You’ve probably heard of stretch marks and know that some women get them when they are pregnant. Kids can get stretch marks too and they can have a major impact on a person’s self-esteem.

What do stretch marks look like?

Stretch marks look like lines on your skin. Sometimes they start off looking purple or red, and they have a different texture than the normal skin. Over time, they usually lighten and may come close to disappearing.

Stretch marks can appear on both and girls going through puberty, but why?

When a person is growing quickly, the tissue beneath the skin is being pulled. When the skin is stretched further than its normal range of elasticity, the production of connective tissue changes. A protein called collagen makes the connective tissue. The change in collagen production can cause stretch marks because the body is growing faster than the skin can produce collagen.

Who gets stretch marks?

• Bodybuilders. They are likely to get stretch marks because they build muscle quickly.
  
• Overweight people. Gaining weight quickly can cause the skin to stretch.
  
• Pregnant women. The mother’s belly has to expand quickly as the baby grows.
  
• People who use creams containing steroids (artificial chemicals that can improve strength and muscle mass) on skin.

Can you get rid of stretch marks, or cover them up?

If stretch marks make you uncomfortable, it might be easiest to try covering them up. Some people say that tanning lotions and sprays can work as a cover-up. However, tanning beds or sun tanning are definitely not recommended because tanning can make the stretch marks even darker or the stretch marks will not tan. There are also risks associated with tanning, such as skin cancer. If you have stretch marks, it is important to wear a sunscreen with a high SPF (sun protection factor) all over your body so the stretch marks do not become worse.

You can try a cover-up powder or cream if you won’t be in the water much. There are waterproof cover-up products, but they won’t look as good after you get out of the water as they did before you got in.

Try wearing a swimsuit that provides more coverage, if you will be in the water a lot. Boy short bottoms are stylish on girls and they provide good coverage for stretch marks on hips.

There are lots of products that say they get rid of stretch marks, but these can be very expensive and they don’t work very well. If nothing has worked for you, you might want to go to a dermatologist (a doctor who specializes in skin). They have special treatments, such as laser treatment, that often can make stretch marks go away. However, these treatments can be very expensive. You might decide it’s not worth the cost, especially since stretch marks often fade over time.

If your stretch marks are making you self-conscious, just remember that lots of people have them. They are a sign that your body is growing—and that is something to be proud of.