Teen stretch marks - what causes them to appear?

What cause stretch marks in teens and how do I get rid of them?

Puberty can be a rocky road at the best of times, but the onset of those strange looking lines that start to appear on the body can make it even worse. Teen stretch marks are just a normal part of puberty, for males and females. It’s estimated that at least 35% of girls and 15% of boys will develop stretch marks at some point during puberty. So if you’re noticing stretch marks appear on your body you’re not alone.

Teen stretch marks are more common in girls but boys don’t miss out, as they can get them too. In females stretch marks usually form on the butt, hips, thighs and breasts and it is very common for women to get them during pregnancy.

Males who are really into bodybuilding can also be quite prone to them, due to rapid body changes. It has also been suggested that some medications, such as oral steroids cause stretch marks as well as certain low potency topical steroid creams and ointments, if they are used in excess.

During puberty your body has higher levels of a hormones circulating through the bloodstream and this is thought to help cause stretch marks. Some specific hormones such as glucocorticoids affects the dermis (the middle layer of the skin) by preventing fibroblasts from forming collagen and other fibers necessary to keep growing skin taut and supple. If the skin is then stretched there is a lack of supportive material and it leads to dermal tearing. These small tears then create the scarring that we refer to as stretch marks.

The scientific name for stretch marks is ‘striae gravidarum’, but many medical professionals just refer to them as striae (pronounced, ‘stree-eye’). To begin with, stretch marks may appear as red or purple lines, they may also look like they’re intended and have a different texture from the surrounding skin. Thankfully, over time they will fade and become a white or flesh colored shade, but they never really fully disappear.

© The Pink Fridge Online Magazine 2008 - Teen Stretch Marks

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