Over 60% of women are exposed to unsightly stretchmarks due to a number of triggering factors including hormonal conditions, obesity, puberty, body building and skin stretching due to breast and buttock augmentation. Men are also susceptible to stretchmarks during puberty, body building and obesity.
Generally during pregnancy between the fourth and seventh months and also during adolescence, both periods of high adrenal activity, increases in the production of glucocorticoid (steroid hormone) mask and block the fibroblast and keratinocytes cells that are responsible to building the skins matrix.
Inflammatory reaction begins before stretchmarks are visible and continues as they appear on the skin form a pink colour to a fading to white.