Stretch Marks And The Bodybuilder
By Veeraj Goyaram
"As a kid, I had this itch that I couldn't scratch. I was fat and uncomfortable in my own skin. So I dropped 70 pounds by hitting the pavement and busting my ass. I wore out the "fatboy" nickname and wore my old skin like a loose coat. I turned to the iron, learned to push and press... Forward and up. With time, my skin grew taut - it began to pull and tear. It itched... And I scratched. Scratched my way up to where I stand today. These scars. These stretch marks. I'll have them for life. I'll wear them with pride. They are a reminder of who I was, where I came from, and where I'm going",
IFBB Pro Evan "Ox" Centopani
IFBB Pro Evan "Ox" Centopani
Stretch marks are the battle scars. Wear them with pride |
My personal story with
stretch marks
Stretch marks can be a
frustrating topic in bodybuilding and indeed one which can mess a lot with your
mind. I had stretch marks even before I
started bodybuilding and they bothered me for a long time. My stretch marks mainly run across my chest and my back and later
they came on my arms too, especially on the lower biceps and forearms. I went on to build a very good body in my teens but sometimes I would feel hesitant to take off my shirt because of the stretch marks.
I later found that I
wasn't alone as almost every bodybuilder has stretch marks. Some may have one
of two on their delt-chest tie ins or biceps while others may have it all
over. I got massive relief when I met pro bodybuilders (the same guys who look
perfect in magazines and videos) and see that they have even more stretch marks that
I do. On some people the marks may be quite visible while on others it can blend in with the
skin tone and can be seen only on close inspection or from certain angles.
I have personally done a lot of research on stretch marks and spoken to numerous skin specialists and dermatologists on the topic. I will share this information with you. In this article, the causes of stretch marks and available treatments will be discussed. Unfortunately, there is nothing that can completely reverse stretch marks and our best bet is to understand and try to prevent and minimize them.
I have personally done a lot of research on stretch marks and spoken to numerous skin specialists and dermatologists on the topic. I will share this information with you. In this article, the causes of stretch marks and available treatments will be discussed. Unfortunately, there is nothing that can completely reverse stretch marks and our best bet is to understand and try to prevent and minimize them.
The causes of stretch
marks
Stretch marks are due to
the tearing of the dermis layer of the skin (see picture below). The dermis layer is a highly resilient layer
and it gives the skin its shape. It is in a constant state of regeneration as
it has cells called "fibroblasts" that produce materials called
collagen and elastin which gives elasticity to the skin. When the skin
stretches, the dermis layer immediately adjusts to give skin its shape.
However, under certain circumstances which will be discussed below the dermis
layer may not be able to keep pace with the stretching of the skin and
therefore cracks, leaving behind stretch marks. In French they are called
"vergetures" and in medical terms they are known as stria distensea
or simply striae. Stretch marks also occur during pregnancy, in which case they
are called "stria gravidarum".
The skin is made up of several layers. Stretch
marks are caused by the tearing of the dermis layer
marks are caused by the tearing of the dermis layer
Stretch marks are caused by rapid stretching of the skin due to rapid growth or rapid weight fluctuations especially during puberty and when gaining mass in bodybuilding. Again, some people are more susceptible to develop stretch marks than others as goes the saying "Basically, if your mom had them, you're probably going to have them".
Any other causes?
As explained above,
mechanical stretching is a cause of stretch marks. Moreover, I have sometimes
seen people who have neither experienced weight fluctuations nor been
bodybuilding previously and this prompted me to question whether there are
other causes of stretch marks. As listed in the table below there are other
causes besides mechanical stretching. For example, an increased level of the
glucocorticoid hormone Cortisol in the body can give rise to stretch marks.
This is because Cortisol is a catabolic hormone and can break down fibroblasts,
the very cells that maintain skin elasticity. People undergoing Cortisol
therapy or suffering from Cushing's syndrome (overproduction of cortisol) also
commonly develop stretch marks. There are also reports that excessive Marijuana
consumption may also causes stretch marks.
