Stretch Marks: Why They Appear And How To Get Rid Of Them

Stretch marks are a type of scar to the skin, sometimes referred to as "striae" by doctors. They are caused by a tear in the dermis, or the deeper layer of skin, often from abrupt stretching of the tissue. This rupture of the collagen and elastin leaves a permanent scar when it heals, and from the surface, this develops into a visible stretch mark as we know it.

When they first appear, stretch marks are very dark in color, often purple or red. They can be raised above the skin and slightly puffy and itchy. The good news is that the appearance of stretch marks improves with time. Over a year, the color fades from red to a pale color, and the marks flatten or appear slightly depressed below the level of the surrounding skin.

Who is at risk for stretch marks?
Everyone has the capacity to develop stretch marks, but those with extreme hormone levels (such as pregnant women) or individuals with a family history of stretch marks may be more susceptible. I have heard many women call them their "tiger stripes," a physical representation of just what their abdomen did to accommodate their growing baby.

​Outside of pregnancy, many teens develop stretch marks during puberty in response to their growing and changing body. Extreme muscle building and fluctuations in body weight may also cause stretch marks to appear as the body contour changes. The prolonged use of some medications which can thin the skin, like corticosteroids, may also cause stretch marks to appear.


Stretch Marks Causes and Risk Factors
Stretch marks happen when your body grows quickly for any reason. Your skin can’t stretch enough to keep up.

Collagen is a protein that makes your skin more elastic. If your skin doesn’t have enough, the marks may show up as it stretches.
You may get stretch marks because of:

• Quick weight gain (this affects both men and women) 
• Childhood growth spurts during puberty. Make sure kids know this is normal and that childhood marks may fade as they get older.
• Pregnancy as a result of stretched skin and a surge in hormones that weakens skin fibers. They might fade as you shed pounds after the baby is born.
• Breast implant surgery
• Bodybuilding, even those who have little fat can get them where their muscles bulge
• High amounts of steroids, either from steroid medications or illnesses like Cushing's syndrome
• Marfan syndrome, a genetic disease that weakens your skin fibers and causes unusual growth
• Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), a group of conditions that result from genetic changes to collagen, a protein in your body

They also run in families.

Stretch Mark Symptoms
New stretch marks may feel slightly raised and itchy. These rippled, streaky lines in your skin come in different colors. They fade from red or pink to purplish-blue to thinner, pale, more scar-like streaks over time. You may not notice them as much.
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They can show up on many parts of your body:

• Arms
• Back
• Breasts
• Buttocks
• Hips
• Shoulders
• Stomach or torso

How can you get rid of stretch marks?
Retinoids sink into your skin to speed up cell turnover, causing your body to churn out fresher, smoother, less wrinkled skin over time,” dermatologist Mona Gohara, MD, previously told Cosmo. Which is why they’re the best over-the-counter treatment for smoothing bumpy, textured stretch marks at home. Just massage a dot of retinoid over your stretch marks one night a week for one week, then two nights a week for two weeks, then three nights a week for three weeks, slowly working your way up to every other night indefinitely. It’ll take a while to see results (think: three months, at least), but it is a simple addition to your routine and one that’s available at drugstores.

Is there anything you can do to prevent stretch marks?
The quick answer to this question is maybe. Keeping the skin well hydrated and avoiding excessive weight gain may be your only chance to prevent permanent damage to the skin. While research has yet to find the perfect product to prevent stretch marks, controlling changes to our body and weight may be our best bet to keep our skin looking healthy and smooth.

Stretch Mark Treatments and Home Remedies
A range of medical treatments and home remedies is available to treat your stretch marks. Some work better than others.

Medical treatment for stretch marks
A skin doctor or plastic surgeon can use lasers or other treatments to help fade the marks. It may help your skin make more collagen:

• Pulsed dye laser therapy is a painless blast of light used on new, red stretch marks. The light’s energy calms blood vessels under your skin that could cause the marks.
• Fractional CO2 laser therapy is a new treatment that may smooth out old, white stretch marks. One study showed that women’s stretch marks faded after five sessions compared to others who used topical creams with glycolic acid and tretinoin.
• Excimer laser therapy exposes stretch marks to targeted ultraviolet B (UVB) light. A small study shows that it’s safe and treatments over 1 to 4 months can correct pigment problems from stretch marks. 
• Microdermabrasion uses tiny crystals to rub off the top layer of your skin. One new study showed that this treatment helped fade new, reddish stretch marks when combined with skin peels.
• Chemical peelis an acidic solution that burns off the top layers of your skin to remove dead and damaged cells and boost new skin growth. This treatment may improve your stretch marks a little, but won’t completely get rid of them.
• Radiofrequency uses radio wave energy to create heat and trigger your body to make collagen. One small study found this treatment is safe and can improve stretch marks, but scientists need to do more research.
• Ultrasound works a lot like radiofrequency treatments. The procedure sends sound waves deep into your skin to heat and tighten and jumpstart collagen production. 

Are there any surgical options?
If your stretch marks are on your lower abdomen after pregnancy, you are in luck. Stretch marks that are below your belly button can be surgically removed in a tummy tuck procedure. This surgery removes the skin below the belly button permanently and uses the upper skin to create a tighter abdomen and a smoother appearance.

It is important to meet with a board-certified plastic surgeon to discuss realistic expectations with this type of surgery, and to understand how this type of surgery will remove damaged skin and relocate upper stretch marks to a more hidden location near the bikini line.

Home remedies for stretch marks
You’ll find many creams, salves, oils, and other skin ointments that claim to either prevent or treat them. But there’s little proof that any of these products really work. Some treatments and home remedies can fade or hide stretch marks:

• Body makeup and self-tanner: These products can help hide stretch marks. Note that tanning won’t get rid of stretch marks. It actually makes them easier to see. 
• Tretinoin: Creams with tretinoin (Retin-A) contain retinoid, a compound related to Vitamin A. Retinoids increase collagen production. They’re often used to treat wrinkles. They may help fade newer stretch marks, but they can also make your skin red, irritated, or scaly. 
• Collagen boosters: StriVectin-SD and lupin seed extracts are both supposed to increase collagen in your skin, but it’s hard to say if they’ll fade or prevent stretch marks.
• Centella asiatica:This herbal oil boosts cells in your body that make collagen and build up skin tissue. Some people use it to help heal wounds. Centella asiatica is in a number of over-the-counter skin creams for stretch marks, but there’s little proof it helps to fade them.
• Bitter almond oil: One study showed that women who massaged bitter almond oil into the skin on their bellies during pregnancy had fewer stretch marks than others who just used oil without massage.
• Cocoa butter, shea butter, olive oil, vitamin E oil, and other moisturizers: These natural creams can make your skin feel softer, but it isn’t clear if they help or prevent stretch marks.

If you decide to try a cream, lotion, or gel to fade your stretch marks, be sure to use it every day for several weeks. Take the time to massage it into your skin. These products may work best on newer stretch marks.