Stretch marks heal on their own
Like any other scar, stretch marks on the abdomen do not disappear on their own. The processes that lead to the appearance of grooves on the skin occur in the middle layer of the skin - the dermis. Damage to the elastic fibers of the dermis is accompanied by inflammation, which leads to scarring.
During periods of rapid growth, weight gain or pregnancy, the skin is forced to quickly adapt to a sharp change in body size. Depending on age, genetics, and the general condition of the body, the dermis may not be able to stretch quickly enough. Thin weak areas and breaks appear in it. These weakened areas are usually red, violet, or purple in color. Over time, the tears are healed by connective tissue and actually decrease in size, but they will never completely disappear.
Tattoo as a method of covering a scar
A tattoo on an appendicitis scar will not only help hide such an unwanted scar, but will also generally give your body a special grace. Doctors recommend resorting to such a procedure only a year after surgery, and only if the patient does not experience any complications. Before getting a tattoo, you should always consult a doctor.
Experts recommend getting colored tattoos, as they will help disguise the scar to a greater extent. In this case, painting a scar must take place in several stages, since it is much more difficult to paint over connective tissue than epidermal tissue.
If you decide to get a tattoo, contact only an experienced tattoo artist, since this procedure must be carried out with special sterility. By doing a tattoo yourself at home, you can get an infection, which will further complicate your situation.
Stretch marks don't change color
Striae appear as long, narrow stripes on the body, initially red or pink in color with purple streaks. The coloring is due to the fact that injured vessels appear through tears in the dermis. At this stage, dermatologists call stretch marks striae - rubra. Damaged nerve endings in the dermis are restored, so sometimes stretch marks itch and itch.
As the tissues scar, the stripes fade and acquire a silvery tint, becoming a striae alba.
Fresh, vibrant stretch marks respond better to treatment than established ones. The essence of most methods is to improve blood circulation in the skin. Exfoliation, exercise, massage, and you can look for a swimsuit for the beach season!
Tattoos on scars: general information
Statistics show that almost every second person has at least one noticeable skin defect on their body. There are many reasons for this: burns, surgical scars, injuries, or a scar from a cesarean section (for some women who gave birth). Modern and popular art of tattooing allows you to mask body irregularities, hiding them behind tattoos, sketches of which can be selected to suit any shape and size of the scar.
At the moment, most often they try to disguise the scar from surgery aimed at removing appendicitis. In order to hide a visible skin mark, first of all you need a sketch of the future tattoo; this can be done even before coming to the artist. It is best to hide scars with floristry, ornaments or tattoos in the animalistic genre. Men, unlike girls, do not always want to cover the scar, so they choose paintings that highlight the scar as a symbol of courage. You can see what the future work will look like by asking the master for his portfolio, which contains photographs of the finished work.
Stretch marks appear only due to excess weight
Skin stretching is the most common and obvious cause of stretch marks, but not the only one. The production of collagen and elastin in the dermis is influenced by hormonal factors. An increase in cortisol levels in the body leads to catabolism (destruction) of tissue in any part of the body, including ligaments, muscles and blood vessels. Cortisol breaks down collagen, reducing skin elasticity.
Anabolic steroids, which men take to build muscle mass, change hormonal levels and can also push the process of stretch marks to appear. Stripes on the arms and stomach of an athlete are a sign of steroid abuse.
Preparation and principles of surgical treatment of scars
Preparation for scar excision surgery is similar to that for any other surgical intervention. The patient will need to undergo blood and urine tests, undergo fluorography, ECG, be examined for HIV, hepatitis, syphilis, and have a coagulogram.
After passing the examinations, examinations by a plastic surgeon and an anesthesiologist are scheduled. At least 2 weeks before surgery, stop taking blood thinners and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and any dietary supplements with ascorbic acid and vitamin E are discontinued. Alcohol and, especially, smoking, which impairs regeneration and microcirculation, are contraindicated.
Patients at risk are prescribed antibiotic therapy for prophylactic purposes (for interventions in the armpit, perineum, after undergoing joint replacement, heart valve replacement in the next 2 years, after taking immunosuppressants and cytostatics).
Plastic surgeons have developed some general principles of scar excision surgery:
- Preliminary marking of both incision lines and anatomical landmarks with the patient standing or sitting, before the administration of local anesthetics;
- Preference is given to local anesthesia, and in the case of a pronounced network of blood vessels, adrenaline is added to the anesthetic, which has a vasoconstrictor effect;
- After marking and anesthesia, the surgical field must be treated with antiseptics;
- Careful comparison of the incision lines, no tightening of the sutures, the use of inert and self-absorbing threads, the application of vertical mattress and support sutures are the key to speedy regeneration;
- The use of fewer stitches to prevent an inflammatory response; they are left on the face for 7 days, on the body - up to 2 weeks.
Several types of operating techniques have been developed for surgical excision of scar tissue:
- Tangential;
- Fusiform;
- Step-by-step methodology.
