Home Care:

There is no specific care for stretch marks. Marks often will disappear after the cause of the skin stretching is gone. Creams and ointments that claim to prevent stretch marks during pregnancy are of little value.

Avoiding rapid weight gain helps reduce stretch marks caused by obesity.

Call your health care provider if:

If striae or stretch marks appear without obvious cause such as pregnancy or rapid weight gain, call your health care provider.

What to expect at your health care provider's office:

You health care provider will examine you and ask questions about your symptoms, including:

• Is this the first time that you have developed striae?
• When did you first notice the stretchmarks?
• What medicines have you taken?
• Have you used a cortisone skin cream?
• What other symptoms do you have?

If the striae are not caused by normal physical changes, tests may be done. Topical retinoids can be prescribed and may help the appearance of striae. Laser treatment may also help. However, striae are difficult to treat.