Stretch Marks and Loose Skin

Stretch Marks (striae)

A few people have been writing in to the site lately asking about stretch marks and loose skin. So I thought I would make a quick article about it to answer everyone at once.

First, the causes. The biological cause for stretch marks (and to some degree loose skin) is that skin is stretched beyond it's limits and not enough collagen and elastin is being produced to keep the skin from being damaged. There are generally a few things that can cause rapid stretching or changes in the skin surface... losing weight too fast and more commonly, gaining weight. Gaining it too quickly can also make stretch marks worse. The weight gain can be from fat OR muscle, and you may have noticed that lots of bodybuilders have stretch marks in their armpits and in areas where the muscles grow faster than the skin can accomodate normally.

The bad news about stretch marks is that they will probably never go away entirely. The good news is they generally do fade over time and will probably not be noticeable as long as you keep the weight off.

To prevent stretch marks I wouldn't recommend losing more than 1-2 pounds per week or gaining more than 1-2 pounds of muscle per week.

Loose skin *should* resolve itself as you lose more weight and get to a lower bodyfat percentage. Some people like to think of losing fat like an igloo melting from the inside out. So once you're at a low enough, healthy bodyfat percentage your skin should tighten up. However, if you were very obese and go from being very large (say 300lbs+) to a much lower bodyfat%, there may be some excess skin left over after you lose weight. If it is very bad then you may want to consult with your doctor about your options.

Don't feel bad about the stretch marks. Many big bodybuilders have stretch marks around their arms, shoulders and lats, because even their skin is only so elastic and gaining any kind of weight too fast or beyond the natural limits of your collagen fibers can cause stretch marks. And the bottom line is that TONS of people have stretch marks, even if they never got very fat or are huge bodybuilders. Any rapid change in weight can cause small stretch marks. And if you feel really self conscious about them, there ARE some limited treatment options available. Consult your doctor for more information if they are something that really bothers you and is interfering with your confidence and lifestyle.