AFTER PREGNANCY

striae (stretch marks) in the skin after pregnancy

Even though the skin stretches during pregnancy the skin seems normal except in the areas of striae or stretch marks.

The exact cause of striae is unclear but it is suggested that they are a kind of scar within the dermis. It is thought that the collagen ruptures and the gaps produced are filled with scar. This process may be made worse by increased hormonal levels seen in pregnancy.

Because the scar is permanent and due to factors other than simple stretching, application of creams to the surface of the skin during pregnancy will not prevent the striae from forming. Although many methods to remove striae have been described they have not produced consistent results. Unfortunately there is no good method which consistently removes stretch marks. Some doctors claim limited success with Retin-A and lasers but the long term benefits are unclear.

Patients with severe stretch marks do not get as a good a result from liposuction because the skin may not contract as fully.

The only way to consistently remove stretch marks is to include them in the skin removed during an abdominoplasty.