What exactly are stretch marks?

Stretch marks or to give them their medical name ‘striae’ are reddish purple streaks or lines that appear on the body. They occur when the skin is stretched rapidly over a short period of time like in puberty when the body goes through some pretty big growth spurts or when fluctuating hormone levels are present…again in puberty.

They are also common in pregnant women and people who have issues with their weight. And it’s not just girls that get them; boys often find they have them too on their thighs and bottom.

For teenage girls, they can be noticed to the breasts, abdomen, thighs and bottom and whilst they can be alarming, they are not harmful. Although they will never disappear completely, they will fade over time and become barely visible.

How Can I Prevent Stretch Marks?

Some people believe these marks are genetic, so if your mum, gran or sister has them, there may be a chance you will too. But, there are steps you can put in place to reduce the chances of these marks appearing.

For instance; watching your weight as well as moisturising your skin on a daily basis with body moisturiser or body oil.

What Can I Do To Get Rid Of Stretch Marks?

Once you have these little scars there is very little you can do to make them go away altogether, so please don’t be fooled into buying lotions and potions that claim to do just that!

They will fade over a period of years and you can help this process by keeping your weight at a healthy level and moisturising the area.

Is There Any Way I Can Hide These Marks?

With the summer months ahead, you may be wondering how you can wear your favourite bikini or swim suit. The good news is that lots of people find self-tan lotions help fade these marks. However, if you plan to sunbathe, you should use a sun screen as these scars will tan just like the rest of your body and may become more noticeable.

Finally, as the trend for this year appears to be one piece costumes, shorts and shorter tops you can easily hide these marks until they fade away naturally.