Red Stretch Marks: Causes And Treatment Options

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Medical News TodaySubscribeWhat to know about red stretch marks

Medically reviewed by Bukky Aremu, APRN — Written by Jenna Fletcher on December 22, 2020

What are they?
Causes
Locations
Treatments
Home remedies
Contacting a doctor
Summary

Red stretch marks are common and benign. They typically occur when the skin stretches due to the rapid increase in size of underlying structures.

Red stretch marks are not harmful. However, some people may wish to treat them or reduce their appearance with topical creams and other therapies.

This article discusses the causes of red stretch marks and lists some treatment options.

What are they?

close up of a pregnant belly with red stretch marks — Sutthiwat Srikhrueadam/Getty Images

Red stretch marks, or striae rubrae, are breaks or lesions that happen when a person’s skin stretches rapidly to keep up with underlying growth.

According to a 2016 review of studies, red stretch marks occur during the acute phase of this stretching, while white stretch marks are characteristic of the chronic phase. White stretch marks are also known as striae albae.

The American Academy of Dermatology Association say that red stretch marks may be itchy and appear slightly raised. As they fade to white, they may feel slightly depressed or like grooves in the skin.

Red or white stretch marks are not physically harmful, but some people may wish to treat them to reduce their appearance.

Causes

Stretch marks are very common during pregnancy, affecting 50–90% of pregnant people.

Some other potential causes include:

muscle hypertrophy, in which a person gains muscle so quickly that their skin growth cannot keep up
breast augmentation surgery
rapid weight gain or obesity
endocrinopathies, such as Cushing’s syndrome
topical corticosteroid use
rapid growth during puberty

Locations

Some common areas on which a person may experience stretch marks include the:

breasts
upper arms
thighs
abdomen

Treatments

Stretch marks are like scars. There is no way to permanently get rid of them, but treatment can help reduce their appearance.

According to one review of studies, topical ointments and creams have a limited effect on stretch marks, or none at all. Moisturizers also do little to prevent them during events such as pregnancy.

Instead, the researchers recommend that people use laser therapy early in the development of stretch marks for the best results.

In the same review of studies, the researchers found a lack of quality information and peer reviewed research on the effectiveness of creams, ointments, or other topical treatments for stretch marks.

Another review of studies backs up these findings. The researchers looked at 74 studies and found that most were small and low quality and used a variety of protocols and procedures.

The authors conclude that not enough research exists to make any definitive statements about the success of lotions or creams in reducing the appearance of stretch marks.

However, the American Academy of Dermatology Association do provide some research-backed suggestions on how to use creams and lotions to reduce the appearance of stretch marks.

Here are some suggestions they recommend:

Massage the lotion, cream, or ointment into the skin for the best results.
Use the product every day for several weeks because it can take a long time for results to appear.
Treatment tends to work best on red stretch marks before they mature, so a person may wish to treat the stretch marks early for the best results.
Talk with a doctor about prescription creams, such as hyaluronic acid or tretinoin.

If over-the-counter (OTC) creams do not work, a person can consider talking with their doctor about other therapies, such as laser treatment.

According to a 2019 review of studies, some therapies that a healthcare professional can perform to potentially help include:

galvanopuncture
microdermabrasion
carboxytherapy
platelet-rich plasma
chemical peels
needling

In addition to these, the American Academy of Dermatology Association identify ultrasound as a potential therapeutic intervention.

A healthcare professional may try more than one procedure to help reduce the appearance of stretch marks.

Home remedies

As with OTC creams, limited evidence supports the use of home remedies for reducing the appearance of stretch marks.

According to one review of studies, some potential home treatments include products such as:

almond oil
palm oil
cocoa butter
olive oil
coconut oil

A person can massage these oils into the red stretch marks.

Some people may prefer these oils since they are natural alternatives to OTC lotions and creams.

When to contact a doctor

Whether or not a person contacts a doctor for red stretch marks is a personal decision. Stretch marks are not physically harmful and not likely to be a symptom of any undiagnosed medical condition.

However, some people may feel self-conscious about their stretch marks and wish to seek treatment. A doctor may recommend additional therapies that may help reduce their appearance.

Summary

Red stretch marks can occur when the skin stretches. There are several common causes of this, including pregnancy, rapid weight gain, breast augmentation, and extreme muscle gains.

A person can try to treat the stretch marks with lotions and creams. Although anecdotal evidence may suggest that these options work, high quality research evidence indicates that they are not likely to be very effective.

A person may find success with laser treatments and should talk with their doctor if they want to try additional therapies.

Dermatology
Cosmetic Medicine / Plastic Surgery
Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness
Pregnancy / Obstetrics

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesMedical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Hague, A., et al. (2017). Therapeutic targets in the management of striae distensae: A systematic review [Abstract].https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28551068/
Lokhande, A. J., et al. (2019). Striae distensae treatment review and update. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6615396/
Stretch marks: Why they appear and how to get rid of them. (n.d.). https://www.aad.org/public/cosmetic/scars-stretch-marks/stretch-marks-why-appear
Ud-Din, S., et al. (2016). Topical management of striae distensae (stretch marks): Prevention and therapy of striae rubrae and albae. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5057295/
Wollina, U., et al. (2017). Management of stretch marks (with a focus on striae rubrae).https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5782435/

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Medically reviewed by Bukky Aremu, APRN — Written by Jenna Fletcher on December 22, 2020

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