Thinner people don’t get stretch marks.

While weight gain is one of the causes of stretch marks, growth spurts, puberty, hormonal changes and rapid weight gain or loss can contribute to stretch marks for those who are skinny. Stretch marks can also easily appear if your body is not well hydrated or cared for (in terms of your diet, health, etc.)

Stretch marks are only caused by skin stretching.

Skin stretching isn’t the only reason why there are small tears in the dermis layer. Stress, medication, hormonal changes during pregnancy and even genetics can play a part.

Stretch marks will disappear if you lose weight.

Many people have the misconception that if gaining weight leads to stretch marks, losing weight will reverse that effect. However, stretch marks are actually scars formed from tears in the dermis and the damage cannot be repaired. Losing weight simply reduces the stretching on your skin so you are less likely to get more stretch marks but that doesn’t mean you can get rid of the existing ones. Rapid weight loss can even make your stretch marks more obvious.

Stretch marks will heal over time on their own,

Similar to how scars don’t heal even over an extended period of time, stretch marks will not heal too. This is because the elastin protein fibers in the dermis layer of your skin have been damaged. However, even if they do not heal, their appearance may fade over time. Typically, topical creams or treatments can be used to improve or reduce their appearance.

Only women get stretch marks.

Stretch marks can happen to both men and women since they are caused by the stretching of the skin. This can occur due to growth spurts, weight gain or loss, puberty and hormonal disorders which can also happen to men. Bodybuilding or intense workouts can also increase the chances of stretch marks appearing on your body.

Stretch marks only occur on the tummy.

Stretch marks can occur anywhere on your body where growth has outpaced your skin’s ability to stretch. Areas particularly prone to scarring are your hips, thighs, lower belly, chest and where your skin can be stretched through weight gain or loss.

All women will get stretch marks after pregnancy

Not all women get stretch marks after pregnancy. Some are lucky not to have stretch marks throughout their pregnancy journey. Whether you get them or not really depends on your skin type, and how elastic it is.

Tanning can help cover up stretch marks.

Stretch marks are typically a lighter color than the rest of your skin. When it comes to tanning, stretch marks don’t tan, so as the surrounding areas of your skin darken, it will actually make the stretch marks more obvious. Remember to take note of your skin health if you do head out in the sun.

There are no treatments for stretch marks.

There are treatments available that can minimize the appearance of stretch marks and help you reduce your chances of developing stretch marks in the future, although their effectiveness can vary. Stretch mark creams enable you to supply your skin with nutrients to reduce the appearance of white stretch marks, lighten red stretch marks, or make them look less obvious overall. For people with darker skin who may have more obvious stretch marks, there are also treatments and creams available in the market, designed to cater to them.