Stretch marks are not exactly an uncommon occurrence. It is common in both men and women, appearing during times of rapid growth such as muscle gain, puberty, and of course, pregnancy.
They are pretty harmless for the most part, causing no problems and needing no treatment. However, that being said, there are some health conditions that can lead to stretch marks appearing.
While they are not really treatable, or preventable, they usually will fade over time, so you do not need to worry about them being totally permanent. They are generally unavoidable and simply part of life, with nearly everyone developing stretch marks at some point in their life.
But, if you are concerned, stick around and let me tell you about them!
Stretch Marks – What Are They?
Stretch marks are idents in the skin that will show up as streaks that are slightly discolored. They can be shiny, dark, and raised up at first, but eventually, they lighten, become silvery, and don’t look all that different from a faded scar. They also tend to feel different from the rest of your skin.
Do note that stretch marks will likely turn up on any part of your body in either gender. However, they are often seen on hips, thighs, breasts, abdomen, buttocks, and biceps.
Women do get them more than men, especially around the reproductive organs, but men will get them mostly on their lower backs.
Can Weight Loss Cause Stretch Marks
It is possible that you do get stretch marks if you lose a huge amount of weight. However, stretch marks will happen with growth and they are likely to remain after you have lost weight as well. You do not need to treat them, they will fade as time goes on.
You could treat them with laser therapy, but it is not guaranteed to work very effectively. Not unless the stretch marks are new, and it is not necessary unless they are deep or really bother you.
What Causes Stretch Marks
Any stretch mark can be caused by sudden growth, this makes the skin stretch. While our skin is very flexible, it will stretch out and cause these marks if growth is rapid.
The collagen and the connective tissues inside our skin will get disrupted by this and as a result, will cause your skin to gain fine lines across it. These can be dark and sometimes a purplish blue in color.
Over time, the stretch marks will go from this very loud color to a lighter color such as silver.
The most common causes of stretch marks include, but are not limited to the following:
- Sudden weight gain.
- Puberty (growth of breasts, hips, and so on).
- Muscular growth, aka. Hypertrophy.
- Medical conditions including diabetes, or adrenal-specific illnesses.
- Lactation.
- Pregnancy.
- Steroid usage, including corticosteroid creams.
Prevention
There is no real way to prevent stretch marks sadly. We can agree that most of us do not want them, however, they are a normal and typical part of human life.
The best thing you can do, however, is to avoid sudden quick weight changes. This can be through weight gain in a short period of time, or through muscle gain.
Stretch marks are very common and are caused by rapid growth periods, from puberty to pregnancy, to weight gain and muscular growth.
Most of the time, these events in which stretch marks occur are totally unavoidable (I’ve never known someone who manages to completely avoid puberty, have you?) and so there is little that can be done.
It is important to remember that stretch marks are harmless, and while they do not exactly always look very pretty, they are a very natural part of the physical changes that come with life.
They can totally disappear on their own after weight loss for some people, or with childbirth, however, this is not going to happen for everyone. But, what I can tell you is that no matter what the case, they can and most likely will also fade over the course of time.
You just have to be patient, and this stands for weight loss male stretch marks and females also
Treating Stretch Marks
While there is no real way to prevent stretch marks or get rid of them, there are some ways in which you can treat them if they are affecting your confidence.
These treatments will usually have a minimal effect, however, so do not expect miracles.
Topical treatments or laser therapists are only so effective, but they are not magic. It is not really necessary to treat stretch marks as they are normal and not threatening. However, if you do decide you want to treat your stretch marks, do ensure you discuss doing so with a medical professional beforehand.
Some treatments for stretch marks can have serious side effects, and others can be contraindicated during pregnancy as well. Always weigh up how much it is really worth it before you decide to treat stretch marks.
Option 1: Topical.
Topical treatments cannot get rid of stretch marks, however, they can fade them a bit. There are some such as tretinoin, which have shown mixed results for it being used. It will increase your collagen production and cellular turnover.
Some other creams include olive oils and cocoa butter, however, it is not confirmed that these are all that effective.
Note that tretinoin could be dangerous and side effects can include; sensitivity to the sun, discoloration, peeling, and redness. If used during pregnancy, it can also cause deformities and other issues.
Option 2: Laser Therapy
Alternatively, you could seek out laser therapy. It does work best at the first stages of the formation of the stretch marks, however, when they are still fresh.
The most used is PDL, which you can get done at a dermatology clinic. It targets the vasculature, minimizes the progression of the marks, and reduces redness.
You can also get PIL lasers or fractionated lasers for older stretch marks but these do not seem as effective.
You could also get plastic surgery with an abdominoplasty if needed, however, this is high risk and is very invasive, so it is not really worth the trouble.
FAQs:
Do Stretch Marks Go Away After Weight Loss?
It is highly unlikely that stretch marks will disappear, even when you do lose some weight. If you lose weight very quickly this actually increases the chances of stretch marks forming.
Yet, most stretch marks will be from weight gain, and they are unlikely to go away.
Do Stretch Marks Mean Weight Gain Or Loss?
Stretch marks are often caused by sudden growth or weight gain, however, they may seem to sprout up when you lose weight, but this is just because when you lose weight they may become more visible.
Losing Weight Stretch Marks Getting Worse?
Most stretch marks will occur when you gain weight, however, when you lose weight they become more visible. If you have excess skin after weight loss, there may be some stretching and tearing, but this is less likely.
Itchy Stretch Marks After Weight Loss?
Healing skin is usually itchy. You may have dermal tearing, nerves respond by itching, so scratching would tear the skin more.
Summary:
Embrace your stretch marks, It’s a normal part of the human body that occurs to probably every single human on the planet.
Yes, they can make us feel self-conscious, they are part of us, and the way our body works.
However, if you do want to avoid having stretch marks, try to avoid putting on a lot of weight in a short period of time. However, it can be very difficult to avoid that if you are pregnant or have a medical condition.
Love yourself, and your body will love you!
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