The term "stretch mark" derives from the weal aspect the skin acquires when a stretch mark occurs. A stretch mark can be up to 15cm long and 1cm wide.

• Color
This depends on the stage of development. Initially, the marks are red or pink. After a few months, they become ivory or pearly white in color.

• Sites
Stretch marks tend to develop in the following areas:
• Abdomen (around the navel)
• Buttocks and thighs (generally as oblique lines)
• Breasts (radiating from the nipple)
• Hips (transverse lines)

Stretch marks are usually symmetrical, and mainly vertical in the direction of skin tension and occur when the skin is stretched by a physiological condition such as pregnancy or weight change.


Circumstances of Onset

Stretch marks occur during certain physiological or pathological conditions.

	• During pregnancy (most often) Stretch marks are very common: 50% to 90% of pregnant women develop stretch marks. Young women conceiving for the first time appear to be the most susceptible (80% to 90% of women who become pregnant between 16 to 18 years of age will develop stretch marks), but even women who don't develop them during their first pregnancies can still develop stretch marks during subsequent pregnancies. Stretch marks develop between the fourth and eight months of pregnancy, most commonly on the abdomen, thighs and breasts. Stretch marks can also occur suddenly after delivery until after menstruation resumes.

• At puberty In young girls and young men, stretch marks can indicate early-onset puberty. Unrelated to weight gain, they most often develop on the thighs and buttocks, and sometimes on the breasts and hips. Stretch marks appear more frequently today, and represent a real problem among teenagers.

	• Obesity and nutritional disorders Stretch marks are observed in about 10% of obese subjects, but can also occur in cases of severe malnutrition. This confirms the correlation between endocrine disorders, especially cortical hyperactivity, and the metabolic development of stretch marks.

• Endocrine diseases and treatment with steroids Stretch marks occur in about 60% of cases of Cushing's disease or during long-term steroid treatment. Such stretch marks have characteristic aspects: Their sites: They occur over the entire torso, in the armpits and limb ends Their direction: Horizontal Their width: Almost 1cm Their color: Distinctly purple (Topical steroid therapy can only be implicated as a cause if stretch marks develop where the product is applied.)

• Other cases
In some young persons, especially young men, stretch marks can develop suddenly, most commonly localized to the lower back area and the thighs. In such cases, the cause may be strenuous muscular activity or major weight gain. Less commonly, some types of stretch marks can develop over the course of repeated, sudden or even gradual stretching of the skin, and during or after some infectious diseases.


Risk Factors

Pregnancy, puberty, obesity, drastic weight loss, intense muscular exercise and steroid treatment are risk factors. The following are NOT risk factors:

• Heredity
There is no genetic basis for stretch marks.

• Skin color
The risk of developing stretch marks is the same for persons with fair skin, dark skin or brown skin in the same way hair color or eye color has no effect.

• Diet
There are no specific foods that cause stretch marks to develop.

Progression of Stretch Marks

Stretch marks generally don't disappear with time without treatment.

• Hypertrophic inflammatory phase
In the early phase of development, stretch marks are slightly flat or raised up with a distinct purplish color. Subsequently, they become wider, longer and violet.

• Skin scarring phase
The skin atrophies causing a depression in the skin and a thinning of the epidermis. The stretch marks take on a pearly white appearance or in rare cases become pigmented.

Causes of Stretch Marks

Scientists used to believe that it was the stretching of the skin that caused stretch marks (that's probably where the name came from). More recent research suggests that hormones play a major role in the development of stretch marks.

Many studies found "adrenal cortical hypersecretion" in subjects that get stretch marks, regardless of which physiological condition (pregnancy, puberty, or endocrine disease) they have. It was concluded that the oversecretion of cortisol probably causes the accelerated breakdown of elastin proteins in the dermis.

In addition, some resesarchers were able to demonstrate a disturbance in glucose regulation during pregnancy. This is significant because at a certain level of blood glucose, fibroblasts (the skin cells that manufacture elastin and collagen), no longer synthesize elastin.

These new finding explain why stretch marks develop mostly during periods of hormonal activity, (puberty, pregnancy, and weight gain or loss), and along with certain hormone-related diseases. New hormonal activity can cause fibroblasts to become imbalanced--resulting in a decrease in your elastin and collagen fibers. The result is an obvious thinning of the skin and ultimately those horrid stretch marks!


Content

Phytolastil Ampoules: Alchemilla Vulgaris (Alchemille), Hedera Helix (Lierre), Equisetum Arvense (Prele), Aqua, Propylene Glycol, Dioctyl Sodium Sulfosuccinate, Tetrasodium Edta, Phenoxyethanol, Parabens.

Phytolastil Gel: Water (Aqua), Lady's Mantle Extract (Alchemilla Vulgaris), Horsetail Extract (Equisetum Arvense), Ivy Extract (Hedera Helix), Propylene Glycol, Dimethicone Copolyol, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Polysorbate 80, Acetylated Lanolin Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, MethylparabenEthylparaben, Propylparaben, Butylparaben.