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The Patient’s Guide is the most respected online publication providing information about stretch marks, their causes, treatment, and laser therapy. Our mission is to provide you with unbiased, scientifically accurate information about striae and red skin lesions, as well as potential treatments. The information published on this site is written and provided by some of America’s foremost dermatologists and laser surgery experts.
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Effects of Pregnancy or Weight Gain

Is Pregnancy or Weight Gain the Cause?

  • Is Pregnancy or Weight Gain the Cause?
  • Skin isn't 'Stretching'
  • Bottom line…Hormones

    • Pregnancy is not the cause of stretch marks. As our hormones shift and change in our body during the pregnancy, these hormones interact with our skin and result in stretch marks. However the physical increase in our body size during pregnancy is not 'stretching' our skin.

    No, weight gain is not to blame either. The weight gain affects the hormones in your body, so weight gain is a factor insofar as its changing hormones, but it isn't 'stretching' the skin. The hormonal changes that occur as a function of gaining weight are the cause.

    Skin isn't 'Stretching'

    Physical stretching of the skin plays a very minor role, but the reality is it's not from moving or bending your skin. Have you ever seen anyone perform yoga or play professional sports? They are stretching their skin to an extreme extent, however no one stretches their skin causing any stretch marks.

    Bottom line…Hormones

    The bottom line is pregnancy, birth control pills, rapid weight gain or loss, topical steroid creams and rapid growing all cause stretch marks, but the reason is all those events have an effect on the hormones in our skin.

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    Videos
    Paul Friedman, MD of Houston explains the treatment of stretch marks in this video.
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    Ask The Doctor
    Q: What is a stretch mark?
    They are a type of scar caused by hormones impacting the... [Read More]
    Q: Can you prevent stretch marks?
    The use of topical creams like retinoid products and... [Read More]
    Q: Why don't they heal over time?
    Like any scar, they will not simply heal on their own. The... [Read More]
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