Unsightly stripes on the buttocks are tears in the connective tissue that are visible up to the surface of the skin. Such visible tissue tears are also called stretch marks and can also appear on the abdomen or thighs. The best therapy is prevention, because existing stripes are difficult to remove.
What are stripes on the buttocks?
Tissue tears are called “striae cutis distensae” (roughly “stripes due to overstretching of the skin“) in medical terminology. Tissue tears are referred to in medical terminology as “striae cutis distensae” (roughly “stripes due to overstretching of the skin“). Also known as stretch marks for this reason, tissue tears are visible tears or scars in the lower layer of the skin, known as the hypodermis. They occur when the elastic collagen fibers that hold the connective tissue of the skin together are stretched too much and tear. The initial red-purple color is caused by the blood vessels in the deeper layers of the skin becoming visible. Tissue tears often occur after pregnancies, in the course of which the connective tissue is stretched relatively quickly and shrinks again. For this reason, tissue tears are also known as stretch marks, which in medicine are called “striae gravidarum”.
Causes
Stretch marks can occur for several reasons. The most common cause is too much stress on the subcutaneous tissue. The unsightly stripes on the buttocks are often called “stretch marks”, because they often appear after pregnancies. During pregnancy, not only does the woman’s abdomen enlarge, but due to the unusual and relatively rapid weight gain, the skin on the thighs and buttocks also stretches. If this stretching occurs too quickly, or if the connective tissue is too weak for the expansion – either in general or due to the hormonal situation – tears will appear in the tissue. The subsequent scarring leads to the whitish-pink stripes on the buttocks. However, the tissue tears do not only occur in pregnant women, but also in men and in almost 75% of all women, regardless of whether they have already given birth to a child or not. Growth spurts during puberty can be just as much a cause of the pale stripes on the buttocks as bodybuilding or a strong weight gain or loss, for example in the course of a radical diet or serious illness. If the connective tissue is generally weak, which is often genetically determined, the tissue tears can also occur without such triggers.
Diseases with this symptom
- Weakness of connective tissue
- Obesity
- Stretch marks
Diagnosis and course
A tissue tear is caused by an injury to the lower layers of the skin. This first manifests itself in red to purple colored tears, as blood vessels show through the injured tissue. The cracks heal after some time. However, fine scars may remain that are pale pink or a lighter skin tone. The scars are still clearly visible at first, but they fade more and more and some eventually disappear completely. Often the stripes on the buttocks can still be seen when the upper layers of skin are pressed together with the hands. They are then hardly distinguishable from scars caused by cuts or scratches. In most cases, the stretch marks are easily visible to the naked eye, so no medical equipment or imaging techniques are needed to diagnose tissue tears.
Complications
Represent an emergency and, except as a preventive measure, can rarely be treated well. Patients do not suffer external or internal damage; it is much more of a personal, as it is cosmetic, problem: the fine cracks on the skin bother most people. Nevertheless, the strips are small wounds under the skin. Like all wounds, in rare cases the cracks can become infected, especially without treatment. This can manifest itself in a painful and warm sensation. As soon as pain appears in the corresponding areas, a doctor should be consulted immediately. It is also unusual if the stripes accumulate without existing overweight or pregnancy and occur in several places on the body. In these cases, too, a dermatologist can help. Complications, so-called healing disorders, can also occur in patients who have the stripes actively treated.In the course of treatment, it may take longer for the stripes to lighten if, for example, the patient is also being treated with medication for another condition. There is also the possibility that the stripes remain unchanged and the skin above them does not become smooth, but remains slightly textured.
When should you go to the doctor?
Stripes on the buttocks are not a worrying clinical picture at first glance, because it is highly probable that they are stretch marks. Stretch marks occur when affected skin regions are excessively stretched within a short period of time. Due to a high weight gain, such stripes can appear very quickly. However, such stripes are not a reason to panic, so a doctor must be consulted immediately. Stretch marks alone will not cause any discomfort or complications. However, if the affected person suffers from very dry and brittle skin, then small cracks may form in the skin under certain circumstances. In such a case, if medical treatment is not sought, then there is even a risk of a chapped skin. A fissure is a deep tear in the skin that can no longer grow together on its own. A visit to the nearest dermatologist is unavoidable, as pathogenic bacteria can accumulate in the skin crack. If you want to avoid an infection at this point, you should see a doctor at the first sign of inflammation. With the right medication, inflammation can be effectively fought and alleviated. In general, therefore, stripes on the buttocks by no means need to be treated by a doctor. Only when minor cracks are visible in the skin should a doctor be consulted.
