When it comes to stretch marks either it makes you uncomfortable or it doesn’t. If you are one of those that are seeking to hide stretch marks you probably have heard a lot of buzz around skin-toned tattoo pigment for covering stretch marks. If asked “Would you like your stretch marks gone?”, 95% of women and men are likely to reply in the affirmative.
However, it is important to understand that the development of stretch marks on our bodies is completely natural and there is nothing about stretch marks that one needs to be ashamed of. However, choosing to cover it up for whatever reason is also a choice and there should be no judgment on it either. To each their own.
People who flaunt their scars and marks and those who cover them up with makeup and other semi-permanent procedures are both equally beautiful in our eyes. It is important to do what helps make you feel better and more confident.
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Dissecting Stretch Marks and Its Causes
It is essential to understand the physiological process that is behind these marks. Striated, discolored, and rippled skin that we know as stretch marks can be found anywhere on the body. All genders are prone to developing these marks but it is more common in the feminine gender.
Human skin has great elasticity but it also has its limits and it can only contract and expand to a point. The factors that determine how much our skin can contract and expand are heredity and skin type.
It is exactly like a rubber band, stretch it too much and it’ll break. The same happens to our skin if it is expanded beyond the capacity to retract. The elastin fibers and collagen of the skin break upon stretching it too much and that’s it! That’s when a stretch mark appears.
The break repairs but collagen fibers are formed in a striated pattern. It is like gluing a broken plate together no matter how accurately and neatly it is done the crack will always be there.
Common Causes
There can be a number of reasons for our bodies to develop stretch marks and some of the most common ones are listed below:
Pregnancies
It has to be the most common of all because most women who go through pregnancy develop stretch marks. It depends on how much or how many marks are developed but they are there.
Weight Gain
Pregnancy is gender-specific but weight gain is not. You don’t necessarily have to be pregnant to become big. If you put on weight rapidly your skin doesn’t get enough time and as a result, it stretches too quickly to make room for mass. This takes a toll on collagen fibers and as a result, we witness striated patterns on the skin.
Corticosteroid
Corticosteroid lotions and creams, if they are used for prolonged periods can cause a decrease in the levels of collagen in the skin. This is definitely not healthy for the skin because collagen supports our skin and provides it with strength.
Reduced levels of collagen in the skin increase the risk of developing stretch marks.
Medical Conditions
Certain conditions like Cushing’s syndrome or Marfan syndrome can also stretch marks to appear on the body. Medical conditions that lead to decreased elasticity or rapid weight gain are the major cause of stretch mark development.
What Is Medical Tattooing?
Tattoos are mostly perceived as an artistic expression of individuality and the uniqueness of personality. However, not all tattoos are for fun only. Medical tattoos are used to camouflage the changes in the skin appearance that occur from a number of causes.
Understanding The Basics of Medical Tattooing
It is also known as medical micro-pigmentation. It is a restorative and corrective aesthetic procedure. It is basically designed to camouflage an area of the skin or scalp that has undergone unwanted changes.
The technique is also used to correct conditions that are present from birth like achromia or cleft lip. This procedure can be applied to a wide variety of applications, such as:
- Stretch marks coverage
- Brightening and balancing skin tone due to trauma
- Nipple restoration after mastectomy
- Scar from burn camouflage
- Hair follicle simulation
- Restoration of areola pigmentation
The Process of Medical Tattooing for Stretch Marks
We either use natural oils or specialized ink and tattoo into the upper layer of the skin.
Medical tattooing requires a basic tattoo machine, it’s the choice of needles and the way we implement the needles and oils or pigment into the skin that makes it unique.
A topical anesthetic is sometimes applied to the area of treatment before the procedure begins so it is virtually a painless process. However, in cases where the person undergoing the process wants to forgo anesthetic for any reason, they have the option.
To achieve the desired result most of the time more than one treatment session is required.
It is essential for the tattoo from the previous session to heal completely before a person can undergo the next treatment until the tattoo is complete. At times, depending on the individual’s preference and the area of treatment, periodic pigment touch-ups may be needed so the appearance of the tattoo is maintained.
Who Can Perform the Treatment?
It seems like a general misconception that anyone with medical training can perform medical tattoo treatment. In reality, it is far from true. No medical professional is allowed to administer these tattoos without extensive training. Specific certifications and licensing are also required for practitioners to be able to administer medical tattoos.
Medical Tattooing For Stretch Marks Near Me!
Stretch marks are not uncommon and it is strange if we think about how long it has taken for medical science to come up with a solution for this. Permanent makeup is a savior in disguise for many people who struggled daily because their bodies weren’t how they wanted or how they used to be. With semi-permanent procedures such as medical tattooing, you can improve your skin tone and have a more blended look; boosting confidence and self-esteem.
Medical tattoos are not for beautification purposes, instead, they are used to provide confidence and let people love their bodies the way they are. It is more like providing people an option to cover their marks or scars in case they didn’t want to see them on their bodies anymore.
There shouldn’t be any stigma or taboo attached to it. You may require a touch up from time to time to ensure the blending of the tattoo and natural skin tone.
To learn more about semi-permanent procedures such as medical tattooing visit Reflective Beauty Boutique, based out of Calgary, AB. They specialize in all types of semi-permanent makeup procedures and can better assist in guiding you on what would be the most suitable procedure to help you with your stretch marks, scars, and other bodily imperfections.