Manhattan Plastic Surgeon Talks Stretch Marks
MANHATTAN AND NEW YORK, NEW YORK - While some men and women wear their stretch marks proudly, most consider them an eyesore and source of insecurity that leads to them wasting precious time and money on over-the-counter products.
What causes these marks?
These reddish stripes are caused when the dermis tears because it cannot adapt fast enough to compensate the increase in underlying tissues (fat and muscle). This skin trauma is common in men and women and often appears when they are involved in the following stages/activities:
€ Pregnancy
€ Puberty
€ Weight gain (muscle, fat or fluid retention)
They are most commonly seen on the following areas of the body:
€ Breasts
€ Abdomen
€ Arms
€ Thighs
The strong desire to fade these colorful stripes has created a large market for over-the-counter creams, potions and supplements that promise exceptional improvements.
"A magic stretch mark fading cream doesn't exist - at least not to my knowledge," says Dr. Elliot Heller, a Manhattan plastic surgeon. "And unfortunately, people don't realize this and wait until their scars have become silver and tougher to treat since the elastin fibers have thickened."
Creams won't prevent these marks.
"A tendency to develop the marks is often inherited," says Heller who also performs Botox injections and rhinoplasty in New York. "If your mother or father has them, there is a strong chance you will too. While creams can relive the itching and burning associated with stretch scar formation, they won't make your skin immune to developing them."
Remaining healthy, hydrated, and avoiding rapid weight gain (easier said than done for pregnant women) can drastically reduce a person's odds of developing stretch marks.
Effective stretch mark treatments.
"Frankly, it is very difficult to completely fade the marks, even with the advanced technology available today," says Heller. "However, we are able to achieve substantial and pleasing improvement."
Effective treatments include:
€ Acid peels
€ Fractional lasers
€ IPL lasers
These procedures are effective for improving stretch scars because they renew the skin's outer layer, treat redness and repair the collagen layer. Fractional lasers yield the most significant improvement by injuring small cylinders of tissue, which unveils healthy, new skin, jumpstarts collagen production and enables rapid healing. Fraxel treatment also provides skin tightening by reducing the surface area of the treated surface.
As mentioned earlier, these treatments are most successful when performed while stretch marks are in the striae rubra stage, however, older ones - often silvery in color - can still be treated successfully.
c 2013 Sinai Marketing and Associates in Plastic Surgery. Authorization to post is granted, with the stipulation that Sinai Marketing and Associates in Plastic Surgery is credited as sole source. Linking to other sites from this press release is strictly prohibited, with the exception of herein imbedded links.
What causes these marks?
These reddish stripes are caused when the dermis tears because it cannot adapt fast enough to compensate the increase in underlying tissues (fat and muscle). This skin trauma is common in men and women and often appears when they are involved in the following stages/activities:
€ Pregnancy
€ Puberty
€ Weight gain (muscle, fat or fluid retention)
They are most commonly seen on the following areas of the body:
€ Breasts
€ Abdomen
€ Arms
€ Thighs
The strong desire to fade these colorful stripes has created a large market for over-the-counter creams, potions and supplements that promise exceptional improvements.
"A magic stretch mark fading cream doesn't exist - at least not to my knowledge," says Dr. Elliot Heller, a Manhattan plastic surgeon. "And unfortunately, people don't realize this and wait until their scars have become silver and tougher to treat since the elastin fibers have thickened."
Creams won't prevent these marks.
"A tendency to develop the marks is often inherited," says Heller who also performs Botox injections and rhinoplasty in New York. "If your mother or father has them, there is a strong chance you will too. While creams can relive the itching and burning associated with stretch scar formation, they won't make your skin immune to developing them."
Remaining healthy, hydrated, and avoiding rapid weight gain (easier said than done for pregnant women) can drastically reduce a person's odds of developing stretch marks.
Effective stretch mark treatments.
"Frankly, it is very difficult to completely fade the marks, even with the advanced technology available today," says Heller. "However, we are able to achieve substantial and pleasing improvement."
Effective treatments include:
€ Acid peels
€ Fractional lasers
€ IPL lasers
These procedures are effective for improving stretch scars because they renew the skin's outer layer, treat redness and repair the collagen layer. Fractional lasers yield the most significant improvement by injuring small cylinders of tissue, which unveils healthy, new skin, jumpstarts collagen production and enables rapid healing. Fraxel treatment also provides skin tightening by reducing the surface area of the treated surface.
As mentioned earlier, these treatments are most successful when performed while stretch marks are in the striae rubra stage, however, older ones - often silvery in color - can still be treated successfully.
c 2013 Sinai Marketing and Associates in Plastic Surgery. Authorization to post is granted, with the stipulation that Sinai Marketing and Associates in Plastic Surgery is credited as sole source. Linking to other sites from this press release is strictly prohibited, with the exception of herein imbedded links.
