In a way, you should be proud of your stretch marks when they come—they show that you buffed up so much that your skin couldn't handle it! However, building up muscle is in many ways about having a great looking body, and stretch marks will mar what is otherwise a perfect physique.
Stretch marks may be difficult to treat, but they aren't harmful to your physical health. They'll also become less noticeable over time, even without treatment.
While muscle stretch marks may seem permanent on your skin, the good news is that there are ways to reduce their appearance and prevent them from developing further. But it's important to understand what causes them in the first place and the factors that determine whether they are permanent or not.
Stretch marks (striae) are indented streaks that appear on the abdomen, breasts, hips, buttocks or other places on the body. They're common in pregnant women, especially during the last trimester. Stretch marks aren't painful or harmful, but some people don't like the way they make their skin look.
Stretch marks can become visible when you are losing weight and are quite common as the skin stretches due to weight gain or rapid growth. While they may look unattractive, fortunately, they do not indicate any serious medical problems.
Stretch marks are often caused by sudden growth or weight gain. You may be more likely to get them if you: are pregnant. are going through puberty.
While stretch marks don't usually completely disappear, they do tend to fade over time. For example, you might find your pregnancy stretch marks fade after about 6 months. However, this will vary for everyone as factors such as your skin tone, elasticity and location all play a role.
Early stretch marks may feel slightly raised and can be itchy. In time, the color fades and the narrow bands sink beneath your skin. If you run your finger over a mature stretch mark, you often feel a slight depression.
Radiofrequency Treatments
Allure reports that RF treatments use energy to heat the skin's deeper layers, stimulating collagen and elastin production. This process tightens the skin and reduces the appearance of stretch marks by improving skin elasticity and texture.
Striae rubrae are often red, purple, or blue, and they're known as active stretch marks. When the scarring heals, stretch marks turn white, and are called striae alba.
Squats and leg presses are common culprits. They make thigh and calf muscles grow quickly. Rapid muscle growth can cause stretch marks when the skin can't keep up. Runners might see stretch marks, too.
Exercise-induced urticaria is an allergic skin reaction brought on by exercise. It generally produces hives and other allergic symptoms. The hives, or welts, are large, raised bumps on the skin. They can occur on any part of the body.
If your skin is not elastic enough to support the rapidity with which muscle develops due to your performance enhancing drugs and your new exercise routine, your skin will stretch and tear, forming stretch marks. Plus, the hormone imbalance created by using these can also make one more likely to develop scarring.
Stretch marks are caused by the rapid stretching of the skin and most often occur on the stomach, arms, and thighs. These body parts are also popular tattoo spots. Since stretch marks create texture and color pigmentation on the skin, you might wonder, can you tattoo over stretch marks? The short answer is yes!
Development of a stretch mark
The skin is stretched as a consequence of underlying tissue expansion. There is an inflammatory reaction in the skin that is responsible for the characteristic red or purple colour. The inflammation eventually fades and is replaced by scar tissue.
Ascorbic acid also stimulates collagen production in the dermis by increasing fibroblast proliferation. It therefore seems likely that ascorbic acid can improve the atrophic appearance of stretch marks.
At first, stretch marks may show up as reddish or purplish lines that can look indented and have a different texture from the skin around them. Stretch marks often turn lighter and almost disappear over time.
In general, stretch marks from weight loss fade or disappear completely on their own. Sometimes rapid weight loss can actually cause stretch marks because of excess skin weighing down on the healthy skin.
Exercise. One way to decrease the visibility of excess skin after pregnancy is to strengthen the muscle below it. In the case of the abdomen, strengthening your core through regular exercise can help to build the stomach muscles out and tighten the skin above as a result.
It's common for stretch marks to appear during teen years when rapid growth of weight gain occurs. Other factors that make teens predisposed to stretch marks appearing include a genetic risk or family history of stretch marks, pregnancy, being overweight or obese, or topical or oral steroids, like prednisone.
They Don't Go Away. Like any other scars, stretch marks are permanent. But in time, they usually fade and become a little lighter than the rest of your skin -- they may look white or silvery.