They are completely benign, but can cause significant aesthetic discomfort, and have real psychological repercussions. Stretch marks form red or whitish streaks on the surface of the skin, which can appear very early in life. Invited Tuesday of Sans Rendez-vous , the program of Mélanie Gomez on Europe 1, the dermatologist Laurence Netter returns to these unsightly marks, their origin, and above all - if they cannot completely make them disappear - the way to fight them.
What is a stretch mark?
The term stretch mark is a variant of the word "rod", which used to designate a wooden stick. Stretch mark is a lesion on the skin that looks like a blow from the stick. Linear in shape, oriented in the direction of skin tension, they can appear everywhere on the body, with a predominance for certain regions according to age and sex. "When they appear, they are first inflammatory, red and purplish. Over time, they will become smooth, atrophic and white, with a crumpled appearance," says Laurence Netter.
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What causes stretch marks?
Stretch marks are caused by stretching of the skin, with certain promoting factors. We generally develop stretch marks with sudden weight loss, combined with hormonal changes that weaken the skin. These are the two elements that make the dermis crack. "Adolescence is the great period of life where we risk developing them. The adrenal glands are activated. They manufacture glucocorticoids which weaken the skin, this is the famous cortisol, the hormone of puberty" , explains Laurence Netter.
"There are indisputably family factors, genetics play in the appearance of stretch marks. There are ethnic factors: certain origins make the skin more fragile", continues our specialist. Finally, certain genetic pathologies, which are diseases of the formation of collagen, such as Marfane syndrome or Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, can cause stretch marks. But these diseases are extremely rare.
Are women more affected than men?
One in two people is prone to stretch marks. Men can have them, but they mainly affect women, pregnancy being an important factor in stretch marks. In women, the most affected areas are the underside of the breasts and hips, areas that gain volume during puberty, but also the lower abdomen in pregnant women.
In men, it is usually the very muscular areas that are affected: the roots of the limbs, the inner thighs, the lower back and the shoulders. Athletic men, especially those who do bodybuilding, are more exposed than others. Taking certain anabolics can also weaken the skin and therefore facilitate the appearance of stretch marks.
Can we remove stretch marks?
There is no treatment to permanently remove stretch marks, warns Laurence Netter. It is however possible to prevent their appearance and, if they ever settle, several techniques can mitigate them.
Prevention. "Have good food hygiene, do not yo-yo with your weight. Do not smoke, do not expose yourself to too much sun, which can weaken the skin", lists our dermatologist. Pregnant women can also take care to hydrate their epidermis correctly, for example with almond oil massages. "There is no study which has been able to prove the effectiveness of a cream in prevention, but one can imagine that a well oiled skin will stretch better."
Retinoids. In drug products that have real effectiveness, vitamin A acid, which is called retinoid, generally used against acne, boosts cell renewal. "At high doses, there is undoubtedly an improvement in stretch marks that are already installed and mature," says our specialist. Please note, however, this medication can only be obtained with a prescription. Above all, it is contraindicated during pregnancy and lactation.
Radio frequency. "It is energy that heats the skin, more or less deeply. By heating the skin, we heat the cells and we force them to go into healing mode, so that they make new fibers ", explains Laurence Netter. Several sessions are necessary to obtain results, approximately four to five, at the rate of one session per month.
The laser. Lasers called "ablatives" or "microablatives" directly improve the surface of the skin. Like radio frequency, they also heat the skin and stimulate cell renewal. "Lasers are not painless, radiofrequency is much more comfortable," says Laurence Netter. It should be noted that the best results on stretch marks are generally obtained by combining several of these techniques.