Stretch marks are lines found on the skin that develops because of the tissue right below tear due to over-stretching or rapid expansion. They may develop during various stages of our life. Moreover, they do affect both men and women. Men develop stretch marks possibly through extreme changes in weight and also through engaging in muscle and body building activities. On the other hand, women usually get stretch marks during pregnancy and through weight flux and hormonal changes as well.
Stretch marks develop when the dermis, which is the middle layer of our skin, gets stretched to the point that its elasticity starts to break down. This then causes some form of microscopic bleeding plus inflammation of the surrounding tissue. Thus, the affected part appears to have some raised lines, which are symptoms of newly formed stretch marks. Depending on your natural skin tone, stretch marks usually start out as reddish to dark brown or even pinkish in color. Later on, it turns into purple.
The epidermis, which is the outer layer of our skin, stretches as well. It thus becomes a bit translucent so we can see the formation of stretch marks with our naked eye. As our skin recovers, scarring takes place and causes the appearance of light-coloured lines that we typically call stretch marks. The once raised marks flatten and fade into a hue that is several shades lighter than your natural skin tone.