Issue link: https://www.ascpskindeepdigital.com/i/1495571
New member benefit! Get the ASCP SkinPro app at ascpskincare.com/skinpro 89 striations often indicate a newly formed stretch mark on a variety of skin tones. Regardless of their appearance, all stretch marks share the same root cause: a dysfunction or rupture in the elastin and collagen elements that lend the skin strength, flexibility, and elasticity. The skin needs exfoliation at this juncture, followed by a boost of strength that gives the cells a chance to re-knit into healthy epidermal tissue. There are several ways to approach this need. Resurfacing with microdermabrasion and deep chemical peels is risky, as it targets dead and healthy cells alike and can lead to even more scarring. Instead, it is more useful to exfoliate by "playing the pH scale" of the skin, gently manipulating the balance toward acidity or alkalinity. An alkaline treatment is most effective for established stretch marks and deep revision. Ingredients like calcium hydroxide, calcium carbonate, magnesium oxide, and calcium thioglycolate can help bring the pH from about 5.6 to 12, causing the skin to swell and soften, dissolving keratin and protein bonds at the surface. When the skin's pH returns to normal, the skin is ready for enzyme therapy. This is the nourishing, re-knitting stage, where oxidase, transferase, and transporter enzymes in the skin are activated. They cause the capillaries to dilate, allowing fresh blood to oxygenate and nourish the cells, while stagnant lymph fluid is flushed out and the extracellular matrix is renewed. With continued treatment, the malfunctioning skin cells can be removed and replaced with robust, healthy skin. Results will improve with consistent home care and topical applications of vitamin C, which is especially important to nourish fibroblast cells and increase collagen production. Note 1. Caroline Baudouin et al., "Improving Stretch Mark Pathophysiology Knowledge by Specific In Vitro Models," Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology 74, no. 5 (May 2016), doi.org/10.1016/j. jaad.2016.02.229; David Weedon, Weedon's Skin Pathology, 3rd ed. (London: Churchill Livingston, 2009) 303–29. Regardless of their appearance, all stretch marks share the same root cause: a dysfunction or rupture in the elastin and collagen elements that lend the skin strength, flexibility, and elasticity.