What are stretch marks in children. How do stretch marks form during puberty. Can stretch marks be prevented in kids. What treatments are available for pediatric stretch marks. Are stretch marks in children a cause for concern. How do stretch marks affect a child’s self-esteem. When should parents consult a doctor about their child’s stretch marks.

What Are Stretch Marks and Why Do Kids Get Them?

Stretch marks, medically known as striae, are a common occurrence during childhood and adolescence. They appear as fine lines on the skin, often resulting from rapid growth or weight gain. But why exactly do kids get stretch marks?

Stretch marks form when the skin is pulled by rapid growth or stretching, typically during puberty. While skin is generally elastic, overstretching can disrupt the normal production of collagen, the primary protein in connective tissue. This disruption leads to the formation of scar-like marks we know as stretch marks.

Are stretch marks exclusive to girls? No, both girls and boys can develop stretch marks, though they are more common in girls. Typically, they appear on areas prone to rapid growth or fat accumulation, such as:

• Breasts
• Thighs
• Hips
• Buttocks

The Appearance and Evolution of Stretch Marks in Children

How can parents identify stretch marks on their children? Initially, stretch marks may appear as reddish or purplish lines. They often have a different texture from the surrounding skin and may look slightly indented. Over time, these marks typically fade, becoming lighter and less noticeable.

Do stretch marks change color as they heal? Yes, the appearance of stretch marks evolves over time. They usually start as red or purple lines and gradually fade to a lighter, often silvery color. This color change is part of the natural healing process of the skin.

Stages of Stretch Mark Development

1. Initial formation: Red or purple lines appear
2. Maturation: Lines may become raised and itchy
3. Fading: Color lightens to silver or white
4. Final stage: Marks become less noticeable but may remain slightly indented

Common Causes of Stretch Marks in Children and Adolescents

While puberty is a primary cause of stretch marks in children, several other factors can contribute to their development. Understanding these causes can help parents and children manage expectations and take preventive measures where possible.

Is rapid weight gain a cause of stretch marks in kids? Absolutely. Obesity is a significant contributor to the formation of stretch marks. When body weight increases quickly, the skin stretches to accommodate the new size, often resulting in stretch marks.

Other common causes include:

• Growth spurts during puberty
• Genetic predisposition
• Hormonal changes
• Certain medical conditions
• Use of corticosteroid medications

Preventing and Managing Stretch Marks in Children

Can stretch marks be prevented in kids? While it’s not always possible to prevent stretch marks entirely, certain measures can help minimize their occurrence and appearance.

What steps can parents and children take to reduce the likelihood of developing stretch marks?

• Maintain a healthy weight through balanced nutrition and regular exercise
• Stay hydrated to keep skin supple and elastic
• Use moisturizers to improve skin elasticity
• Avoid rapid weight gain or loss
• Limit use of corticosteroid creams unless prescribed by a doctor

Nutrition for Healthy Skin

A balanced diet rich in vitamins and minerals can contribute to skin health and potentially reduce the severity of stretch marks. Key nutrients include:

• Vitamin C: Supports collagen production
• Vitamin E: Protects skin cells
• Zinc: Aids in skin healing
• Protein: Essential for skin structure and repair

Treatment Options for Pediatric Stretch Marks

While stretch marks often fade naturally over time, some children and parents may seek treatments to accelerate this process or improve their appearance. It’s important to note that most treatments have limited effectiveness, especially for older stretch marks.

Do over-the-counter creams effectively treat stretch marks in children? Unfortunately, most creams and skin products marketed for stretch mark removal have limited efficacy and can be costly. It’s best to approach such products with realistic expectations.

Medical Treatments for Stretch Marks

For significant concerns, medical treatments may be considered under the guidance of a dermatologist or plastic surgeon. These may include:

• Microdermabrasion
• Laser therapy
• Chemical peels
• Radiofrequency treatments

Are these treatments recommended for teenagers? Generally, doctors do not recommend invasive treatments for teens, as they are still growing and new stretch marks may appear. Additionally, existing marks often fade significantly with time.

The Psychological Impact of Stretch Marks on Children

While stretch marks are a normal part of growth and development, they can sometimes affect a child’s self-esteem and body image. It’s crucial for parents and caregivers to address these concerns sensitively.

