Why Stretch Marks Appear
A stretch mark is the visible end of a change that started earlier, so the useful question is what the timeline looks like from there.
This page covers what a stretch mark is, where treatment enters the picture, and what to plan for afterward.
What a stretch mark is
The American Academy of Dermatology states that a stretch mark is a type of scar that develops when our skin stretches or shrinks quickly. That makes the mark a scar left by fast change in the skin. For the fuller explanation, stretch marks, why they appear and how to get rid of them is the longer read.
Where treatment enters
Once a stretch mark exists, the question shifts from why it appeared to what can be done about it. Treatment is a decision for after the mark has formed, so the order matters when you plan.
Planning past the first treatment
Ask what the follow-up looks like and how you will judge any change. Keep a dated photo from before treatment so you can compare later.
Closing note
Take the cause and the treatment as two separate questions. For one option, laser therapy for stretch marks is the place to read next.
Set two options side by side
Fill one tile from this guide and the other from the option you are also weighing, then take both to a dermatologist.
The option in this guide
- Which stage it is meant for
- What usually follows it
- What to ask before you book
The option beside it
- Which stage it is meant for
- What usually follows it
- What to ask before you book