Most people are familiar with stretch marks: light bands of soft scar tissue which form when the skin stretches too rapidly and becomes damaged. This scar tissue often appears as lighter or reddish bands of skin mixed into your skin’s natural tone. 

Why do stretch marks form in the first place? Let’s take a look at some of the most common stretch mark causes.

What Causes Stretch Marks?

Rapid Weight Gain

Just like with rapidly expanding muscles, putting on weight too fast can also cause your skin to stretch and scar. Much like inflating a balloon, the skin stretches to accommodate the increase in volume— just not as well as rubber. As the skin stretches, scar tissue is used— due to its ability to be produced rapidly— to bridge the gaps that the stretching has caused.

Working Out

You would think that there should be no ill effects of working out and treating your body the way it should be treated. However, it’s not uncommon for people who lift weights and body build to develop stretch marks as their muscles expand in size.

Rapid Growth Spurts

While children commonly experience growth spurts without developing stretch marks, some children still can. When a child’s limbs lengthen too quickly, it can cause the skin to stretch and scar. Some kids seem to develop stretch marks more easily than others - the reason is not well understood.

The Most Common Cause: Pregnancy

Just like with rapid weight gain, pregnancy causes your abdomen (and some other areas) to grow larger or swell with excess fluid. Any place on your body that has increased in size rapidly has the potential to develop stretch marks. It’s rare to find a mother who did not accumulate stretch marks, at least on her belly during pregnancy.

Hormonal Changes (Not Associated With Pregnancy)

Some medications and conditions may affect your hormonal balance and make you more prone to developing stretch marks. For example, repeated use of anti-itch creams with steroids can weaken the skin’s natural collagen; when the skin is stretched or pulled, it can scar more easily than before. In addition, adrenal disorders— like Cushing’s syndrome— can reduce your skin’s elasticity and structure, causing the skin to break and scar more easily.

How to Get Rid of Stretch Marks

Like other scars, stretch marks can be challenging to eliminate, but they almost always lighten and fade with consistent treatment. Some treatments like microdermabrasion and laser therapies can help you reduce the appearance of your stretch marks, but it’s best to get ahead of your stretch marks.

Here at Scintera, we recommend that you consistently use a stretch mark cream if you think you might be prone to stretch marks. To get the best results from your stretch mark cream, we recommend that you apply it often and find a cream that works well for you.

Which Is the Best Stretch Mark Cream?

The best stretch mark cream is the one you will use and doesn’t make your skin sticky. If you’re looking for a product made with natural ingredients, our doctor-approved, pregnancy-safe Stretch Mark Cream might be the perfect product for you. Give it a try; you’ll see that our natural bias towards this product is completely warranted!