How can parents help children cope with the emotional aspects of stretch marks?

• Educate children about the normalcy of stretch marks
• Promote body positivity and self-acceptance
• Encourage open discussions about body changes
• Provide emotional support and reassurance
• Consider professional counseling if body image issues persist

When to Consult a Healthcare Professional

In most cases, stretch marks in children are harmless and do not require medical intervention. However, there are instances when it’s advisable to consult a healthcare professional.

When should parents seek medical advice about their child’s stretch marks?

• If stretch marks appear without apparent cause (e.g., no recent growth spurt or weight gain)
• If stretch marks are accompanied by other symptoms or health concerns
• If the child experiences significant emotional distress due to stretch marks
• If there’s suspicion of an underlying medical condition

Potential Underlying Conditions

In rare cases, stretch marks may be a sign of an underlying health issue. Conditions that might warrant medical attention include:

• Cushing’s syndrome
• Marfan syndrome
• Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
• Adrenal gland disorders

Living with Stretch Marks: Practical Tips for Kids and Teens

For many children and teenagers, learning to live comfortably with stretch marks is an important part of growing up. Here are some practical tips to help manage the appearance of stretch marks and boost confidence:

Clothing Choices

How can clothing help conceal stretch marks? Strategic clothing choices can help kids feel more comfortable if they’re self-conscious about their stretch marks:

• Board shorts or rash guards for swimming
• High-waisted bottoms to cover hip and belly stretch marks
• Longer shorts or skirts for thigh marks
• Layered tops for chest or back marks

Skincare and Cosmetic Options

While not a cure, certain skincare practices and cosmetic products can help improve the appearance of stretch marks:

• Regular moisturizing to keep skin hydrated
• Gentle exfoliation to promote skin renewal
• Sunless self-tanners to even out skin tone
• Body makeup for temporary coverage

Is it safe for children to use self-tanners or body makeup? When used as directed, most self-tanners and body makeup products are safe for occasional use. However, it’s important to choose products suitable for sensitive skin and to perform a patch test first.

Embracing Body Positivity

Ultimately, fostering a positive body image is crucial. Encourage children to:

• Focus on their body’s abilities rather than appearance
• Celebrate their unique features, including stretch marks
• Understand that most people have stretch marks
• Express themselves through interests and talents beyond physical appearance

Future Developments in Stretch Mark Treatment

As medical research advances, new treatments for stretch marks may become available. Current areas of study include:

• Topical treatments targeting collagen production
• Advanced laser therapies
• Stem cell-based treatments
• Combination therapies for improved efficacy

Will future treatments be suitable for children? As new treatments emerge, their safety and efficacy for pediatric use will need to be carefully evaluated. Parents should always consult with healthcare professionals before considering any new treatments for their children.

The Importance of Ongoing Research

Continued research into the causes and treatment of stretch marks is crucial. This research not only aims to develop more effective treatments but also to better understand the underlying mechanisms of stretch mark formation. Such knowledge could lead to more targeted prevention strategies in the future.

As our understanding of skin biology and wound healing improves, we may see significant advancements in stretch mark prevention and treatment. However, it’s important to maintain realistic expectations and remember that stretch marks are a normal part of growth and development for many children and adolescents.

Stretch Marks – Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital

Home | Patients and Families | Health Library | Stretch Marks

Stretch marks are a normal part of puberty for most girls and guys. When a person grows or gains weight really quickly (like during puberty), that person may get fine lines on the body called stretch marks.

Stretch marks happen when the skin is pulled by rapid growth or stretching. Although the skin is usually fairly elastic, when it’s overstretched, the normal production of collagen (the major protein that makes up the connective tissue in your skin) is disrupted. As a result, scars called stretch marks may form.

If you’re noticing stretch marks on your body, you’re not alone. Most girls and women have them, usually on their breasts, thighs, hips, and butt. Many women get them during pregnancy. Stretch marks are more common in girls, but guys can get them, too.

People who are obese often have stretch marks. Bodybuilders are prone to getting stretch marks because of the rapid body changes that can go with bodybuilding. People who use steroid-containing skin creams or ointments (such as hydrocortisone) for more than a few weeks may also get stretch marks. So might people who have to take high doses of oral corticosteroids for months or longer.

