if you use an ointment or skin cream that contains steroids, like hydrocortisone, for a time longer than a few weeks. You may also get stretch marks if you have taken oral corticosteroids in high doses for a period of months.

You may notice stretch marks initially as purplish or reddish lines that feel different in texture than the skin surrounding them. They may also feel indented. Stretch marks will often lighten and may almost disappear, with the passage of time. You may want to do something about them if you want to wear a bathing suit this summer and you don't want to wait for them to fade naturally.

Stretch marks may concern you because of their appearance, but they are not usually indicative of anything serious, and they will fade somewhat by themselves as time passes. Stretch marks that are very widespread, however, may indicate a condition like Cushing's disease, or other disorders of your adrenal gland.

Stretch marks may fade by themselves to a white, grayish or light pink color, or in some cases to less noticeable streaks of red, purple or pink. If you are worried about the marks, or if stretch marks develop over larger portions of your body, your physician can examine you physically to decide if there is an underlying problem that needs attention.

Stretch marks may be literally caused by your skin being abnormally stretched beyond its normal limits. The reaction of cortisone in your body is a normal response. Cortisone is produced in your adrenal glands, and it may weaken the fibers that normally help your skin to maintain its elasticity.

Stretch marks may result from the use of certain medications, or from genetic health problems. They are more frequently found in women, but men can get them, too. Other stressors that may cause you to be more susceptible to stress marks include a family history of the problem. They are not usually harmful, and you don't need to treat them, as a rule, unless you want to help them fade more quickly.

The level at which stretch marks appear is in the dermis layer of the skin, which is the middle, elastic layer that normally allows your skin to keep its usual shape. When pressured by pregnancy, obesity or other causes, the dermis breaks down, and this is what actually causes the stretch marks. The tearing of the dermis will diminish over a period of time, but the marks will not usually disappear completely without treatment.