Are stretch marks permanent? What changes over time
Stretch marks fade from red to silvery white on their own. What causes them, how care helps them look softer, and when a mark is worth showing a doctor.
Partly. A stretch mark rarely disappears completely, but it will not stay looking the way it looks today either.
A fresh mark is pink, red or purple, or a darker brown on deeper skin tones. Over the months after it appears, it fades to a pale, silvery line that sits much closer to the colour of the skin around it. That change happens on its own. It is the most reassuring thing to know about stretch marks, and the NHS says the same: after the birth they usually fade into paler lines and become less noticeable.
What a stretch mark is
The dermis is the middle layer of your skin. Collagen and elastic fibres there give skin its strength and its spring. When skin stretches faster than the dermis can adapt, those fibres are pulled apart, and a narrow line forms on the surface where they broke.
They are very common. The NHS puts it at around 8 in 10 pregnant women, and DermNet notes they are common in teenagers too, as bodies grow quickly. Stretch marks are not harmful to you or your baby.
The itch usually comes first
You often feel them before you see them. Skin that is stretching tends to feel dry, tight and itchy, especially across the bump in the heat and humidity of a Malaysian afternoon.
Scratching makes things worse, because it roughens skin that is already under strain. Moisturising earns its place here. It softens the dry, tight feeling and keeps skin supple while it stretches. Our guide to itchy skin in pregnancy has more ideas.
Intense itching on your palms and soles, worse at night and with no rash, is different. It can be a sign of a liver condition of pregnancy called intrahepatic cholestasis. Tell your doctor or klinik kesihatan the same day.
Why they happen
- Your genes, more than anything else. If your mother had stretch marks, you are more likely to get them
- Weight changing quickly, up or down
- Growth spurts in puberty
- Long-term use of strong steroid creams, or steroid tablets
- Some medical conditions, such as Cushing's syndrome
In pregnancy, carrying twins or a larger baby stretches the skin faster, so the odds go up.
Red marks and silvery marks
Red, pink or purple means the mark is new. There is still a blood supply under it, and new marks respond better to care.
Silvery white means the mark has matured. It is harder to change, though it can still be made to look softer.
You cannot stop the colour change, and you would not want to, because it is part of the fading. What you can work on is how noticeable the end result is.
What care can do
The NHS is clear that there is limited evidence that any cream stops stretch marks from forming, because genes and how fast you grow play such a big part. Daily moisturising still makes a real difference to how your skin feels and, over time, to how your marks look.
Worth doing every day, from early in pregnancy:
- Moisturise your belly, breasts, hips and thighs morning and night
- Gain weight steadily, following the target your doctor or klinik kesihatan gives you
- Eat enough protein and drink plenty of water, especially in hot weather
- Avoid steroid creams unless a doctor has prescribed them
Our stretch mark care
Mama's Choice Stretch Mark Cream deeply moisturises skin as it stretches, keeps it soft and supple and helps prevent stretch marks. It is made with aloe vera, Lipobelle Soyaglycone, shea butter, olive oil and jojoba oil, and it feels cool and sinks in quickly. In a Mama's Choice satisfaction survey of 78 mothers in Indonesia (2022), 91% felt their stretch marks looked less visible and 88% felt fewer new stretch marks appeared while they used it.
For marks you already have, the Stretch Mark Serum is lighter, with niacinamide, Japanese mugwort and bisabolol. It helps reduce the look of stretch marks and dark spots. In a Mama's Choice use test with 29 mothers in Indonesia (2022), 90% agreed their stretch marks looked less noticeable.
Serum first on the marks, then cream over the whole area that is stretching. Both are formulated for pregnancy and breastfeeding and halal certified by BPJPH, Indonesia, and you can buy them together as the Stretch Mark Cream and Serum set. Results differ from person to person, and doing it every day matters more than which one you start with.
When to get them looked at
Stretch marks almost never need a doctor. See one if:
- They appear very fast and widely without any weight gain
- Your skin feels unusually thin and bruises easily
- A mark is painful, warm, or ringed with spreading redness
- Weight is building up on your tummy, upper back and face while your arms and legs stay thin
That combination can point to a hormonal condition such as Cushing's syndrome, which needs checking in its own right.
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This article is for information only and is not a substitute for diagnosis or medical advice. Please talk to your doctor about your own situation.
