The explanation may very well emerge from understanding that the skin matrix is in charge of the skin's mechanical properties, including firmness, strength, suppleness, and elasticity. Stretch marks are tears in a skin matrix affected by atrophy, a condition characterized by exactly the opposite of those just mentioned. Yes, skin affected by stretch marks is characterized by weakness, thinning, sagging, stiffness, roughness and decrease in the size of tissues, impaired cellular proliferation, and decreased function, also called atrophia.

The skin matrix is a precious resource which is produced and consumed quite frequently during our lives. On one hand, skin matrix is continuously synthesized by fibroblasts. On the other hand, whenever it is damaged, malformed or worn out, skin matrix - especially the structural proteins collagen and elastin- is broken down into fragments by gelattinase and collagenase enzymes, also called matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) and then recycled. By digesting key matrix proteins, such as collagen and elastin, MMP enzymes play an underappreciated yet critical function in skin physiology.

In healthy or youthful skin, the degradation and biological synthesis of the matrix are in balance: damaged or disfunctional matrix is degraded while the deficit is replenished by the progressing biosynthesis. Unfortunately, this complicated balance gets interrupted because of hormonal imbalances, malnutrition, or as we age, too much of the matrix is degraded and too little is synthesized. As with any supply-demand imbalance, it can be improved by either augmenting supply (boosting biosynthesis of the matrix) or reducing demand (inhibiting the breakdown).

In particular, the synthesis of elastin is physiologically crucial, although elastin is only 2% of the total protein in the epidermis. These skin fibers provide the flexibility of skin. Elastin synthesis and the regulation of the quantity of cross-linked insoluble elastin and collagen fibers depend on the interaction between three factors. The first is the presence of active fibroblasts, which emanate the soluble precursor of elastin, tropoelastin. The second is the relative amount of several skin matrix components within the skin also secreted by fibroblasts. The third are enzymes that are in charge of both cell degradation progressions that allows the breakdown of dead cells into their component amino-acids and their renewal for the creation of new proteins (amino-acid chains).

So be careful of products that contain soluble collagen and/or elastin, they will NOT do the trick.

What is needed is the biosynthesis and appropriate self-assembly of complex skin structures from within your body. The first step in elastic fiber formation is the manifestation of small cell surface-associated elastin globules (soluble tropoelastin) that augment in size with time (microassembly). The elastin globules are afterwards transferred to pre-existing elastic fibers in the extracellular matrix where, through an intricate and organized biological process, they integrate into bigger structures (macroassembly) and become crosslinked funtional fiber-like polymers with changeable deformation and high resilience.

Collagen and Elastin Synthesis Boosters May Fail or Fall Short in People Affected by Atrophic Skin.

The newest stretch mark treatment and prevention products are focused on restoring skin matrix by stimulating the biosynthesis of collagen or elastin (e.g. ascorbic acid, copper peptides, palmitoyl pentapeptide, oligopeptides and other|synthetic copper peptides, ascorbic acid, oligopeptides, palmitoyl pentapeptide, and other). Unfortunately, this approach fails or falls short in most people affected by atrophic skin, apparently due to the peculiar chemistry of skin affected by such condition and an inability to respond to matrix synthesis boosters.

Their failure to affect existing stretch marks is most likely due to something essential ingredient missing in those products; an element that would help your body to get rid of scar tissues . In fact, your body needs two things to accomplish this.

One, your body needs to be able to distinguish or identify scar tissue from the surrounding functional tissues in the skin matrix. Second, it must be able to degrade the proteins that those scars are made off and separate their component amino-acids to then afterward use them to generate new skin matrix components.

This can only be accomplished by the action of two types of ingredients that act together. One is carrier molecules able to connect communication between cells and allow them to distinguish scars from functional and/ or healthy tissues and trigger fibroblast development. The other crucial ingredient is enzymes that decompose the non functional, worn out, or damaged tissues that were identified by the messenger molecules.

Combined methods that consist of some form of abrading to physically break down some of the more superficial scarring, and a topical cream that has not just hydrating enhancers or collagen biosynthesis boosters, but also cell communicating ingredients, enzymes that 'dissolve' damaged cells and scar proteins and skin regenerating activators can yield substantial improvements.

Such product can also effectively prevent stretch marks.

Please visit our website to understand more about how stretch marks can be treated with an effective stretch mark cream that is safe for stretch marks treatment and prevention during pregnancy.