The choice of a specific type of scar excision is determined by the size, consistency, localization of the scar, its relationship with other parts of the body, the condition of the surrounding tissues, and the nature of the previous treatment. A big problem is complex scar adhesions after a necrotic process, due to lacerations, removal of a large area of skin in the past, since the ability of the skin to stretch in these cases is greatly reduced. Surgical correction is carried out in close proximity to the scar, but does not touch it itself.
The tangential excision method is useful in the presence of single narrow scar changes that have raised or uneven edges above the skin. During the operation of tangential removal of scar tissue, the latter is cut off with a scalpel or blade, as if compared with the level of the surrounding tissue. When cutting tangentially, it is important not to damage the underlying dermis.
Spindle-shaped removal (elliptical) is carried out for a wide variety of scars - from very small to quite large, as well as wide, rising above the skin or sinking. After removal, thin scars remain in their place, coinciding with the direction of natural lines and folds and therefore invisible.
The goal of the spindle-shaped technique is the total removal of scar changes, regardless of width and thickness. The incision is made spindle-shaped at an angle of about 30 degrees, while the underlying tissue is also dissected to ensure that the edges are aligned without tension on the skin and subcutaneous layer. The method is used for post-traumatic, postoperative scars, scars after cesarean section.
The spindle-shaped technique can be used when the scar penetrates deep into the dermis, while additional sutures are required to securely connect the tissues - deep self-absorbing interrupted, mattress in the dermis, running vertically, then nodal or cosmetic, which does not leave its signs after skin regeneration.
Keloids and hypertrophic scars deserve special attention. Excision of keloid scars presents many difficulties due to the high density of the scar and the possibility of relapse of the pathology. It is not recommended to cut off a keloid where there is strong skin tension, since this approach is fraught with recurrence of scarring. In addition, healthy tissue in the scar area can be used as a graft after removal of the keloid, so before surgery, all inflammatory processes should be cured, epithelial cysts and fistula tracts should be removed. To prevent subsequent inflammation, superficial sutures are applied that do not affect the dermis.
Staged removal of a scar is carried out when it cannot be removed without trauma to nearby tissues due to its large size or deep penetration into the dermis. This method is used to excise keloid scars, post-burn and post-traumatic injuries.
The technique of its implementation includes the usual removal of the scar with the only difference that it occurs in parts. At each stage, the surgeon cuts through the tissue and moves the skin, closing the resulting wound. There may be several such removals, but if the scar is too large, then as an alternative, surgeons can perform skin augmentation to reduce the number of operations.
In addition to those listed, there are other types of scar plastic surgery. For example, Z-, W-plasty, cosmetic suture. Z-plasty is needed to change the direction and configuration of a long scar, which breaks symmetry, deforms the tissue, tightens it, and is also used for webbed scars.
With Z-plasty, the surgeon moves the skin in the form of triangles so that the scar is located along its natural lines. With this technique, you can increase or decrease the length of the scar, hide it with hair, remove membranes, and restore symmetry to the face.
The technique of the operation includes several stages:
- At an angle of 60 degrees to the scar, markings are applied in the form of lines, the length of which is approximately equal to that of the scar, thus obtaining something like the letter Z;
- The scar is removed, incisions are made according to the markings, and then the flaps of skin are shifted to again obtain a Z, but in a different direction;
- Cosmetic suture application.
Z-plasty
The described plastic surgery can be performed on several scar areas, which will reduce skin tension, and the newly obtained scars will be less noticeable due to their location in the natural skin lines. This technique also has contraindications, in particular - keloids, the removal of which in this way will make the cosmetic defect even more noticeable.
W-plasty
W-scarplasty has similar indications to the previous treatment option, that is, long, symmetry-breaking, deforming, tightening scars, but it has one advantage: the resulting scar will not be longer than the original one. This plastic surgery is performed faster than the previous method, but the effect may be worse due to the fact that it is visually easier to guess in which direction the new scar will go.
Indications for W-excision are long scars that are located at right angles to the natural lines, as well as scars on the face (jaw, cheeks, forehead), tightening scar changes. An obstacle to the use of the method may be insufficient elasticity of the skin, which makes it difficult to accurately compare the edges of the wound.
The W-method technique consists of carefully marking out which will reveal triangular-shaped skin flaps after the original scar has been removed. Next, the surgeon excises the scar and connects the marked “triangles”, avoiding tissue tension.
Video: surgical removal of a keloid scar
Stretch marks disappear after weight loss
Losing weight has many health benefits, but it won't get rid of stretch marks; most of the damage to your skin occurs when you gain weight. A stretch mark on the abdomen is a scar in the dermis that will remain for life. Gradually, the stripes fade, acquire a whitish or pearlescent tint and become less noticeable. But they never completely disappear.
Advice! Rapid weight loss affects the body's hormonal balance and can lead to the formation of new stretch marks. Safe weight loss – 400-800 g per week.
