What are stretch marks?
Stretch marks are small, depressed streaks in the skin caused by tiny tears in the elastic supportive tissue that lies just underneath the skin to help it stretch. Stretch marks usually appear on the abdomen in the later stages of pregnancy when the belly is rapidly expanding to accommodate a growing baby. Women can also get them on their buttocks, thighs, hips, or breasts. Stretch marks can often appear after dramatic weight loss or growth spurts and are treated the same way.
Stretch marks or striae, as they are called in dermatology, are a form of scarring on the skin with a silvery white hue. They are caused by tearing of the dermis, and over time can diminish but not disappear completely. Stretch marks are generally associated with pregnancy and obesity. Stretch marks are the result of the rapid stretching of the skin associated with rapid growth (e.g. puberty) or weight gain (e.g. pregnancy), and anabolic steroid use.
