These stretch marks that have hard skin

Except when you have a swimsuit complex, stretch marks are completely harmless skin lesions. They mainly affect women - and hop one more complex - and settle on the upper thighs, around the breasts, under the arms or on the stomach. To give us the look of a zebra (a very friendly animal if ever there was one). But how do they appear? Can we avoid them, or failing that treat them?

Stretch marks, who are you?

Stretch marks, which appear as thin red, purplish or white streaks on the skin, are similar to scars. In the areas where they form, it is the fibers of the deep dermis (located between the hypodermis and the dermis) that are torn.

Why do you appear?

This phenomenon occurs most often when you gain weight or lose weight quickly. This is the case during pregnancy, a drastic diet or too intense muscle building with stretching of the skin over the muscles (roughly if you really do a lot of weight lifting).

But hormones (again) also play a role in the appearance of these small unsightly streaks. Because cortisol and estrogens are involved in the functioning of fibroblasts, these cells which ensure the elasticity of the dermis. At puberty or when you are pregnant, everything goes wrong and stretch marks can show up because the skin is weakened.

Topical cortisone treatment or excess cortisol secretion due to endocrine disease may also be responsible.

Finally, all fragile skins, especially very fair skins, are more prone to it. It is the genetic factor.

Are you all the same?

We can distinguish classic stretch marks, which are finer and more discreet, from those linked to Cushing's syndrome which are quite wide, red and form vertical streaks. In this case, the culprit is a benign tumor (which can be removed by surgery) which affects the pituitary gland and stimulates the production of cortisol in an exacerbated way.

As for classic stretch marks, they go through two stages:

- the immature stage: purplish or red because in the inflammatory phase, that's how they start

- the mature stage: the ugly ones are well established, they take on a pretty pearly white color

How to make you disappear...

Getting rid of stretch marks is not easy, do not expect miracles. However, they can be mitigated with different products and techniques, natural or not:

- Field horsetail: it contains silicon and increases the resistance and elasticity of the skin. To get a home treatment, we go to the herbalist and on the way back we prepare a decoction of this magic plant. It is soaked in compresses to be left on for 10 minutes once a day until improvement.

- Aloe vera: another saving plant, aloe has regenerative and anti-inflammatory properties. Ideal for incipient stretch marks that are still red but also on older ones. Apply pure gel daily.

- Cocoa and shea butters, rose or avocado oil: stretch marks are more discreet on well hydrated skin, go for it.

- Silicone gel: it would increase the level of collagen and improve the appearance of the skin.

- Retinoic acid: (you know, the good old Roaccutane against acne ) also improves the appearance of stretch marks, but be careful, it is only used under medical supervision.

- Microdermabrasion: known for smoothing scars, this technique is dispensed in aesthetic centers and allows skin imperfections such as stretch marks to be erased by mechanical peeling.

… or not to see you appear?

Yes, prevention is always better than cure, especially in the case of stretch marks. To do this, hydrate sufficiently, especially when you are pregnant, and avoid yo-yoing in terms of weight... Finally, eat enough essential fatty acids, i.e. hydrate yourself from the inside (as in the case of dryness vagina )!

By Elise