Top 10 Stretch Mark Questions

1. What color are stretch marks? Does the color change?

Answer: Stretch marks begin as reddish-purple stripes. With time, the color subsides and they turn white. After a long while, they become silvery-white. The whiter your stretch marks, the older they are. The more intense the color, the deeper the scar is.

2. Where do stretch marks occur?

Answer: Stretch marks frequently occur where the body stores fat. Most commonly, they’re found around the hips, breasts, and tummy for women and on the stomach and back for men. Both men and women may experience stretch marks around the upper arms and on the front and back of the thighs. Bodybuilders or athletes may also develop stretch marks on their biceps, legs, and chest, especially after short bursts of very rigorous training. Quick development requires rapid skin growth. If you grow muscles before you have enough skin to house them, your skin will split and form stretch marks.

3. Why does the skin change color?

Answer: As the skin tears from the stretching, collagen production stops, resulting in a loss of pigment production as well. Pigment colors the skin. In those places where it is not being produced, the skin has a lighter appearance. This can be even more pronounced for individuals with darker skin.

4. Can you feel stretch marks?

Answer: They don’t hurt when forming nor after formation, but they can be felt if you rub your fingertips over them. The ripples you feel are areas where the collagen has not been replenished, creating ridges. The ridges are caused by thin, damaged layers of skin next to normal layers.

4. Can over-the-counter creams or prescriptions creams remove stretch marks?

A. Cream products will not remove them. Most stretch mark creams are really moisturizing lotions. They may improve the skin’s resiliency, but they won’t remove the scars. This applies to prescription creams too.

5. What about cortisone creams?

Answer: In fact, creams with cortico-steroid ingredients have been known to worsen the stretch marks. The skin absorbs the hormone and swells further, increasing the damage. There are even studies that suggest cortisone creams may cause stretch marks by adding extra cortisone to the skin.

6. Can using creams during pregnancy help prevent stretch marks?

Answer: Yes, if you use creams during the first two trimesters, the skin will be moisturized and more resilient. That will help keep the damage to a minimum. Keep in mind that over three-fourths of all women develop stretch marks during pregnancy, so it’s a pretty good bet that you will too. The key is to try to keep them from being too bad.

7. Is there any other way to minimize stretch marks while pregnant?

Answer: Drink lots of water to stay hydrated. This keeps skin healthy. Vitamins are necessary for overall health. Overall health includes skin. Another effective way to reduce stretch marks is to keep your weight gain while pregnant to around 30 pounds.

8. I’ve heard that rubbing the skin with a washcloth will help minimize the scars. Is this true?

Answer: Yes, rubbing the area with a washcloth or warm compress may help because it increases circulation in that area, improving the skin’s health.

9. What is dermabrasion? Does it work?

Answer: Dermabrasion, or microdermabrasion, is a deep exfoliation of the affected area by the sanding of the skin to remove the scar tissue. It works best on newer stretch marks with pronounced ridges, as opposed to the older whiter scars. It is a painful out-patient process that requires local anesthesia. It takes a long time to heal from dermabrasion.

10. What effective options are available?

Answer: Laser treatment by a qualified physician is one very effective treatment.