What Causes Stretch Marks in Teenagers?

Stretch marks usually develop because of rapid growth spurts, such as occur during adolescence. It is this extensive stretching of the skin over a short period which is considered the most common cause of stretch marks in teenagers.

Stretch marks can appear anywhere on the body but usually on the areas of the body where a greater amount of fat is stored, such as the abdomen, hips, breasts, upper arms, buttocks and thighs. In teenagers, stretch marks sometimes appear on the shoulders and back. Teenage boys tend to get stretch marks on the shoulders, buttocks and thighs, and teenage girls tend to get them on the breasts, hips and thighs.

When the skin is stretched over a short period of time, as can happen during rapid growth spurts, the stretchy fibres in the dermis can tear resulting in the appearance of those reddish or purplish coloured lines we call stretch marks.

The skin is made up of three layers: the epidermis, the dermis (the middle layer) and the subcutaneous layer. It is in the middle layer of the skin (the dermis) that stretch marks occur.

The dermis is mostly composed of collagen. Collagen together with elastin provides the skin with strength and elasticity. A low level of collagen makes skin thinner, more fragile and possibly more prone to developing stretch marks.

Stretch marks occurring in teenagers are also associated with increased activity in the production of hormones during puberty.

Body building activities that result in rapid weight gain and muscle growth can cause stretch marks to form in teenagers.

As stretch marks form when the skin is stretched over a short period of time, it is important to avoid diets that cause rapid weight gain. The same goes for diets that cause you to lose weight quickly. Any diet that results in rapid weight change can cause stretch marks.

Whilst stretch marks can be very unsightly in the early stages they fade over time to silvery white lines, becoming almost translucent and much less noticeable. However, if you are not prepared to wait for them to fade naturally you could consider the following.

To help prevent the occurrence of stretch marks it is important for teenagers to follow a balanced diet rich in vitamins and the minerals needed to keep the skin healthy.

A nutritional deficiency in the vitamins ( vitamin A and vitamin C ) needed to support collagen syntheses, may also be an underlying reason why stretch marks develop in some teenagers. Vitamin A is essential for the growth and repair of tissue and along with the mineral Zinc produce collagen and elastin. Vitamin C helps form and maintain collagen, the main connective tissue in the skin.

Massaging the skin with vitamin E oil is high on the list of naturally remedies to help prevent and remove existing stretch marks. Vitamin E is a powerful anti-oxidant and helps prevent free radical damage to the supportive fibres of the skin.

Whilst there are no medical studies to prove that massaging the skin with vitamin E oil will remove teenage stretch marks, doing so may go a long way in helping to prevent them. Other massage oils, also rich in vitamin E, are wheat germ, avocado, and jojoba.

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TriLastin SR
Stretch Mark Cream

What Causes Stretch Marks in Teenagers?

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