While stretch marks are usually not a sign of any underlying health issue, many people feel self-conscious about their stretch marks for cosmetic reasons and want to find ways to make them less noticeable.

This article will discuss stretch marks, their signs and symptoms, why stretch marks form, and how to treat them.

What Are Stretch Marks?

A stretch mark is a type of scar that occurs when the skin either grows or shrinks rapidly. Stretch marks can appear during pregnancy, during growth spurts in puberty, and from significant weight gain or loss.

Stretch marks can appear anywhere on the body but usually appear on the breasts, hips, thighs, buttocks, and abdomen.

Symptoms

Stretch marks appear as bands or stripes that run across the skin. However, the color, size, and length of stretch marks will vary from person to person based on various factors.

General signs and symptoms of stretch marks include:

Discolored, indented streaks: These will be either pink, purple, red, blue, or brown, depending on your skin color. White streaks: If the stretch marks are old and have had time to fade, the lines will be white or silver. Skin irritation and itchiness: These symptoms will happen before the scars form.

Causes

Stretch marks are caused by the skin either rapidly shrinking or growing. This growth or shrinkage affects the collagen (a protein in connective tissue) and elastin (the main protein of elastic connective tissue) specifically, which causes these support materials to rupture.

Collagen and elastin are responsible for skin elasticity, the skin’s ability to stretch and bounce back into place.

Several conditions are associated with stretch marks, including:

Pregnancy Cushing’s syndrome (a rare condition caused by high levels of the hormone cortisol) Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (a group of genetic connective tissue disorders) Puberty Obesity Overusing cortisone skin cream

Treatment

Stretch marks will fade on their own over time. However, there are several ways to treat stretch marks and help lessen their appearance. It’s important to remember that treatment works best on fresh stretch marks, as opposed to ones that have already matured.

Some treatment options for stretch marks include:

Ensuring the skin is adequately moisturized Trying stretch mark–targeting gels, lotions, and creams Applying self-tanner to camouflage the marks Using topical prescription medication that contains hyaluronic acid or tretinoin Getting professional services such as a chemical peel, laser therapy, microdermabrasion, or radiofrequency

Lifestyle factors may also help prevent stretch marks, such as staying hydrated, daily exercise, and eating a balanced diet.

Summary

Stretch marks are scars that occur after rapid growth or shrinkage of the skin. Stretch marks form because of damage to the skin’s elastin and collagen, two supportive proteins vital to skin elasticity. Stretch marks are permanent but will gradually fade over time. To further diminish the appearance of stretch marks, there are several steps you can take, including proper moisturizing of the skin.

A Word From Verywell

Stretch marks are a common skin condition estimated to affect up to 90% of people. Stretch marks occur for several reasons. Despite how common they are, some people may feel embarrassed about their stretch marks for cosmetic reasons. If you are experiencing insecurity due to stretch marks, adhering to treatments such as medication creams and gels can help diminish the appearance. You can also discuss your concerns with your healthcare provider or dermatologist.