A new study found that even though stretch marks are often associated with pregnancy, they cause significant embarrassment for pregnant women and their quality of life due to the persistent lesions.
Researchers at Michigan Medicine surveyed over 100 pregnant women with stretch marks at Von Voigtlander Women’s hospital. The study found that nearly three-quarters of participants had prominent or moderately visible stretch marks, and more than seventy-five percent felt moderate or very embarrassed over the lesions.
Pregnancy Stretch Marks Burden Women Emotionally And Physically
The stretch marks after pregnancy are common, and in most cases, they are not easily removed also. However, the study conducted by a group of experts has found that women with such marks feel them troublesome and try each option to get them removed.
These marks also trouble one with mental and emotional issues as one may feel much cautious about the visibility of the same on her body. Though they can be removed with certain options, most women do not find them effective enough with their marks and hence feel it big trouble.
The paper’s senior author, William B. Taylor Endowed Professor of Clinical Dermatology at Michigan Medicine, Frank Wang, M.D., says women are concerned about the permanence of lesions, resulting in negative feelings and self-consciousness. Lesions affect other parts of a woman’s life like her social activities, positive self-esteem, and clothing choices more than they affect her feeling embarrassed.”
They have also discovered that the stretch marks are caused by a change in collagen and elastin fibers, which are essential for skin’s strength and elasticity. Wang’s team began studying stretch marks of pregnancy 15 years ago.
In a study published in the International Journal of Women’s Dermatology, 75 percent of pregnant women who answered questions about the problem mentioned that these skin components are damaged and do not fully recover, resulting in permanent lesions.
“There are a few techniques for reducing the intensity of stretch marks’ redness, but virtually no scientific evidence that any of these techniques can remove these lesions completely,” Wang said. “In addition, these treatments are either very expensive or cannot erase stretch marks completely.”
Stretch marks have been a controversial subject, and many women try to hide them, according to Timothy Johnson, M.D., a Michigan Medicine researcher and co-author of the study.
“We need to openly discuss stretch marks with your patients and stop holding them back,” Johnson said. Having this study completed will enable us to compare stretch marks with other dermatological conditions, such as acne, eczema, psoriasis, and shingles.
His team studies stretch marks at the molecular level and are currently enrolling volunteers to take skin biopsies that diagnose the earliest stretch mark. Wang said his team’s research on stretch marks is important for many patients and will continue to motivate researchers to come to a solution.
It is hoped that the researchers will be able to accumulate enough data to develop rational treatments that will prevent or effectively treat stretch marks. “This is an issue that many pregnant women care about deeply, and that should convince future sponsors to support this research,” said Dr. Lee.
While parents are less likely to reveal concerns with feelings of shame and embarrassment, physicians must be diligent when asking them about their individual issues when assessing their wellbeing, says Samantha Shaw, M.D., clinical instructor at Michigan Medicine, and perinatal psychiatrist.
We often focus on the challenges that parenting an infant poses and the challenges that they face in bonding with them,” Shaw said. “We need to acknowledge the journey their bodies have been on throughout pregnancy, labor, and delivery so that we do not miss the important pieces of their story.”
