Skip to main content
  • Patient Portal
  • Pay Bill
  • Request Appointment
MCHS_Logo_2024_BLACK
    • Services

      Featured Services

      • Cardiology (Heart)
      • Gastroenterology & Hepatology (Digestive Care)
      • Neurosurgery
      • Obstetrics & Gynecology (OB-GYN)
      • Oncology (Cancer)
      • Orthopedics & Orthopedic Surgery (Bones)
      • Primary Care
      • Spine Care
      • Sports Medicine
      • Surgery
      • Urology

      View all services
    • Providers
    • Locations

      Minnesota

      • Albert Lea
      • Austin
      • Belle Plaine
      • Blooming Prairie
      • Butterfield
      • Caledonia
      • Cannon Falls
      • Fairmont
      • Faribault
      • Lake City
      • Lake Crystal
      • Mankato
      • Montgomery
      • New Prague
      • Northfield
      • Owatonna
      • Plainview
      • Red Wing
      • Sherburn
      • St. James
      • St. Peter
      • Waseca
      • Waterville
      • Wells
      • Zumbrota

      Wisconsin

      • Arcadia
      • Barron
      • Bloomer
      • Chetek
      • Chippewa Falls
      • Eau Claire
      • Ellsworth
      • Glenwood City
      • Holmen
      • La Crosse
      • Menomonie
      • Mondovi
      • Onalaska
      • Osseo
      • Prairie du Chien
      • Rice Lake
      • Sparta
      • Tomah

      View map
    • Classes/Events
    • Blog
    • Wellness
    • Referrals
    Posted By
    Kevin Boyd, M.D.

    Kevin P. Boyd, M.D.

    Dermatology

    Recent Posts

    • Parent examining child's back
      Speaking of Health
      Uncomfortable skin conditions in kids: Eczema, psoriasis
      February 03, 2023
    Featured Topics
    • Behavioral Health
    • Cancer
    • Children's Health (Pediatrics)
    • Exercise and Fitness
    • Heart Health
    • Men's Health
    • Neurosurgery
    • Obstetrics and Gynecology
    • Orthopedic Health
    • Weight-loss (Bariatric) Surgery
    • Women's Health
    Join our email newsletter
    Speaking of Health
    Wednesday, October 5, 2022

    Are stretch marks normal for teens?

    Topics in this Post
    • Cosmetic Services
    • Children's Health (Pediatrics)
    Kneeling on paddleboard

    Teens face many struggles navigating through growing up: changing body, new responsibilities and freedoms, as well as social life adjustments. Change can be difficult to accept for teenagers, especially when it comes to their bodies and the way they view themselves. One unwelcomed change can be stretch marks or "striae distensae."

    How stretch marks develop

    It's common for stretch marks to appear during teen years when rapid growth of weight gain occurs. Other factors that make teens predisposed to stretch marks appearing include a genetic risk or family history of stretch marks, pregnancy, being overweight or obese, or topical or oral steroids, like prednisone.

    Stretch marks occur when skin gets overstretched. They can occur in the abdomen, chest, hips, lower back and thighs. Because of the connective tissue and collagen in these areas, stretching too much causes the purple-reddish scars to appear. Over time, they usually become white and thinner.

    Remedies for stretch marks

    Many parents and teens turn to the internet to figure out what they can do about stretch marks. What they'll find is advice to try a variety of so-called "miracle cures" spanning from coffee grounds to lemon juice to vitamin E to a host of creams. Some sources even say to cover the marks in plastic wrap. It can be difficult to know what is true and what is just an old wives' tale.

    Home remedies, such as cocoa butter, vitamin E oils and glycol, will claim to make stretch marks fade or disappear. Most likely, these will not help with the disappearance of stretch marks. However, they will not cause harm if you try them.

    Medically, there are several ways to treat stretch marks, including:

    • Retinoid cream
      This prescription helps rebuild collagen in the skin, which can help make the scar tissue appear more like the undamaged skin and improve the appearance of stretch marks.
    • Light and laser therapies
      These help stimulate the growth of collagen or elastin in the skin and can reduce the red appearance.
    • Microdermabrasion
      This is a hand-held device that blows crystals into the skin, refining the layer of skin, which can make it appear like normal again.

    If you notice stretch marks appearing on your body, talk to your health care provider about what options may be best for you.

    Kevin Boyd, M.D., is a pediatric dermatologist and dermatopathologist in Onalaska, Wisconsin.

    Topics in this Post
    • Cosmetic Services
    • Children's Health (Pediatrics)

    Related Posts

    Dad and son arm in arm 5 tips to help your teen manage acne
    Young girl with itchy skin Treating your child’s eczema can help the whole family
    Teenage girl doing face care 13 tips for managing teen acne
    Mayo Clinic Health System
    About Us
    Careers
    Volunteer
    Donate
    Contact Us
    Patient Care
    Patients & Visitors
    Classes & Events
    Mayo Clinic Connect
    Mayo Clinic
    Resources
    For Medical Professionals
    Community Resources
    Financial Assistance
    Price Transparency
    Press Room
    Compliance
    Notice of Nondiscrimination
    Notice of Privacy Practices
    No Surprises Act
    Terms of Use
    Manage Cookie
    Privacy Policy
    © 2018 - 2025 Mayo Clinic Health System