Stretch marks are fine scars on your body that start out as pink, reddish brown, brown, or very dark brown or purple streaks. Stretchmarks are not harmful to your health — they will gradually begin to fade over the years becoming a pale white shade, lighter than the surrounding skin.
When young people are going through hormonal fluctuations during puberty the skin is pulled by the rapid growth or stretching. These periods of growth tend to damage the elastic fibers inside the skin, deep beneath the skin’s surface. Girls will notice these marks on their hips, breasts, thighs and abdomen. And while they’re more common in girls, guys can get stretch marks, too.
Overstretching reduces the production of collagen in our skin,normally very elastic and resilient. A natural protein, collagen acts like a glue and is the body’s major support structure. Without it we would literally fall apart. Our skin is our body’s largest organ and it produces collagen every day. This essential protein gives the skin 90% of its volume.
After the age of about 25-35, our bodies produce less collagen. It is reduced at a rate of about 1.5% a year. When this happens, you will begin to notice signs of aging and stretch marks will appear if skin is stretched too much.
To prevent stretch marks, we need to stop the disruption in the body’s production of collagen. If the elastic fibers that help our skin to stretch are kept more elastic, you are less likely to get stretchmarks. (more…)
