Facts about Stretch Marks

Stretch marks - or striae distensae - are narrow streaks or lines that occur on the surface of the skin. When stretch marks first appear, they tend to be purple, red, pink, or dark brown, depending on your skin colour. In time, the colour fades and might become white.

Stretch marks happen when there is a sudden weight spurt, as in puberty and pregnancy. The sudden change causes the elastin and collagen, which keep the skin intact, to rupture. Stretch marks appear as a result of the healing process of the skin.

Stretch marks can happen anywhere where the skin has been stretched, but they usually affect areas where fat is stored, such as: 

 - Buttocks
 - Tummy 
 - Thighs
 - Breasts
 - Upper arms

What makes some women more prone to stretch marks than the others are genetics. If your parents had them when they hit puberty or if your mom had them when she was pregnant, you are most likely prone to them.

Like any other scars stretch marks are permanent once they appear, we can only reduce their appearance but not make them fade completely. However, there are ways to prevent them from happening in the first place, such as keeping a healthy weight, eating a collagen-rich diet, and using stretch marks prevention products, for example, Palmer's stretch marks range. Prevention is key against stretch marks.  

Laser removal is the only way to remove old stretch marks.