Stretch marks can occur in both men and women, and as we covered in our previous blog it is a common misconception that they only occur in women; but men are susceptible too. Stretch marks are mostly found on the thighs, stomach, upper arms and buttocks. Here, we look at 7 unexpected reasons for stretch marks – how many of these did you know about? 7 Unexpected Things That Can Cause Stretch Marks
1. Pregnancy
Whilst this may be an obvious one, it’s an important one to feature. Stretch marks affect around 8 out of 10 pregnant women, often occurring on the stomach. But did you know they can appear in other places during pregnancy too, as women are likely to gain weight throughout the pregnancy leading to stretch marks appearing on more areas, including the breasts. They are prevalent in the later stages of pregnancy as the baby grows – depending on how elasticated the skin is will determine how bad the stretch marks will be.
2. Gaining Weight
If you suddenly gain weight, stretch marks appear where the skin has been stretched around the area of the weight gain. And whilst it is often common for people to assume this is due to someone being classed as “over-weight”, they can occur in perfectly healthy body types.
3. Exercise
Eating well? Exercising regularly? Even if you’re doing everything they tell you to, you can still be susceptible to stretch marks appearing. Exercising regularly, (and depending what the end goal of your exercise is) can lead to your muscles expanding and the skin around them being stretched.
4. Puberty
Puberty causes certain areas of the body to grow, leading to stretch marks appearing. This is one of the causes of stretch marks that not many people are aware of. And although stretch marks aren’t dangerous, they can have a negative impact on the way young people think about their bodies. Noticing stretch marks can lead to depression and
5. Family History
Chances are, if your Mum/Dad and other members of the family have stretch marks, you will too. Them being hereditary is most commonly experienced in pregnant women, but men should be aware of the history of stretch marks in the males in his family to be aware of undertaking skincare routines that can help prevent stretch marks.
6. Underlying Health Conditions (Marfan Syndrome)
Marfan Syndrome is a genetic disorder that affects the body’s connective tissue; causing the tissue in the body to not grow and develop properly, this can cause stretch marks to appear without any visible reason (i.e. weight gain/pregnancy).
7. Pro-longed or inappropriate use of corticosteroid medication
These are a steroid drug used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, pro-longed, or inappropriate use of corticosteroid medication can cause stretch marks as they decrease the skins ability to stretch. Therefore, as your skin becomes less elasticated any sudden change in weight will result in stretch marks.
If you are looking to get rid of your stretch marks for good, get in contact with one of our skin care specialists who will be able to advise you on a course of treatment specifically suited to your skin type.
