The morphological and hormonal changes associated with motherhood sometimes lead to the appearance of stretch marks. In the post-pregnancy period, these red or white striations on the skin appear in certain areas of the body, such as the stomach, thighs, buttocks and breasts. Deemed unsightly, these marks often become a source of complexes for young mothers. How to remove stretch marks? While it is not always possible to make stretch marks disappear completely, there are medical treatments available to reduce them.
Healthy but unsightly, stretch marks are far from an isolated phenomenon. Between 70 % and 80 % of women are affected. They are more or less visible, depending on the quality and elasticity of the skin. Pregnancy is a particularly good time for stretch marks to appear. This is due to the more or less rapid and significant weight gain, the great distension undergone by the skin, and also to hormonal changes. Increased production of the stress hormone cortisol during pregnancy plays a major role in the development of stretch marks. Physiologically, stretch marks result from a break in the skin's collagen fibres, which are subjected to excessive tension. The hereditary factor should also be taken into account.
To prevent the appearance of stretch marks, many pregnant women go to great lengths to apply anti-stretch mark oils and creams. Unfortunately, taking care of your skin is not enough.
During pregnancy, stretch marks most often appear on the parts of the body that have undergone the greatest changes in volume, such as the stomach. Visit stretch marks on the stomach may form welts or lines around the navel or on the sides.
All pregnancies are different and weight gain is distributed differently for each woman. However, the thighs, hips and buttocks are the preferred areas for storing fat cells. The result: localised weight gain and the associated distension of the skin lead to stretch marks. Another area frequently affected is the breasts. For 9 months, a pregnant woman's body is preparing to breastfeed her future baby. The breasts swell and their fine, fragile skin is put under considerable strain.
Stretch marks can be red, pink or purplish in colour, or pearly white. In both cases, they are stretch marks. They are simply at a different stage of development. There are two phases of clinical development. The red colour corresponds to the inflammatory stage, lasting between 12 and 24 months. After this phase, they reach the definitive stage and turn white.
Stretch marks cannot be visibly reduced by using a specific cream or oil on the affected areas. Medical techniques make it possible to improve the appearance of the skin by erasing its defects, without resorting to surgery. Several methods have been tried and tested in the treatment of stretch marks: the laser (erbium or fractionated CO), the peeling (medium) or the carboxytherapy. The fractional CO2 laser remains the most widely used procedure for treating stretch marks.
The services described on this site are applicable to Switzerland; there are differences between countries.
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Dr Valeria Romano
Bd Helvétique 17, 1207 Geneva, Switzerland
Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 6pm
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