The answer may very well come from understanding that the skin matrix is responsible for the skin's mechanical properties, like 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 injured by stretch marks is identified by thinning, weakness, roughness, sagging, stiffness and decrease in the size of tissues, impaired cellular proliferation, and loss of function, also called atrophia.

The skin matrix is a precious resource which is produced and consumed quite frequently during our lives. On one side, skin matrix is continuously synthesized by fibroblasts. On the other side, if it is damaged, malformed or worn out, skin matrix - especially the structural proteins collagen and elastin- is broken down into fragments by collagenase and gelatinase 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 and youthful skin, the synthesis and degradation of the matrix are in order: damaged or disfunctional matrix is degraded while the deficit is restored by the ongoing biosynthesis. Unfortunately, this intricate balance gets disrupted 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 increasing supply (boosting biosynthesis of the matrix) or reducing demand (inhibiting the breakdown).

In particular, the synthesis of elastin is physiologically important, although elastin is only 2% of the total protein in the epidermis. These skin fibers provide the resiliency of skin. Elastin synthesis and the regulation of the quantity of cross-linked insoluble elastin and collagen fibers depend on the interaction between 3 factors. The first is the presence of active fibroblasts, which emanate the soluble precursor of elastin, tropoelastin. The second is the relative quantity of several skin matrix components within the dermis also exuded by fibroblasts. The third are enzymes that are responsible for both the cell degradation progressions that allows the breakdown of dead cells into their component amino-acids and their re-use for the creation of new proteins (amino-acid chains).

So beware of creams that contain soluble collagen and/or elastin, they will NOT have any effect.

What is necessary is the biosynthesis and appropriate self-assembly of complex skin structures from within your body. The first step in elastic fiber formation is the appearance 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 skin matrix where, through an intricate and organized biological process, they coalesce 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 latest stretch mark treatment and prevention products are aimed at replenishing 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 method fails or falls short in most people affected by atrophic skin, probably due to the particular chemistry of skin affected by such condition and an incapacity to answer to matrix synthesis boosters.

Their failure to affect existing stretch marks is most likely due to something important ingredient missing in those products; an element that can help your skin to get rid of scar tissues and stretch marks. 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 scar tissues are made off and separate their component amino-acids to then afterward use them to generate new skin matrix components.

This can only be completed by the action of two types of ingredients that act in concert. One is carrier molecules able to link communication between cells and allow them to distinguish scar tissues from functional and/ or healthy tissues and trigger fibroblast proliferation. The other crucial ingredient is enzymes that dissolve the non functional, worn out, or damaged tissues that were recognized by the messenger molecules.

Combined methods that include some form of abrading to physically break down some of the more superficial scarring, and a topical cream that includes 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 provide significant improvements.

Such product can also effectively prevent stretch marks.