Do you have stretch marks? Welcome to the club. In fact, roughly 80% of Americans have stretch marks somewhere on their body – typically the abdomen, breasts, hips, shoulders, butt and thighs (okay, so basically all over). While, there is absolutely nothing wrong with having them, we understand (and can relate) to feeling self-conscious about these unwanted lines and grooves. The good news is that there are ways to minimize the appearance of stretch marks. Read more…
What Causes Stretch Marks?
Stretch marks occur when your body has a period of rapid growth that suddenly stretches the skin and causes the collagen bundles under your skin to tear away from each other. Once the skin stops growing and returns to its normal state, lines can appear because it is not supported by the same collagen structure underneath. Common causes of stretch marks include:
- Quick weight gain or childhood growth spurts
- Pregnancy
- Breast augmentation surgery
- Bodybuilding
- Steroids (from steroid medications or illnesses such as Cushing’s syndrome)
- Marfan syndrome (a genetic disease that weakens your skin’s fibers and causes unusual growth
- Genetics
How Can I Get Rid of Them?!
Unfortunately, it is impossible to completely get rid of stretch marks, BUT there are steps you can take to reduce their appearance. There are scrubs, creams and lotions galore, but the most effective treatments are offered at a premier med spa such as Skin NV. Dependent upon your specific needs, we usually recommend the following:
Thermage: This treatment uses mono polar radio frequency to heat the collagen under the surface of the skin, causing the collagen to contract and skin on the neck, arms and body to tighten – no bruising, bleeding or lengthy recovery periods! Learn more about Thermage at Skin NV.
Fraxel Laser: Not only is Fraxel Laser FDA approved to correct skin pigmentation, treat acne scars and tighten the skin, it is also an effective treatment to minimize stretchmarks. Learn more about Fraxel Laser at Skin NV.
Co2 Laser Resurfacing: The Co2 laser vaporizes tissue and stimulates collagen, thus tightening skin and reducing wrinkles. Learn more about Co2 Laser Resurfacing at Skin NV.
Microneedling: This treatment creates a controlled injury to kickstart the body’s natural healing process and stimulate collagen, resulting in tighter skin and improved elasticity.
Skin NV is your single-stop destination for your medical spa treatments and more! If you are interested in learning more about our products and services or would like to schedule a free consultation at our South Tampa med spa, please call us today at (813) 839-4141.