if skin can regenerate and heal itself albeit slowly, why can’t stretch marks and scars go back to normal?
In: Biology
Skin has different sections and the top section is called the epidermis. This epidermis has about 4 different layers if cells. The bottom layer (bottom layer of the top section, so we are still in the “epidermis”) has stem cells that can divide into new skin cells as long as those stem cells at the bottom aren’t damaged. Scars happen when that stem cell layer is damaged. Think of a deep cut required for surgery vs a paper cut. Or a burn that destroys the entire epidermis. No stem cells + an open hole on your skin is going to leave you with a scar cos the body has to fill it with something so it ends up filling it with fiber (ie a scar) instead of normal skin
Stretch marks are different. The reason people get stretch marks is not really understood. Some theories have been proposed but it isn’t as cut and dry as a scar. Every human scars but not every human gets stretch marks.
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