Stretching It: What Can Be Done to Remove Stretch Marks?
Consider a balloon which has been blown up, and then is deflated. The balloon will never look the same, as it has lost a great deal of its elasticity. So it is with stretch marks. What can be done about these oft-unwanted marks? What Are Stretch Marks? Stretch marks commonly appear on the thighs, abdomen, and buttocks, and are marked by purplish-blue lines that fade into pale silvery-white lines. They are virtually impossible to completely and permanently remove. This is because they are the marks of damaged fibers under the skin. A stretch mark is actually scar tissue that is visible on the outer layer of skin. Fibers are damaged in various ways, but the two most common examples are when rapid weight gain stretches the skin (i.e.: growth spurts or pregnancy), or through the muscle fibers thickening (i.e.: bodybuilding). Once the fibers are stretched, the damage is virtually irreversible. The actual stretch mark is the consequence of the middle layer of skin (called the dermis layer) s
