Stretch Marks
Having stretch marks could be one of the nightmares for pregnant women. Studies show that 70 – 90% women will develop stretch marks during their first pregnancy. Stretch marks are not harmful to our health, but they are definitely not great to look at. What if they do appear on our skin, what can we do to get rid of them?
What are stretch marks?
Stretch marks appear when the skin fibres are being stretched and it can be developed during pregnancy. Stretch marks are also known as striae distensae or striae atrophicans while striae gravidarum is the medical term. Stretch marks become more visible after the sixth month pregnancy as the elastic fibres under the skin are being torn and resulting in pink or purplish rippled and streaky lines in your skin. These lines will fade to pale or white streaks over time after childbirth. Stretch marks usually appear on the tummy, but some women also get them on their hips, thighs, buttocks, and breasts.
It is difficult to get rid of the stretch marks once they are already formed. They sometimes also come with other skin conditions such as skin laxity and fat deposition at the abdomen.
What causes stretch marks?
The stretch marks during pregnancy are mainly caused by the change in hormone production and the tiny tears of elastin fibres and collagen fibres under the skin when the belly grows quickly. However, not everyone will get the stretch marks during their pregnancy as other factors play a role as well such as genetics, how much weight you gain during pregnancy and how quickly, the weight of your baby, expecting twins or triplets, etc.
○ Glucocorticoids
During pregnancy, the adrenal gland produces a large number of glucocorticoids, which weakens the skin elastic fibres and collagen fibres. When the baby grows quickly and the fibres can’t stretch enough, it will cause fibres to tear and hence leads to the formation of stretch marks.
○ The baby in your womb
Stretch marks are more likely to occur when the baby grows too big/heavy, or the baby has a large head circumference/body length, or is overdue. As you can imagine, the belly will keep growing in order to accommodate the baby. However, if the skin and fibres stretch beyond their elasticity, fibres will tear and break, which will result in stretch marks.
○ Quick weight gain
Rapid weight gain makes pregnant women more prone to the stretch marks. The faster your skin stretches, the more likely it is to leave a mark.
○ Lifestyle
Your lifestyle before pregnancy can affect the likelihood of stretch marks. People who have sedentary lifestyle or have not been taking skincare routine are more likely to develop stretch marks as they may show weaker muscular strength at their waist and abdomen and have less skin elasticity.
○ Genetics
If your mother has stretch marks, you are more likely to get some.
Symptoms
During the early development of stretch marks, they appear as pink or purplish rippled and streaky lines in varied width and length. Some may experience an itchy or sore sensation. After the childbirth, these marks will fade to white or silver scab-like lines which are stretch marks. They mainly occur on the skin of the abdomen, some may show on their thighs, buttocks, etc. First pregnancy often shows more obvious marks.
Affected groups
Studies have found that people who are prone to stretch marks tend to produce less protein in their body, which will slow down the skin’s natural healing process. On the other hand, overweight or young pregnant women are also prone to stretch marks.
A. Venus Viva
What is Viva:
Venus VivaTM is an advanced, non-surgical solution for skin resurfacing. It combines NanoFractional Radio Frequency & SmartScanTM technology to reduce the appearance of acne scars and other scars, stretch marks, rosacea, enlarged pores, deep wrinkles, and uneven skin texture and pigmentation.
How does Viva work:
Venus Viva™ MD skin resurfacing treatments work with tiny pins that safely deliver heat (via NanoFractional Radio Frequency) through the skin’s surface. This creates tiny micro-dermal wounds, which the body naturally heals on its own. This process repairs signs of skin damage visible on the surface of the skin. Since the wounds are so small, the treatment is much more comfortable than traditional CO2 lasers, while still producing incredibly visible results.
Procedure:
1、Face-to-face consultation: Customise a Thermage treatment plan based on client’s conditions and desired results.
2. Pre-treatment preparation: Clean and disinfect the treatment areas.
3. During treatment: Proceed with the customised plan to perform Viva to treatment areas.
4. Post-treatment precautions.
Duration: 45-60 mins
Who is it for:
√ People with large pores;
√ People with deep wrinkles or acne scars;
√ People with stretch marks or cellulite;
√ People with uneven skin texture;
B. Morpheus 8
What is Morpheus 8:
Morpheus 8 is unique in targeting and strengthing the Fibro-Septal Network(FSN) skin-fat matrix, resuting in improved skin apprearance and reduced irregularities on the face and body.
How does Morpheus 8 work:
Four fractional tips with different microneedle configurations for xustomised treatments (Prime 12 pin, Resurfacing 24 pin, Morepheus8 24 pin and Body 40 pin) deliver clinically proven RF energy to myltiple treatment depths.
Procedure:
1、Face-to-face consultation: Customise a Thermage treatment plan based on client’s conditions and desired results.
2. Pre-treatment preparation: Clean and disinfect the treatment areas.
3. During treatment: Proceed with the customised plan to perform Morpheus 8 to treatment areas.
4. Post-treatment precautions.
Duration: 45-60 mins
Who is it for:
√ People with large pores;
√ People with deep wrinkles or acne scars;
√ People with stretch marks or cellulite;
√ People with uneven skin texture;
C. THERMAGE
What is THERMAGE:
Thermage uses radiofrequency (RF) technology to deliver heat to the dermis. The heat energy will damage the dermal fibres at the localised area and hence stimulate the cellular natural healing process. The healing process promotes the formation and remodelling of collagens, which will tighten, smoothen, and lift the skin, resulting in re-contouring and slowing down the ageing process. Thermage FLX is the latest generation of the popular Thermage tightening and wrinkle reduction system, offering a non-invasive therapy for a younger-looking appearance. Suitable for face (includes area around eyes) and body skin tightening.
How does THERMAGE work:
Thermage is a radiofrequency treatment. The patented applicator will be placed on your skin and deliver the accurately set radiofrequency to the dermis and heat the layer to 65 – 75℃. The high temperature will stimulate the self-healing mechanism. A large number of collagens in the dermis will be regenerated, resulting in an instant firming effect. Thermage is also equipped with a cooling system that will maintain the temperature of the epidermis at 35 – 45 ℃ to avoid the risk of burning. Thermage can effectively tackle skin problems such as skin laxity after childbirth/weight loss, stretch marks, cellulite, etc.
Procedure:
1、Face-to-face consultation: Customise a Thermage treatment plan based on client’s conditions and desired results.
2. Pre-treatment preparation: Clean and disinfect the treatment areas. Mark on the skin to identify treatment areas. Confirm the package of the new tip of the applicator has not been opened.
3. During treatment: Proceed with the customised plan to perform Thermage to tighten the skin and remove wrinkles.
4. Post-treatment precautions.
Duration: 45-60 mins
Who is it for:
√ People with skin laxity;
√ People with drooping skin after childbirth or weight loss;
√ People with stretch marks or cellulite;
√ People who are looking for a long term anti-ageing therapy;