What exactly are pregnancy stretch marks?

Stretch marks are defined in Dermatology as scar formation on the skin with a silvery white hue. When they first appear on the skin they may be reddish or purple in color but as time passes they gradually fade to a pale white color and the skin in that area is very soft to touch.

Why and where do they occur?

The human skin includes the outer epidermal layer, the inner dermis layer and the subcutaneous stratum. The dermis is the layer that helps the skin retain its shape and the pregnancy stretch marks appear on the dermis as a result of excessive stretching and sudden weight gain. Pregnancy stretch marks may occur on breasts, belly, thighs, upper arms anywhere where fat tends to accumulate.

Various stretch mark treatments are available for stretch marks removal like ointments, the most popular of which is cocoa butter. You may also use Vitamin E oil or other ointments. If the stretch marks are really severe and these treatments do not help, consult your health care specialist, as there are laser treatments, dermabrasion, tretenoin, isotretenoin, adepalin and many such methods are being discovered. It makes sense consulting your health care specialist before applying any lotions for pregnancy stretch marks, as it may be possible that some medications such as steroids or hormones may be causing the stretch marks.