Treatment and therapy
Tissue tears on the buttocks do not need to be treated from a medical point of view, since the body does not suffer any damage. However, many patients, especially women, see stretch marks as a cosmetic problem. Treatment is carried out with plucking and brushing massages, as well as targeted care products that contain many vitamins and minerals that promote regeneration. On the one hand, these are intended to strengthen the connective tissue and promote blood circulation in the skin, and on the other hand, to accelerate and improve the body’s own repair of the damaged skin layers. Products that are also used to reduce scars, such as ointments and creams made from ingredients of calendula, are particularly suitable for therapy. Other ingredients that generally tighten the connective tissue and keep it elastic, thus combating stripes on the buttocks, include vitamin A and vitamin E. These can be taken in the form of tablets, but are also contained, for example, in jojoba and wheat germ oil, which is used not only for application, but also as a massage oil. To promote blood circulation, not only massages are recommended, but also Kneipp casts with alternating hot and cold water. In the cosmetics trade, there is also a range of products available that have been specifically developed to alleviate and eliminate tissue tears. At the doctor’s office, the unsightly stripes on the buttocks can be re-pigmented with the help of laser beams or removed or reduced in size by the so-called “Rio method”. In the latter, tiny incisions are made under the tissue tears, which cause the skin to contract naturally as the scar forms, causing the connective tissue of the stretch marks to contract as well.
Outlook and prognosis
It is very difficult to give an outlook or prognosis in relation to stripes on the buttocks, as each skin behaves individually and differently. A complete cure or a complete disappearance of the stripes on the buttocks is unfortunately not possible. Therefore, various precautionary measures should be taken at an early stage so that the stripes do not appear in the first place. If said stripes are already present, failure to treat them may result in larger and deeper stripes. Those who decide to undergo treatment can make the stripes on the buttocks much more unrecognizable. However, this involves a rich diet consisting of plenty of fluids and various vitamins. In addition, it is possible to resort to the use of various creams or ointments that treat the stripes on the buttocks. In this case, the healing of the stripes is extremely protracted, so it may take several months before a visible improvement is seen.
Prevention
The optimal protection against the unsightly stripes on the buttocks is a firm, elastic connective tissue and a constant body weight.This is most likely to be achieved with a balanced diet and sufficient exercise. In addition, the connective tissue can be strengthened with targeted cosmetic products. Creams with vitamins A and E tighten the tissue and massages with jojoba or almond oil additionally promote the blood circulation of the skin and increase its elasticity.
What you can do yourself
Stripes on the buttocks do not necessarily need to be treated by a doctor. In most cases, it is sufficient to strengthen the tissue with the help of vitamins and minerals that promote regeneration. Suitable remedies include ointments and creams made from calendula, arnica or chamomile, as well as tablets containing jojoba and wheat germ oil. Homeopathic oils from almond, sesame or lemon also have a tissue-strengthening effect and thus reduce stripes on the buttocks. Massages and Kneipp water jets promote blood circulation and reduce injuries in the connective tissue. Especially effective are plucking and brushing massages, which should be applied daily if possible. Pregnant women can apply compresses of lady’s mantle or field horsetail and thus avoid injuries to the connective tissue. Accompanying this, the stripes on the buttocks can be reduced by general measures such as regular exercise and alternating showers. Exfoliation on the buttocks and thighs promotes blood circulation and especially prevents stretch marks during pregnancy. Suitable preparations for peeling include aloe vera, fruit vinegar, egg white or Schuessler salts. If accompanied by a balanced diet with alkaline foods, the stripes on the buttocks should quickly recede. If this is not the case, the doctor can remove the stripes with the help of laser beams or by the so-called “Rio method”.
