During lockdown, thousands of people turned their attention to improve their fitness. If like many other men, you focused on increasing muscle mass, you might have noticed some strange marks on your body. In which case, you’ll be surprised to hear that what you have are stretch marks.
We have all heard of stretch marks but both men and women usually assume that it is a skin concern that only affects the fairer sex because how commonly they are associated with pregnancy. However, the bad news for men is that this isn’t entirely the truth and everyone can get them due to a variety of reasons – including men.
What are Stretch Marks?
Like most men, at this point, you’re likely wondering exactly what stretch marks are. In medical terms, they are known as “striae distrensae” which essentially means stretched skin – exactly what causes these marks to begin with. To put it in layman’s terms, it is a scar that occurs when your skin is stretched too quickly and too far, for example, during rapid weight or muscle gain.
What Causes Stretch Marks in Men?
It’s no secret that pregnancy is the main cause of stretch marks in women, but what exactly causes them to manifest in men? The truth is that there is no single answer to this. They can appear in a range of shapes on different areas of the body and can have several different causes.
One of the most common causes of stretch marks – in both men and women – are hormones. Significant hormonal changes, in particular, are to blame for triggering the formation of these marks, which is why they are often seen on teenage boys (and girls). The hormonal trigger for these marks means that they can also manifest themselves due to certain medications or as the result of thyroid issues.
Hormonal changes during puberty will lead to rapid growth spurts in most men, stretching the skin beyond its limits, which is what creates those tell-tale scars. However, the same hormonal changes can also lead to weight gain which can also cause the skin to tear.
Of course, gaining weight doesn’t necessarily mean fat. As we have already briefly touched upon, amassing muscle too quickly will also overstretch the skin and create stretch marks. When this happens, the marks will appear directly in the areas where you have gained the muscle including the chest, legs, arms, and back.
Surprisingly, weight loss can also result in stretch marks but not because it causes them but rather because weight loss reveals the marks that were already there while the skin was overstretched.
Treating Stretch Marks in Men
When it comes to stretch marks, home remedies will do very little to improve their look. More and more men are discovering the benefits of going to a trained skin expert instead and relying on in-clinic treatments to fade their stretch marks.
Our own range of professional stretch mark treatments for men has been developed to target the scarring on several different layers to ensure the best results. Following a consultation, our skin experts will create a tailor-made treatment plan for every patient, these include our exclusive Collagen Induction Therapy Treatment, Marine Peel Treatment and Intense Pulsed Light which gently but effectively does away with the outer layer of dull skin to reveal a smoother complexion and diminish redness, stimulates collagen and elastin to rejuvenate and rebuild the skin. Our skin experts will usually recommend this in conjunction with our other treatments and products in your bespoke treatment plan.
