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Book

Striae Distensae

Beverly A. Mikes  1 , Amanda M. Oakley  2 , Bhupendra C. Patel  3
In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan.
.
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Book

Striae Distensae

Beverly A. Mikes et al.
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Excerpt

Striae distensae, commonly known as stretch marks, are a common dermatological concern that can lead to significant cosmetic and psychological distress. They typically develop in areas of the body subject to rapid stretching, including the abdomen, buttocks, thighs, breasts, back, axillae, and groin. These marks are classified according to their appearance or epidemiology as follows:

  1. Striae atrophicans (characterized by thinned skin)

  2. Striae gravidarum (following pregnancy)

  3. Striae rubrae (red in color)

  4. Striae albae (white in color)

  5. Striae nigra (black in color)

  6. Striae caerulea (dark blue in color)

Although striae are benign and asymptomatic, they remain a common concern in both dermatology and aesthetic medicine. For clinicians, it is crucial to differentiate striae from other linear dermatoses (eg, linear morphea or anetoderma) and to be familiar with evidence-based prevention and treatment modalities, ranging from topical therapies and laser treatments to microneedling and emerging regenerative technologies.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure: Beverly Mikes declares no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.

Disclosure: Amanda Oakley declares no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.

Disclosure: Bhupendra Patel declares no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.

References

    1. Farahnik B, Park K, Kroumpouzos G, Murase J. Striae gravidarum: Risk factors, prevention, and management. Int J Womens Dermatol. 2017 Jun;3(2):77-85. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Al-Himdani S, Ud-Din S, Gilmore S, Bayat A. Striae distensae: a comprehensive review and evidence-based evaluation of prophylaxis and treatment. Br J Dermatol. 2014 Mar;170(3):527-47. - PubMed
    1. Lurie S, Matas Z, Fux A, Golan A, Sadan O. Association of serum relaxin with striae gravidarum in pregnant women. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2011 Feb;283(2):219-22. - PubMed
    1. Wang F, Calderone K, Smith NR, Do TT, Helfrich YR, Johnson TR, Kang S, Voorhees JJ, Fisher GJ. Marked disruption and aberrant regulation of elastic fibres in early striae gravidarum. Br J Dermatol. 2015 Dec;173(6):1420-30. - PubMed
    1. Neve S, Kirtschig G. Elastotic striae associated with striae distensae after application of very potent topical corticosteroids. Clin Exp Dermatol. 2006 May;31(3):461-2. - PubMed

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