Stretch Marks (Striae)  Teen information

Striae is the medical term for stretch marks, which are the red- or white-striped skin markings that happen when someone has a change in the size of their body, such as with rapid weight gain or loss or with pregnancy. Less commonly, stretch marks can occur with rapid muscle bulking, such as with steroid use, or with some adrenal gland disorders. The most common place to see stretch marks is in the place where the skin has stretched, so in a pregnant woman this is the belly, in a teenage girl this is often the breasts or hips, and in a teenage boy this is often the arms or shoulders. The marks are permanent once they are formed, and there is no certain way to prevent or treat them.