Stretch marks are visible lesions that form on the skin when the body is experiencing hormonal flux due to weight loss, weight gain, growth or pregnancy. Scars appear when the elastic fibers of our bodies beneath the epidermis are damaged.
Stretch marks mostly appear on your thighs, hips, arms abdomens, around the belly and breast/chest area. However, they can form on many other parts of your body.
Things That Can Cause Stretch Marks
Stretch marks that form due to a growth spurt
This type of stretch mark is common among adolescents that are undergoing puberty. The marks will appear as purple or red lines. They are prominent on the upper arms, chest area and thighs.
It mostly affects teenage girls more than teenage boys. With time, the marks may fade and disappear. Of all the types of stretch marks, these tend to fade the fastest.
Stretch marks that result from body building
These stretch marks develop due to growth of the body muscles. It mostly affects the bicep, triceps and calf muscles. Due to weight lifting, the growth of body muscles is accelerated beyond normal growth development, and this results in the formation of stretch marks.
On top of that, those who use steroids containing cortisone can be affected even more. This leads to hormonal imbalance and stretch marks are one the side effects.
Stretch marks resulting from pregnancy
By their 7th month, most pregnant women develop stretch marks around their breasts and abdominal area. Most women, including the slender ones, have some stretch marks.
For some lucky women, their stretch marks will start to fade soon after birth. For others, they will require stretch mark removal treatment.
Stretch marks from weight gain or loss
Sudden weight loss or weight gain causes stretch marks in body parts where fat is stored. For stretch marks related to growth spurts, thighs, hips, breasts, upper arms and the back are most affected.
Quick muscle growth can occur in calf muscles of athletes. Weight lifting or body building lead to muscle based stretch marks. In this case, marks form on the growing muscles, like the calf muscles and biceps. Stretch marks are also likely to form on the belly and at the back.
Quick Recap
Pregnancy: You will most likely develop stretch marks if you are pregnant, particularly from the seventh month of your pregnancy.
The hormones that your body produces during pregnancy soften your skin fibers, making them prone to stretch marks. As the baby grows, stretch marks might develop on your abdomen around the tummy region. As your thighs and breasts get heavier and bigger, stretch marks may appear. After birth, stretch marks may fade or require treatment.
Rapid weight gain/loss: If you lose or gain a lot of weight over a short period of time, you might get stretch marks. The stretch marks might not disappear even after you lose the weight that you gained. However, with time, they tend to fade.
If you frequently diet, you might get stretch marks since your weight increases and decreases rapidly. To avoid putting your skin under stress, it is advisable to lose weight steadily and slowly. Athletes and bodybuilders will also get stretch marks as their muscles grow.
Puberty: As a person changes from childhood to adulthood, the body tends to grow quickly in spurts. This leads to males getting stretch marks on their back and shoulders, as females get them on their breasts, hips and thighs.
Corticosteroids: You can develop stretch makes by using corticosteroids like lotions, creams or eczema tablets. They will ease skin inflammations, but reduce the amount of collagen in your skin.
Collagen keeps your skin stretchy. Low concentrations of collagen in your skin means there are higher chances of developing stretch marks.
Now that you have a basic understanding of stretch marks, take a look at some of the benefits of stretch mark removal as well as some of the stretch mark removal treatment methods.