At first, stretch marks may show up as reddish or purplish lines that can look indented and have a different texture from the skin around them. Stretch marks often turn lighter and almost disappear over time.

Making Them Less Noticeable

Here are some things to consider if you want to make stretch marks less noticeable:

• Some people find that sunless self-tanners can help cover up stretch marks. This isn’t true with regular tanning or tanning beds, though: Stretch marks are less likely to tan so may end up looking more obvious. Plus, the sun and tanning beds do more harm than good when it comes to the long-term health of your skin.
• Try using body makeup matched to the tone of your skin to cover stretch marks. Although some manufacturers make these cover-up products water-resistant, makeup may not be the best solution if you’ll be spending a lot of time in the water.
• Wear board shorts or rash guards. Bathing suits with more coverage are popular with many athletes because they protect against the sun and don’t ride up when a person moves. But these suit styles also work well for hiding stretch marks on the buttocks, upper thighs and chest.

Tons of creams and other skin products on the market claim to get rid of stretch marks, but the truth is that most don’t work and are costly.

You can’t make stretch marks go away completely without the help of a

dermatologist
 or plastic surgeon. These doctors may use one of many types of treatments — from actual surgery to techniques like microdermabrasion and laser treatment — to reduce the appearance of stretch marks.

These techniques are expensive and are not usually covered by insurance. Doctors don’t usually recommended them for teens because they’re not done growing so new stretch marks might appear and existing ones will probably lessen over time.

Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.

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Stretch Marks (for Teens) – Nemours KidsHealth

en español: Estrías

Reviewed by: Melanie L. Pitone, MD

What Are Stretch Marks?

Stretch marks are fine lines in the skin that happen when quick growth or weight gain stretches the skin (like during puberty). Skin is usually fairly stretchy, but when it’s overstretched, the normal production of collagen (the major protein that makes up the tissue in skin) is disrupted. As a result, the skin can develop stretch marks.

At first, stretch marks may show up as reddish or purplish lines that can look indented and have a different texture from the skin around them. Stretch marks often turn lighter and almost disappear over time.

Who Gets Stretch Marks?

Stretch marks are a normal part of puberty for most people. People who are obese often have stretch marks. Bodybuilders can get stretch marks because of the quick body changes that can come with bodybuilding. People who use steroid-containing skin creams or ointments (such as hydrocortisone) for more than a few weeks also may get stretch marks. So might people who have to take high doses of oral corticosteroids for months or longer.

How Can I Get My Stretch Marks to Go Away?

A
dermatologistor plastic surgeon are doctors who can help treat stretch marks. They specialize in caring for the skin. To reduce the appearance of stretch marks, they might use prescription creams, microdermabrasion, and laser treatment. But doctors don’t usually recommended these for teens because they’re still growing. So new stretch marks might appear and existing ones will probably fade a bit over time. Also, these treatments can be expensive and usually are not covered by insurance.

How Can I Make Stretch Marks Less Noticeable?

Here are some things to consider if you want to make stretch marks less noticeable:

• Some people find that sunless self-tanners can help cover up stretch marks. This isn’t true with regular tanning or tanning beds, though: Stretch marks are less likely to tan so may end up looking more obvious. Plus, the sun and tanning beds do more harm than good when it comes to the long-term health of your skin.
• Try using body makeup matched to your skin tone to cover stretch marks.
• Wear board shorts or rash guards. Bathing suits with more coverage work well for hiding stretch marks on the buttocks, upper thighs, and chest.

Many creams and other skin products claim to get rid of stretch marks, but the truth is that most don’t work and are costly. Usually, the best thing to do is be patient because stretch marks often fade with time. If they still bother you when you’re an adult, you can ask your doctor or see a specialist for treatment.

Reviewed by: Melanie L. Pitone, MD

Date reviewed: November 2020

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How to captivate children with stretching? – European Gymnastics Center

Trainer of the European Gymnastics Center Lokomotiv Anastasia Dolzhenkova talks about the benefits of stretching for children, and how to make this part of the workout enjoyable and interesting.

“Stretching has many health benefits for children. It improves the elasticity of muscles and ligaments, strengthens muscles and articular ligaments, forms the correct posture, gait, increases the range of motion, thereby reducing the risk of injury, removes stiffness in the body, relieves physical and mental overwork, which is especially characteristic of school children. For girls, good flexibility is also grace and plasticity.