This does not mean that you can give up on extra pounds. Staying overweight for a long time aggravates the situation. The skin suffers from pressure, new marks appear on the body. Exercise, massage and a healthy diet will improve your body contours; An arsenal of cosmetic products will thicken the epidermis and smooth out unsightly grooves. Tight jeans, fashionable swimsuits - why not? Whitish stripes do not attract the eye on a toned, harmonious body.
Physiotherapy
To get rid of scars, three types of physiotherapy are used - phonophoresis, laser phoresis and electrophoresis. They are used to deeply inject medications directly into scar tissue.
In combination with Logindaza or glucocorticosteroids, it is possible to obtain positive results after just 15 procedures.
Each physiotherapy procedure lasts 2 - 8 minutes and is carried out 2 times a week. Thanks to this, medications remain in the thickness of the scar constantly and have a resolving effect on it.
Separately, radio wave therapy can be performed - a physiotherapy procedure that helps get rid of retracted scars. Each procedure lasts no more than 15 minutes, the therapeutic course is 4 exposures to radio waves at intervals of 2 weeks.
This physical procedure is painless, perfectly “tightens” the scar to the level of the surrounding skin and makes it almost invisible. How to remove a scar on the stomach in a salon and hospital The most effective method of getting rid of scars on the stomach is to contact a specialist.
Ointments and gels, physiotherapy, chemical peeling will only visually hide the scar and make it less noticeable to others. But if you want to get rid of the problem, then you should resort to more radical methods.
Laser A laser beam can remove a scar on the abdomen without the use of surgical instruments or general anesthesia. Most often, this method is used to solve problems after cesarean section.
The only “inconvenient” nuance is that the gels used for local anesthesia penetrate the woman’s bloodstream, so the procedure is prohibited during breastfeeding.
Corrective laser procedures are carried out in a clinic or salon, but do not imply hospitalization of the patient. In order for the scar to become as invisible as possible, you will need 4 - 6 procedures at intervals of 1 - 2 weeks.
Striae occur only on the stomach
Stretch marks on the abdomen after pregnancy occur in most women, a sad fact. But this is not the only area that the telltale stripes can affect. The skin of the chest, buttocks and thighs is also subject to atrophic changes. Choosing a swimsuit becomes difficult; a bikini does not hide stretch marks on the stomach. There is no need to wrap your figure in a pareo - swimsuits with a jumper on the stomach leave the back open, hiding imperfections from prying eyes.
Advice! Graceful monokini swimsuits emphasize the figure, hiding the stomach in stretch marks.
Weightlifters and bodybuilders have especially vulnerable skin on the upper body. Men focus on the muscles of the chest and shoulder girdle, seeking to increase volume in a short time. Why did stretch marks appear on the shoulders? Muscle growth has exceeded the skin's ability to stretch. A strict exercise schedule, moisturizers and massage prevent damage to the dermal layer.
Popular drawings
If you choose a design for a tattoo, be guided only by your own taste. Fashion is very changeable, moreover, it does not always meet your needs.
If you are inclined to draw on a large scale, do it! If you prefer small patterns or flowers, choose them.
When choosing, pay attention to the tattoos on girls in the lower abdomen, photos and ideas. However, you can always create your own sketch, on your own or with a master.
If there is no hidden meaning in your tattoo, it is best to go with an abstract ornament. This could be a belt around the waist or a small pattern around the stomach. Moreover, you will be able to add new elements to such a pattern for a long time.
If, on the contrary, you want to fill in a semantic drawing, then carefully select the sketch. The inscription or picture must fully correspond to your vision.
Stretch marks cannot be prevented
Once a striae has gone through all stages of development, it is difficult to make it disappear. Prevention is the best solution. A long stretch on the stomach is not a death sentence.
You can minimize the likelihood of streaking by:
- Hydration. Drink a lot of water, use creams and oils - dehydrated skin is less elastic.
- Proper nutrition. Focus on collagen-rich foods: lean meats, green vegetables and fruits, bone broth.
- Weight control.
If, despite the measures taken, a stretch mark appears on the abdomen, itches and has acquired color, it is necessary to stop its development while it is red. According to doctors, products with retinoids and glycolic acid have proven themselves well.
Important! Retinol creams are contraindicated in pregnant women.
There is no need to treat stretch marks
Striae cause physical discomfort to a person - they itch during the healing process of the tears. If the symptom is left unattended, constant trauma to the skin with nails leads to inflammation. The use of external products soothes damaged skin and facilitates the restoration of connective tissue.
Methods for treating stretch marks are aimed at mitigating external manifestations:
- LPG massage;
- laser therapy;
- chemical peels;
- microdermoforms;
- abdominoplasty (in case of an overhanging “apron”).
Appearance is important for both men and women; there is no gender discrimination here. The presence of stripes reduces self-esteem, drives a person into emotional stress, and forces one to hide defects with one-piece swimsuits and long-sleeve T-shirts. It is possible and necessary to get rid of psychological stress with the help of cosmetology.
