Stretchmarks are commonly occur in pregnancy, but they can occur any time body growth outpaces the ability of the skin to keep up. Teenagers who have a sudden growth spurt can develop stretch marks for example.

Stretchmarks are typically classified as old or young:

Young stretchmarks (striae distensae rubrae) are typically less than 6 months old and pink/red/purple in colour.

Older stretchmarks (striae distensae alba) are thinner and paler in appearance and the skin between the edges of the stretch marks may be sagging.

Because stretchmark skin is thin, treatment is aimed at inducing collagen and elastin production to thicken and remodel the skin and reduce redness and hyperpigmentation if present.

There are many effective treatments for stretchmarks but younger stretchmarks are more responsive to treatment than older stretchmarks.