Stretch markscan occur in men, just as they do women.
Men commonly notice them with rapid growth during puberty, substantial weight gain, and bodybuilding.
Stretch marks can also be associated with chronic conditions like diabetes and scleroderma.
Verywell / JR Bee
While stretch marks aren’t harmful, they may be unpleasing and cause emotional distress.
Tanning tends to enhance rather than diminish the appearance of stretch marks.
What Causes Stretch Marks in Men?
Related Conditions
Some men may be more predisposed to stretch marks than others.
This is especially true in men with health conditions that cause theoverproduction of hormonesknown ascorticosteroids.
Fibroblasts are especially important, as they produce collagen that the body uses to keep the skin supple.
If there’s an overproduction of corticosteroid, lesscollagenis produced and the skin is less able to flex.
They can lead to a loss of collagen and an increased risk of stretch marks.
Eventopical corticosteroids, if overused, can cause a thinning of the skin.
To date, though, there’s little clinical evidence to support these claims.
Even so, some over-the-counter and natural products that are believed to work better than no treatment at all.
Topical Tretinoin Cream
Tretinoin cream is probably best known by the brand name Retin-A.
It’s also sold as Avita and Renova, both available by prescription only.
This medication is also widely used to treat acne.
Some older studies suggested it was more effective than a placebo (56% versus 34%).
However, these studies are considered poorly designed and didn’t explore other possible explanations for the results.
A small study conducted in 2016 suggested that these procedures worked better than topical tretinoin creams.
If you have stretch marks, you may be able to prevent the further spread by losing weight.
you might also reduce their appearance by usingsunscreenoutside and avoiding tanning and tanning beds.
Summary
Stretch marks happen when the tissue under the skin grows faster than the skin itself.
This can cause thinning and tears of the skin, which is what gives stretch marks their characteristic appearance.
Certain medical conditions can also predispose you to getting stretch marks.
There isn’t much evidence that commercially available products will help improve the appearance of stretch marks.
However, some treatments like topical tretinoin and laser treatments may help.
American Academy of Dermatology.Stretch marks: why they appear and how to get rid of them.
2016;9(2):101-5. doi:10.4103/0974-2077.184056
