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February 3, 2012
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The Cleveland Clinic


Skin Conditions: Stretch Marks

Skin does not bounce back if it's been stretched by rapid growth due to pregnancy, weight gain, or extreme weight loss. Instead, it becomes decorated by a form of scarring called stretch marks, or striae. Stretch marks often start off as reddish or purplish in color and then become glossy skin that appears streaked in silver or white.

Stretch marks occur in the dermis, the elastic middle layer of skin that allows it to retain its shape. However, when constantly stretched, the dermis can break down leaving behind stretch marks.

Men and women can get stretch marks on several areas of their bodies, including the abdominal area, thighs, hips, breasts, upper arms or lower back.

Stretch Mark Prevention

After working out for two months, I've noticed that I have small stretch marks on my arms from lifting. How can I prevent them?

Author: Richard Weil, M.Ed., CDE
Medical Editor: Jay W. Marks, MD

Stretch marks occur when the elastic middle layer of skin called the dermis is stretched. Stretching leads to a breakdown of connective tissue, inflammation, and then scar formation as the injury heals. It's the scarring that causes stretch marks to appear. Stretch marks are common during puberty and rapid growth spurts in adolescence (they typically heal by the late teens or early 20s), pregnancy, excessive weight gain and obesity, when muscle mass increases rapidly and stretches the skin (like during bodybuilding), and sometimes when individuals use topical or high doses of ingested steroids for many weeks or months. Stretch marks are not a health risk but can be cosmetically unappealing.

Learn more about prevention of stretch marks


Top Searched Stretch Marks Terms:

dermabrasion, chemical peel, plastic surgery, microdermabrasion

What Can I Do About Stretch Marks?

There are some treatment options for stretch marks, none of which work very well. The degree of success with any treatment will be impacted by your age, your skin tone and even your diet. Treatment options include:

Prescription Methods

Tretinoin cream or laser therapy can be used to address unwanted stretch marks.

Over-the-Counter Products

Over-the-counter stretch mark treatments are available but not particularly effective. Moisturizers can help with appearance and itchiness. Sunless tanning products can help mask stretch marks.

It's best to be in the care of a cosmetic surgeon or dermatologist. He or she can determine which treatment approach is best for you.

Does Insurance Cover Stretch Mark Treatment?

Insurance may not cover stretch mark treatment because it is a cosmetic procedure (even if the stretch marks are severe). Talk to your particular provider to see what is covered under your plan.

SOURCE:

American Academy of Dermatology.

Edited by Norman Levine, MD, on March 03, 2010

Portions of this page © The Cleveland Clinic 2000-2006.


Last Editorial Review: 3/3/2010



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Stretch Marks

What Conditions Do a Chemical Peel Treat?

Chemical peels are performed on the face, neck or hands. They can be used to:

  • Reduce fine lines under the eyes and around the mouth
  • Treat wrinkles caused by sun damage, aging and hereditary factors
  • Improve the appearance of mild scarring
  • Treat certain types of acne
  • Reduce age spots, freckles and dark patches due to pregnancy or taking birth control pills (melasma)
  • Improve the look and feel of skin that is dull in texture and color

Areas of sun damage, which may contain pre-cancerous keratoses that appear as scaly spots, may improve after chemical peeling. Following treatment, new pre-cancerous lesions are less likely to appear.

However, sags, bulges and more severe wrinkles do not respond well to chemical peels. They may require other kinds of cosmetic surgical procedures, such as carbon dioxide laser resurfacing , a facelift , brow lif...

Read the Chemical Peel article »







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