Stretch Marks in Teens
Archived Q&A and Reviews
| Questions | Related Pages |
14-y-o son has stretchmarks after huge growth spurt
Aug 2009My very fair skinned 14 year old son just went through a huge growth spurt and it seems as if overnight he has gotten many, many stretch marks in his breast area. He is quite upset about it and I must say they look pretty bad. His pediatrician referred us to a dermatologist but we cannot get in for 6 weeks. I heard that there was a treatment (laser?) that helps them fade but it works only if you treat within a short time period after getting the stretch marks. Has anyone heard of this or does anyone out there know of anything that we can do, asap? anon
Stretch marks occur when we grow faster than our skin can manage. Small tears occur in the deep layer of the skin, leaving permanent scars. There is nothing to repair them, unfortunately. However, if they are red and angry looking, that redness can be removed with treatment with a V-beam laser. This may require more than one treatment to get the maximum benefit, but the stretch marks will go from red to silvery white and will then be alot less noticable. Also, careful sun protection with a zinc oxide containing product will help to keep the stretch marks from turning darker red. Hope this helps. Elizabeth
To the mom whose son is dealing with embarassing stretch marks: My daughter was developing stretch marks during a growth spurt and we used StriVectin-SD (5 % Striadril Complex three times a day. The brand we used was KB (Klein-Becker) and she achieved an amazing result - completely disappeared after a few months. I wish I'd known about it sooner. I still have my ''stripes''. Ren
Hi there. I also got stretch marks as a teenager due to a growth spurt but at that time didn't know what to do about it so now I'm stuck with them (on my upper thighs and hips). But what I'm going to recommend to you is what pregnant ladies use to treat their stretch marks. Try rubbing Vitamin E oil on them and also cocoa butter (pure). You can get the Vitamin E oil at any supermarket or drug store and I got my cocoa butter roll-on at The Body Shop. It worked great! I didn't get any stretch marks from either of my two pregnancies and I've heard the Vit. E oil can actually work long after the stretch marks have surfaced. Good luck! Jennifer
My dark-skinned teenage daughter has a lot of stretch marks
March 2009My dark-skinned teenage daughter has a lot of stretch marks, including on her shoulders and legs. She is embarrassed to wear not only bathing suits, but even spaghetti strap tops and shorts. Now that summer is coming, this has become a major source of anxiety for her. Does anyone have experience with lotions (prescription or non-prescription) that might help? Has anyone had laser surgery? Any other suggestions? Thanks, Mom is trying to help
As a young black woman, I struggled with stretch marks around my calves, midsection, breasts, and underarms when I was in high school. I wanted to cover them up and was pretty embarrassed by them as well.
I tried Mederma (with little success, but I think it made me feel better for a while), cocoa/shea butter, retin-a, etc...but nothing really worked well, at least for dark skin. I know when fair skinned people get stretch marks, they are less noticeable. Also, most lasers are not compatible with dark skin either.
So, I am not really offering any solutions to get rid of the marks, but I can tell you what made me feel better about them: My Dad called them my ferocious tiger stripes! I know, It's corny, but I started to see them as ''scars'' from the rapid body change I endured, and the ''stripes'' I earned for dealing with the change like a warrior.
Maybe this exact scenario won't work for this teen, but overall I believe looking at them positively, or accepting them as a part of a growing changing body may help move away from wanting to get rid of them and learning to deal/accept/love them as a part of who he/she is? Tiger-Stretch-Mark Mama
Hi -- I am a dark-skinned woman with stretch marks who was once a dark-skinned teenager with stretch marks. i was really embarrased and hated them. but as i got older, i just got over it, and now i think they're beautiful!! Tell your daughter that these marks are like a map of all the wisdom she is gaining, like rings on a tree. Tell her these marks are like embroidery, or quilting, they only make her more beautiful. She won't believe you, she'll think it's dumb, she'll beg for you to pay for lasers or expensive cream. and when she's in her 20's she'll get it. beautiful and confident with stretch marks
Take cooler showers (i.e., not hot hot) and moisturizing really helps the skin. I would recommend that she use some type of moiturizure as soon as she gets out of the shower, and maybe even moisturize twice a day. There some natural streach mark creams I used when I was pregnant something like mama bee. They sell it at whole foods. That helped, and I think it helps to minimize them too. annon
Stretch marks on teen's breasts
Oct 2006My teenage daughter has really noticeable very red stretch marks on her breasts. She is really bothered by them. Does anyone know any remedy, either prescription or herbal, that might help? Or any doctor to suggest? Thanks for your help worried mom
Stretch marks are deep scars caused by overstretching of the deep layer of skin called the dermis. This can happen during periods of rapid growth like pregnancy or breast develpment. Because the body grows faster in these situations than the skin can, the dermis tears. The outer layer of skin remains intact, so there is no wound, but the tear in the dermis makes a stretch mark. Initially these marks are red and angry looking like any new scar. Over time, they generally fade and turn white which makes them less noticeable. Once there though, they never go away. Because they are deep in the skin, there is no effective topical treatment for them. Elizabeth