Why stretch marks itch

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A career around the be. While loss has been an inescapable theme of COVID — loss of life, jobs, community, security, even our senses and hair — some have seen surprising ga. They can appear on your butt or hips or back or breasts or stomach or really anywhere your skin might stretch. The marks, which are technically scars, can reach up vertically or branch out like a tree or wind along your curves.

They can vary in color from bright white to deep red. Oh, and they can itch — like really itch. It's a phenomenon that we've experienced ourselves that — to be honest — concerned even us.

It's never reassuring when any part of your body randomly tingles or aches, so we talked to a number of dermatologists to find out what's behind it. Turns out, itching is as natural as the marks themselves. And, as you might have guessed, it does mean they're growing. They only typically itch during that progressive phase.

Active stretch marks, which are often red, tend to itch more because the skin in that area is thinner. Typically a stretch mark doesn't itch for days on end, but if you are looking for some relief, Dr. The key is to properly identify the stretch marks and then alleviate the itch.

Stretch marks are caused by the stretching of your skin that causes tearing at the dermis, the layer below the epidermis. This usually occurs when you gain weight in a short amount of time, and your skin has to compensate for the rapid growth. Such weight gain may be attributed to pregnancy, puberty, or certain medical conditions.

At first, new stretch marks are pink, red, or purple in color. Fresh stretch marks are also more prone to itchiness. As stretch marks heal, they can turn white. Most stretch marks run vertically along your body, though they can sometimes be horizontal, too. Healing skin tends to be itchy. With dermal tearing, your nerves respond by creating the itchy sensations.

Pregnancy may cause rapid weight gain in some women, especially in the hip, thigh , and abdominal areas. Some women are more prone to stretch marks in these areas, and they may itch as they heal. Some pregnant women develop a rash called pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy PUPPP.

Itchy stretch marks are also related to other causes. Certain medical conditions not related to pregnancy may also lead to stretch marks. These include:. As stretch marks develop and heal with any of the above causes and risk factors, you might experience on-site itchiness. And, look out for dry skin, as this can make your stretch marks itchier.

Purple stretch marks are fresh stretch marks. They can be red, purple, or pinkish, depending on your skin tone. Fresh stretch marks tend to itch. This happens due to lack of moisturization. The skin around the stretch marks may become dry, and it might cause itching. StyleCraze believes in credibility and giving our readers access to authentic and evidence-based content. Every article goes through multiple reviews to ensure this.

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Check out our editorial policy for further details. Was this article helpful? Yes No. The following two tabs change content below. Ramona Sinha. Ramona is an associate editor at StyleCraze. Prior to that, she authored over articles on skin and hair care. She also did a certificate course in dermatology offered by the Novosibirsk State University and is constantly endeavoring to learn more about ingredient-specific and skin-friendly and hair-friendly routines.