Changes such as pregnancy, puberty or significant weight gain can stretch the skin, disrupting the production of collagen protein that gives skin its strength and elasticity.
These are due to growth and stretching and thinning of the skin. They are more common in females and occur equally in all races / ethnicities. Stretch marks are also seen in people who use oral or topical corticosteroids, have a disease of the adrenal gland, or have rare hereditary (genetic) disorders.
Stretch marks usually fade over time but may not disappear completely. Many creams and lotions claim to prevent, reduce or remove stretch marks.
The medical name for stretch marks is striae. Stretch marks (striae) result from rapid stretching of the skin which may occur with obesity, pubertal growth spurts, pregnancy, or from other influences such as Cushing syndrome. Stretch marks (striae) can appear when there is rapid stretching of the skin.
Stretch marks can also appear on the penis, thanks not only to hormonal changes but to the simple act of the penis growing and stretching with regular erections.
Stretching involves attaching a stretcher or extender device — also referred to as a penile traction device — to the penis for gentle tension. A few small studies have reported length increases of half an inch to almost 2 inches (about 1 to 3 centimeters) with these devices. However, the activity may be uncomfortable.
Medically, stretch marks don't require treatment because they aren't harmful or painful. They usually fade over time, with or without treatment, but may never go away completely.
Stretch marks are a form of scarring that appear after your skin quickly stretches or shrinks. They often happen due to pregnancy, weight gain, weight loss and bodybuilding. Treatment options include laser skin resurfacing, dermabrasion, microneedling and retinol creams.
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.
The cause of stretch marks is stretching of the skin. Their severity is affected by several factors, including your genetics and the degree of stress on the skin. Your level of the hormone cortisol also might play a role. Cortisol is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands.
Striae, or stretch marks, are a common complaint and can be distressing. They may affect the abdomen, buttocks, thighs, breasts, back, axillae and groin.
The most common Bartonella rash is from Cat Scratch Fever and looks like scratches or stretch marks. Its linear pattern is much different than that found with Lyme disease and other skin conditions. Bartonella rash presents with long reddish and purplish streaks that appear on the skin.
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.
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.
Marfan Syndrome is a genetic disorder that affects the body's connective tissue; causing the tissue in the body to not grow and develop properly, this can cause stretch marks to appear without any visible reason (i.e. weight gain/pregnancy).
Retinoid cream.
Derived from vitamin A, retinoids — such as tretinoin (Retin-A, Renova, Avita) — that you apply to your skin may improve the appearance of stretch marks less than a few months old.
New stretch marks will look slightly raised with a red or glossy colour. Over time, they eventually fade to white and start to look slightly depressed. Older stretch marks may look like scars.
Stretchmarks: Tiger Balm's ability to increase blood flow is thought by some to help improve the appearance of stretch marks, but this is not supported by research.
A stretch mark is a type of scar that develops when our skin stretches or shrinks quickly. The abrupt change causes the collagen and elastin, which support our skin, to rupture. As the skin heals, stretch marks may appear.
Skin changes during puberty are the most common reason for stretch marks on the breasts. “They develop when your skin rapidly stretches as your breasts develop,” Dr. Akhtar says. “We also see breast stretch marks in pregnant women as their breasts enlarge.”
It works by boosting collagen production and speeding up cell turnover, which helps to blend the stretch marks into the surrounding skin. While retinol won't completely remove old stretch marks, it can still improve their texture and make them less noticeable.
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.
Bartonella, in immunocompromised people, is known to trigger new blood vessels to grow from pre-existing ones. There's a theory that Bartonella can trigger growth of new blood vessels into stretch marks (or even cause the stretch marks) making them red or purplish.