Ref: Elsaie et al. Dermatol Surg 2009;35:563–573 |
Furthermore, stretch marks
do not look the same on every person depending on skin colour. Stretch marks
appear reddish when they first start to develop and eventually assume a silvery coloration as they mature.
Stretch marks usually start with a reddish coloration which indicates that these are newly formed. Eventually they change into a silvery colour which looks different on various skin colours. |
The regions mainly affected.
Stretch marks are most
common in regions where fat is stored like the abdomen, chest, hips, buttocks,
the upper arm, the underarm and the legs. In bodybuilders, stretch marks occur
where growth is likely to occur very fast.
A very common region is the chest-delt tie in area which, in my opinion,
is because the delts and chest grow bigger simultaneously thus stretching the
skin to a greater extent. Another region is the arms and the back. Stretch
marks occur very rarely on the calves. If a bodybuilder has stretch marks it
will most likely be on the delts or the chest-delt tie ins.
Stretch marks commonly develop in the chest-delt tie in region in bodybuilders |
I am sure many of us may
be thinking how unfair life is. We gain or lose a few kilos and the skin starts
cracking while the bodybuilders we see in the videos and magazines have skins
so perfect without a single stretch mark although they gain and lose massive
amounts of bodyweight.
"The big bodybuilders must really be blessed because they got no stretch marks", I used to think |
Again, the chest-delt tie in region is mostly affected |
Dexter has stretch marks on his chest-delt tie ins as can be seen in this picture. |
Heavy Duty training system did make the late Mike Mentzer BIG but it also gave him stretch marks on his chest, delts, arms and forearms. They aren't too visible because of the good lighting for this photo shoot. |
My forearms and biceps are riddled with stretch marks but they don't appear when I flex them. |
Stretch marks may also appear on the abdominal region But tanning products go a great job to cover them (Photo Courtesy: Kuwaitbodybuilding.com) |
Prevention (and
treatment?) of stretch marks
Here is the interesting
part. Stretch marks cannot be reversed unfortunately. Any products claiming to
reverse stretch marks are simply taking you for a ride. However, there are
products that can reduce the appearance of stretch marks by promoting an even
skin pigmentation in affected areas thus reducing the appearance of stretch
marks. These will be discussed below. It must be noted that several modalities
of treatment have been proposed but none of these have been proven
scientifically but that does not mean that we must discredit these treatment
options. I have read a number of these
studies and there are concerns on the experimental designs (e.g a proper
control) of a number of these experiments that do not allow conclusions to be
made.
Overall, stretch mark
products and treatments can be classified as follows:
A. Topical therapies
This line of therapy is
said to promote skin pigmentation, skin cell regeneration and skin hydration as
a means to help with stretch marks. Some common examples will be reviewed in
this section which will focus on the main constituents (or active ingredients)
commonly found in stretch mark creams. Keep in mind that most stretch mark
creams will usually contain a combination of these ingredients.
1. Tretinoin (Retinoic
acid): this is a vitamin A derivative which works by improving skin cell
turnover. It has been studied scientifically (using a 0.1% retinoic acid skin
creams) and yielded variable but overall positive results. It must be noted
that treatment must be regular and carried out for a long period of time in
order to be effective. Retinoic acid is especially helpful in the early stages
of stretch mark development.
Tretinoin skin creams |
These products have been
developed based on the understanding that proper hydration is essential for
maintaining the integrity and barrier function of skin. However there is little
conclusive scientific data for these creams. There are a few studies that have
shows some effectiveness, although these must be confirmed by larger studies.
The product Trofolastin
made by Novartis has been tested in one study and shown to confer some benefits
in pregnant women. The plant extract of Centella asiatica found in the product
was proposed to stimulate fibroblastic (skin cell) activity and exert an
antagonistic effect against glucocorticoids which are catabolic hormones that
also cause stretch marks.
Trofolastin is based on Centella asiatica and hydrolysed collagen |
Hyaluronic acid is common in skincare products |
A number of stretch mark
creams are based on cocoa and shea butter.
