Stretch marks (striae) are indented streaks that appear on the abdomen, breasts, hips, buttocks or other places on the body. They're common in pregnant women, especially during the last trimester. Stretch marks aren't painful or harmful, but some people don't like the way they make their skin look.

Context Explanation

Stretch marks don't require treatment. Stretch marks are fine lines on the body that occur from tissue under your skin tearing from rapid growth or over-stretching. It is a common condition that does not cause any significant medical problems but can be of cosmetic concern for some people. Other names for stretch marks are: Striae caerulea (dark blue).

Insight Material

Overview What are stretch marks? Stretch marks (striae) are discolored, slightly sunken (depressed), scar-like lines in your skin. They appear when your skin rapidly stretches or shrinks. Stretch marks (the medical term is striae) are indented streaks that occur due to overstretching of skin. This is a common skin concern, and these marks are harmless.

Final Conclusion

However, one may not like them due to cosmetic reasons. The commonly affected areas are the breast, abdomen, lower back, thighs, buttocks, upper arms, or calves. Striae distensae are a common form of dermal scarring that appear on the skin as erythematous, violaceous, or hypopigmented linear striations. Synonyms include the terms striae, stretch marks, and striae atrophicans. Stretch marks are very common and are rarely a sign of a significant medical problem. Stretch marks (striae distensae) appear as linear streaks on the skin that have been overstretched, and they run perpendicular to maximum lines of tension in the skin.

Stretch marks Stretch marks are irregular areas of skin that look like bands, stripes, or lines. Stretch marks are seen when a person grows or gains weight rapidly or has certain diseases or conditions. The medical name for stretch marks is striae. Striae distansae (SD) or stretch marks are very common, asymptomatic, skin condition frequently seen among females between 5 to 50 years of ages.