Although stretch marks are most commonly associated with women and rapid weight gain due to pregnancy or adolescence, it is not just women who get stretch marks. Male stretch marks are also very common, although the reasons for them forming and the locations of the marks are often different than in women. Stretch marks are caused by the middle layer of skin becoming thinned to the point of breaking. Over time, the marks fade from their initial red or dark pink color to a paler shade. Stretch marks are normal and harmless, but many people find them unsightly and would prefer to remove them for cosmetic reasons.

What Causes Male Stretch Marks?

Whereas in women the main cause of stretch marks is the rapid weight gain associated with pregnancy, this is obviously not the case with men. Any rapid weight gain though can be enough to cause stretch marks, and if a man is piling on the pounds stretch marks may well become a problem. Men who grow very quickly through their adolescence may also find that they develop stretch marks, even though their weight is well under control. Men who take up weight training or body building and rapidly develop muscle bulk may find that this increase in muscle bulk will cause stretch marks too. The problem is exacerbated in men who use steroids to bulk up quicker or who have hormonal imbalances causing them to gain weight rapidly.

Where Stretch Marks Form

Abdomen male stretch marks are caused by rapid weight gain and on other areas where fat is deposited such as the buttocks or the thighs. If the stretch marks are due to muscle bulk, they will form around the areas where the muscles have grown most, typically across the shoulders, chest and upper arms. Men who have stretch marks forming in these places may find that they are harder to cover up than stretch marks around the abdomen and feel very self-conscious about them. There are however several things that can be done to help smooth the skin and lessen the appearance of the stretch marks.

Stretch Mark Treatments

Keeping skin hydrated and moisturized is one of the best ways of stopping stretch marks from appearing in the first place or reducing their severity once they have formed. Keeping moisture levels in skin at a good level will help the skin’s own natural repair methods start to work and help change the marks from the red, obvious marks into paler ones. There are several creams and oils on the market which claim to reduce the appearance of the marks and to get good results from them it is important to use them at least twice a day. Massage of the skin will help too. For severe cases of stretch marks, laser treatment may be appropriate and will help speed the process of the marks fading. Laser treatment is expensive though and will not be able to make the marks vanish completely.