Stretch Marks

STRETCH MARKS

The medical term for what is typically called stretch marks is "striae gravidarum". Stretch marks are caused by excessive stretching of the skin.

The causes of stretch marks generally include pregnancy, rapid weight changes and puberty. Depending on your skin color, the marks start out as pink or brown streaks, eventually becoming lines of silvery white scar tissue.

There are a variety of treatments available to both eliminate and prevent stretch marks. One such treatment is laser surgery. Most treatments, including laser, however, don't remove stretch marks -- they simply make them fade. The laser responds to dark colors only, so in the early stages, when stretch marks are dark red or brown, laser treatment will be effective. Faded, flesh-colored marks will probably not respond to laser treatment since they won't be easily detected. A series of treatments might be required for visible results.