PRESS RELEASE FROM JOURNAL OF INVESTIGATIVE DERMATOLOGY
(www.jidonline.org)
This press release is copyrighted to the Journal of Investigative
Dermatology, the official publication of the Society for Investigative
Dermatology, published in partnership with the Nature Publishing Group.
Stretch marks are never good
Stretch marks are not only unsightly, but women with this disorder, appear
to be at increased risk for pelvic prolapse, reports an online publication
from The Journal of Investigative Dermatology. Like stretch marks, pelvic
prolapse is a connective tissue disorder. Pelvic weakness is a serious
condition caused by deterioration of support structures that can result in
pressure, pain, vaginal bulge and/or urinary incontinence. Pelvic prolapse
is an extremely under-reported condition and there is no official data as to
how many suffer from the condition. Tracked cases in the US, however, show
more than 300,000 procedures are performed annually to repair this
condition.
Pregnancy has been previously associated with pelvic weakness, but in the
first study to examine pelvic weakening and its association to stretch
marks, researchers found that stretch marks were twice as common in women
with prolapse as those without. Stretch marks occur when skin is stretched
beyond its capacity and normal production of collagen is disrupted. As a
result, scars or stretch marks form.
Alexa Kimball and colleagues reviewed results from a survey issued to
urogynecology and dermatology patients. Participants ranged in age from
25-90 with an average weight of 152 pounds. Analysis of multiple variables
identified stretch marks as the only significant predictor of pelvic
prolapse.
Follow up studies will further investigate the incidence and correlation of
these two connective tissue disorders and how genetic factors contribute to
incidence. Research will also include prospective studies to validate
findings and identify predictive markers to prevent the progression of this
condition.
Contact the Author:
To schedule an interview with Dr. Alexa B. Kimball, please contact Kevin
Myron in Brigham and Women's Department of Public Affairs at Tel: +1 617 534
1605; E-mail: [email protected]
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