|
Stretch Marks During Pregnancy
Stretching the Truth
For most new mothers, the thought of stretch marks
during pregnancy are
horrifying! For those that have had them for a
while, they have become a fact of life. However,
there seems to be some major mis-information out there
regarding their prevention and elimination.
Knowing that most women will experience these during
their pregnancy, I thought that we should take a moment
to explore this expanding problem.
Clinical Evaluation:
The
first question you have to ask yourself when dealing
with the human body is whether or not there is any
clinical information on the subject.
The
clinical community will refer to stretch marks that
occur during pregnancy as Striae gravidarum. This
is the the tearing of the dermis or middle (shape
retaining) layer of the skin. While most stretch
marks will appear to be purple or reddish in the
beginning, this will normally fade over time. Here
are the most commonly referred to treatments for this
problem:
Without going into too much detail, there appears to be
some consensus on the success of at least two of the
treatments; laser therapy, tummy tucks. While
there is more research being done on the most
non-invasive solution, topical creams, there doesn't
appear to be any standout solution here.
A
direct reference to the U.S. National Library of
Medicine states:
“Creams and ointments that claim to prevent stretch
marks during pregnancy are of little value”3
Although this statement appears fairly conclusive, there
are two clinical trials that we can look at.
Unfortunately, only one used a placebo control and is
therefore of any real value. In that trial women
used Trofolastin, an ointment containing Centella
asiatica extract, alpha tocopherol and collagen-elastin
hydrolysates. With massage, this ointment was
associated with less women developing stretch marks.1
As for
laser therapy, there appears to be much more hope from a
clinical standpoint. A recent study from the
Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, Miller
School of Medicine, University of Miami looked at recent
literature regarding the use of newer optical devices
and laser therapy. Their conclusion:
"The
therapeutic strategies are numerous, and no single
modality has been far more consistent than the rest. The
long-term future of treatment strategies is encouraging
with the advance in laser technologies."2
While
laser technologies cannot prevent stretch marks, the
results can be impressive according to many
dermatologists. According to the Cleveland Clinic,
"Dermatologic surgeons can now use lasers to remove or
improve stretch marks. The heat from the laser light
triggers new elastin production in the deeper layers
where the stretch marks are formed. As a result, your
skin will have a tighter and smoother appearance."
Lastly, there is the tried and true tummy tuck.
This procedure is where they surgically remove the skin
where the stretch marks occur. I won't go into any
detail on this procedure, just in case you are eating.
Stretch Marks During Pregnancy Conclusion:
What
can I say; after reading as much as I could take on the
subject, it is still a confusing topic. While
there seems to be some hope on the topical ointment Trofolastin for prevention, the clinical data for
removing existing marks is non-existent.
Unfortunately, the alternative treatments are costly and
often time consuming, not to mention they aren't
normally covered by your insurance.
And of
course, we've all heard about cocoa butter, but with all
of the hype there is little to back it up. Even
Tyra Banks had a show about a product called Trilastin
SR, that showed impressive before and after photos; yet
again, no clinical backing.
For
those of us with existing marks, I guess we will have to
save our money for lasers or continue to be guinea pigs
for the late night info-mercials.
One
thing is for sure, if this is a topic that concerns you,
speak with your physician! If your OBGYN tells you
to suck it up, then talk to a dermatologist. Their
advice is the only one that I would take on something
this important. At least this way, whatever you
decide, you can decide to be informed!
References:
1.) Young GL, Jewell D. (2000). "Creams for preventing
stretch marks in pregnancy". Cochrane Database Syst Rev
(2): CD000066
2.) Dermatol Surg. 2009 Apr;35(4):563-73
3.)
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003287.htm
4.)
http://www.stretchmarks.org/
|
Login Status
