If you experience sudden weight gain, you may find your stomach lined with small, red streaks. Although any kind of weight gain can lead to stretch marks, they are most common during pregnancy, when more than half of all women develop stretch marks on their stomachs, according to the Baby Center website. You can't do much to prevent stretch marks, but the good news is that they do fade away eventually. If you are concerned about the appearance of stretch marks on your stomach, talk to your doctor, who may be able to prescribe one of several treatment options.
Appearance
Stretch marks appear as dark lines on the stomach, and can be pink, red or purple in color, according to the Mayo Clinic. Stretch marks frequently cause indentations in the skin. As a stretch mark heals and scar tissue forms, the reddish lines turn white and gray, making your stretch marks just lighter than your natural skin color.
Effects
Stretch marks appear on your stomach when your middle layer of skin, known as the dermis, is stretched so far that the skin's natural elasticity begins to deteriorate. The outer layer of skin, known as the epidermis, also stretches, which causes the skin to become more translucent. As the epidermis stretches, you can see the purple striations caused by the stretching of the dermis.
Causes
Noticeable stretch marks on the stomach are caused by rapid weight gain. Pregnancy is the most common cause of stretch marks on the stomach. According to the Mayo Clinic, a combination of weight gain and hormone production results in stretch marks. Using steroids, even topical corticosteriod creams can also cause stretch marks. Stretch marks can be a warning sign of Cushing's syndrome, adrenal disease and other genetic disorders, so it's good to see a doctor if you experience a large outbreak of unexplained stretch marks.
Treatment
Although stretch marks fade over time, you have several options for treating stretch marks while they're present on your stomach. The Mayo Clinic website claims many doctors prescribe topical creams that contain a drug called tretinoid to treat recent stretch marks. Tretinoid cream is successful in treating stretch marks that are less than six weeks old, but should not be used by pregnant women. Doctors have also had success in treating stretch marks with laser therapy. Laser treatments can reduce the appearance of new and old stretch marks.
Microdermabrasion is another option for treating old stretch marks. In microdermabrasion, specialists polish your skin's surface with tiny crystals and then vacuum up the dead skin cells.
Prevention
According to the Mayo Clinic, there is no guaranteed way to prevent stretch marks. Topical creams and oils that claim to prevent stretch marks have not been proven to work. The best way to prevent stretch marks is to maintain a healthy weight. During pregnancy, talk with your doctor about a plan for eating and exercise to make sure you gain the appropriate amount of weight, since excessive weight gain can lead to stretch marks.
