Stretch marks are lines on the skin that start off as raised red lines. They then turn purple, before slowly fading into flat silvery streaks. The medical name for this type of mark is stria. Stretch marks happen when the skin is stretched a lot over a short period of time, such as during pregnancy.



Stretch marks can also occur from prolonged use of oral or topical corticosteroids. They are also a feature of the disease Cushing's syndrome, where increased adrenal cortical activity i.e. excessive circulating cortisol is implicated in their development. However, different people are affected by stretch marks differently and the severity and development of lesions appear to depend greatly on individual factors. Once again, this suggests a genetic component.

Stretch marks occur in the dermis, the elastic middle layer of skin that allows it to retain its shape. However, when constantly stretched, the dermis can break down leaving behind stretch marks. Stretch marks often appear on the breast and abdomen during pregnancy. The reason is partly hormonal. During pregnancy, hormones have the job of softening the collagen ligaments of the pelvis, so that the tissues can stretch easily during childbirth. Unfortunately, the skin collagen softens as well, allowing stretch marks to form easily.

The true cause of stretch marks is hormones. That's right, hormonal influences are the cause. How can I support this fact? Well, when people gain weight, our hormones are produced and metabolized by fat cells. Hormones resemble fat and cholesterol, so when we gain and lose weight it affects the hormones in our body, and also the hormones in our skin.

At first, stretch marks may show up as reddish or purplish lines that may appear indented and have a different texture from the surrounding skin. Fortunately, stretch marks often turn lighter and almost disappear over time. But the fact that stretch marks usually fade and become less noticeable over time can be little consolation if you plan to spend most of your summer in a bathing suit.

So pregnant women are the most obvious candidates for stretch marks, but the next groups at risk are teenagers undergoing growth spurts during adolescence and women who have put on a lot of weight rapidly. Pregnant women start to develop marks on the abdomen during the second half of pregnancy as the skin stretches to accomodate the growing baby. However, besides the abdomen, stretch marks commonly occur on the hips, breasts and buttocks due to either gaining or losing weight in these areas.

Regardless of their causes, all stretch marks follow a natural course of progression. Active lesions are the early lesions that consist mainly of fine elastic fibers. As the stretch marks age, the fibers become thicker and there is a decrease in the thickness of the dermal layer of the skin.

Some recent research has tried to link stretch mark formation to a group of steroids called glucocorticoids. The most common glucocorticoid is cortisol. Research has proven that with elevated levels of cortisol in your body, your body tends to gain weight. This is because when your body senses that it is under stress, it releases more cortisol. Things that can cause your body to stress include not only your normal every day work and life stresses, but also pregnancy, adolescent growth spurts, and weightlifting. Improper nutrition, excessive caffeine intake and smoking are additional causes of body stress.

Creams containing vitamin E are often recommended, and in the Caribbean cocoa butter is used to remove scars with varying levels of success. Creams are available from the pharmacist or health and beauty shops.

Cosmetic surgery to remove stretch marks is available. However, this can be uncomfortable and is usually expensive. There's no guarantee that it will solve the problem either.