Doctors prescribe general developmental exercises for flexibility to children from infancy as exercise therapy. For example, back riding on a fitball, stretching your arms back; hanging on straight arms, holding the hands of a doctor / parent; lying on your back bend back with an emphasis on straight arms.

As the child grows older, the exercises gradually become more difficult. In training, we do stretching with children, even in the youngest group, but, of course, these exercises are not at all associated with strong and painful stretching of the splits, as in rhythmic gymnastics or ballet. In general, it is important to note that at our Center we only give children the intensity of stretching that is good for their health. In professional sports, on the contrary, excessive stretching can lead to musculoskeletal disorders.

Since flexibility exercises require patience and perseverance, they are the least popular among children. Although some children, on the contrary, love twine. But these are mostly those who have good muscle elasticity from birth.

But, despite the complexity of stretching, it is of great benefit and cannot be avoided in training. In order to make this process the least painful and interesting, we use various game methods.

The first way is to distract children’s attention with the help of associations and talking about topics that are interesting to them. For example, when we pull a straight twine, we say that we are building a house for a dog. When we make bends in the fold, we make pies, when we make a bridge, we build a bridge for cars, and when we do the “ring”, we reach for the sun, resting on our hands like a cat, etc. You can think of anything.

The second way is to perform exercises with objects: balls, cubes, jump ropes.

The third way – flexibility exercises on gymnastic modules and a combination of stretching with other tasks so that the child can switch attention.

Also, trainers choose an individual dosage of exercises, since flexibility is an innate quality that varies from person to person. Some children are able to sit on the twine without much effort and pain, others have to work hard on stretching in order to achieve even the slightest change. The manifestation of flexibility depends on the anatomical structure of the joints, the elasticity of muscles and ligaments, muscle tone, age, the general functional state of the body, and external conditions.

Some more important stretching rules for children:

In younger children, we do not perform stretching that causes pain, since the articular apparatus is not yet fully formed. In addition, the feeling of pain can greatly frighten the child, and he will never want to attend training again. Children perform the exercises on their own and with the help of a trainer who monitors the correctness of their implementation.

From the age of 5-6, stretching becomes more intense, the trainer gradually begins to stretch the children, but independent stretching still prevails.

From the age of 7, the most favorable period for effective stretching begins. At this age, the mobility of large parts of the body increases, the articular apparatus is formed, and you can begin to use all the methods of flexibility training: dynamic and static exercises, with weights, with the help of a trainer, at the support, gymnastic elements for the development of flexibility.

Stretching for children – stretching lessons for children with twine

Stretching for children

Stretching is necessary not only for those children who are professionally involved in dancing, gymnastics or other sports. Even for those kids who don’t want to take places on pedestals, stretching will bring a lot of benefits:

• will help you get a beautiful correct posture;
• will help develop coordination of movements;
• will teach you to control your body;
• will strengthen muscles and ligaments;
• forms a beautiful slender figure.

Children often want to achieve success in sports – sit on the splits, make a bridge, spin the wheel. At a younger age, muscles and ligaments are very malleable and easily influenced, so it is easier and easier for children to translate their plans into reality. The main thing is to draw up a training plan and conduct training only under the supervision of an experienced trainer. The elasticity of the muscles can also play a negative role, because they are very easy to injure. Do not stretch the child without the appropriate knowledge and practice. What will happen in the stretching class? The lesson takes place in several stages, during which a warm-up (warm-up) is carried out, a set of stretching and relaxation exercises is performed. This approach allows you to achieve results quickly and with maximum safety.

Stretching for beginners

Children’s stretching is an opportunity to raise the child’s authority, help him to believe in himself, to make sure that everything is possible. Be sure to contact professional teachers for stretching, especially if the child has not previously played sports. The reason is not only that the twine stretch for children must be carried out correctly. Not every child is ready to completely immerse himself in work, obey the coach and follow all his instructions. The task of the coach is to find an approach to each of the students, to become not a friend for him, but a mentor who does not force, but helps.

What do children do during Cosmo Dance stretching classes, because we don’t just do splits? Our students work on the muscles of the whole body, stretch their legs, back, arms, gain flexibility.