What causes stretch marks?...

Stretch marks...

are caused when the skin is called upon to stretch more quickly than usual. Pregnancy, puberty and weight gain or loss all fit the bill and can all cause stretch marks.

This stretching of the skin, leading to stretch marks, can be when you grow fast in puberty. It can also be when you put a lot of weight. Suprisingly it can also be when you lose a lot of weight. This is highly likely if the weight gain or lose is rapid. Most commonly, especially for women, stretch marks occur when you are pregnant, this is particularly true at the end stages of pregnancy. Many women try to avoid pregnancy stretch marks and there is considerable anecdotal evidence that regular massage with moisturising creams or lotions help keep pregnancy related stretch marks at bay.



These lower layers of skin are made up of proteins called collagen and elastin. When the skin stretches too much or too quickly, vertically, horizontally or both, these layers stretch and break in places. Bodybuilders often get stretch marks too for this very reason, so it is not just putting on fatty pounds that can trigger them.