Way before scientific studies analysed their effectiveness these have
been used in several countries and there are anecdotal report that they work
although scientific studies say otherwise. The use of cocoa and shea butter is
very common among bodybuilders to prevent stretch marks and improve their
appearance. Other products like sweet almond oil, wheat germ oil, olive oil,
avocado oil, and castor oil are also used as a means to keep the skin hydrated
although these have not been evaluated.
Products based on cocoa butter |
Summary of topical products and their suggested mode of action (Click to enlarge) |
Microdermabrasion is a
procedure that uses a mechanical process to remove dead skin cells from the
epidermal layer fo the skin. This procedure is painless and can be carried out
by a trained skincare specialist. The principle is illustrated in the diagram
below. A typical microdermabrasion system uses a stream of inert crystals of
Aluminium oxide, magnesium oxide, sodium chloride or sodium bicarbonate to
abrade the skin using a pump and a vacuum system. Abrasium of the dead layer of
the epidermis allows skin regeneration to take place. This technique is
commonly employed in cosmetics to help decrease the appearance of lines,
wrinkles, acne and acne scars and also to improve the skin penetration of skin
care products and medications.
Microdermabrasion principle |
Microdermabrasion is painless, non-invasive and requires no anaesthetic. It can be carried out by a trained skincare technician. |
Laser treatment are also
being used to improve stretch marks by stimulating connective tissue
regeneration but their effectiveness is still subject to scientific evaluation.
They hold a lot of promise, however. Again, I am unsure whether laser treatment
is available in Mauritius. I have included the table below for those willing to
know more about laser treatment.
Avoid rapid weight fluctuations
To conclude, I would advise to avoid gaining or losing weight too fast and rather adopt a gradual approach in order to minimize mechanical stress on the skin epidermal layer. Hormones, skin hydration or genetic factors aside I believe that rapid weight fluctuations are a major cause of stretch marks. When bulking up I would suggest to use a skin hydration cream as mentioned above containing a combination of ingredients already discussed. Apply the creams in regions where stretch marks are most likely to develop.
To conclude, I would advise to avoid gaining or losing weight too fast and rather adopt a gradual approach in order to minimize mechanical stress on the skin epidermal layer. Hormones, skin hydration or genetic factors aside I believe that rapid weight fluctuations are a major cause of stretch marks. When bulking up I would suggest to use a skin hydration cream as mentioned above containing a combination of ingredients already discussed. Apply the creams in regions where stretch marks are most likely to develop.
Secondly, if taking
steroidal anti-inflammatory products like corticosteroids keep an eye on the
development of stretch marks. Should they develop do not hesitate to highlight
this to your doctor in order to envisage the possibility of adjusting (if
possible) the dosage of hormones.
Thirdly, it may be wise to
speak to a doctor, pharmacist or dermatologist before using topical creams or
lotions especially those containing chemical ingredients like Retinoic acid and
antagonists of corticosteroids. This is especially true if you are on certain
medications (topical or systemic) whereby drug interactions may occur.
Finally, it is not the end
of the world if we have stretch marks. Those who have them must learn to live
with them. Those who can prevent them must do their best to prevent them. At
the end of the day, a lot of people have far more serious skin complications. Therefore, a few
marks on the skin as a result of bodybuilding or weight loss is not the end of
the world.
STRETCH MARKS: THEY'RE THE BATTLE SCARS. WEAR THEM WITH PRIDE
References:
1. Mohammed L Elsaie, Leslie S Baumann and Lofty T Elsaie. Striae Distensae (Stretch Marks) and
Different Modalities of Therapy: An Update. Dermatol Surg 2009;35:563–573
2. Buchanan K, Fletcher
HM, Reid M. Prevention of striae gravidarum with cocoa butter cream. Int J
Gynaecol Obstet. 2010 Jan;108(1):65-8
3. Osman H, Usta IM,
Rubeiz N, Abu-Rustum R, Charara I, Nassar AH. Cocoa butter lotion for
prevention of striae gravidarum: a double-blind, randomised and
placebo-controlled trial. BJOG. 2008 Aug;115(9):1138-42.
4. Mahesh Masand.
Physiological striae in adolescence: not physical abuse. Emerg Med J 2012;29:9
doi:10.1136/emermed-2011-200666
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