Stretch Marks in Teen Boys

[Tammi K]

Has anyone else had a son develop stretch marks around the arm and shoulder area in the teen years?

 

DS (16) is athletic - he skates ice dance so it involves lifting a partner and he also has reintroduced himself to gymnastics. He is  solid, muscular, and at 5'6" about 150lb.  He is in no way fat or overweight. He's a rock.  I assume the muscle growth is what is responsible for the stretch marks but I don't recall ever seeing them on other teen boys. 

 

My older son is quite strong but he's a rail thin 6'2" and about 120lb dripping wet. So, I can't use him as a comparison. 

[LucyStoner]

I've seen stretch marks on the arms of men at the gym.

 

No experience in my family. My husband and teen son are both wiry.

[Cinder]

My ds got stretch marks on his back after a major growth spurt around 15yo. A friend's ds got them on his legs around the same age, also growth spurt.

[mom@shiloh]

At least one of my dd got them on her outside of her upper legs when she was a teenager.

[Elfknitter.#]

I have known dh since he was a teen boy. The ones near his chest and sides were due to strength training for football.

Edited April 1, 2017 by Elfknitter.#

[zoobie]

My DD got them on her inner thighs when she grew 4" seemingly overnight. They faded quickly.

 

I had an old boyfriend in high school who had them on his shoulders, upper/under arms, and where they joined on his back. He is Italian and has a darker skin tone, plus he grew right after summer break (tan vs no tan). The stretch marks stood out because they were much paler. We were at an indoor pool and he was self conscious about them. I don't know if they faded. He's got his shirt on in FB pics these days. ;)

Edited April 1, 2017 by zoobie

[Kassia]

My ds got stretch marks on his back after a major growth spurt around 15yo. 

 

One of mine did, too.  I had never seen anything like it before.  

[JudoMom]

Yes. Ds17 & ds16 both have them on their backs. They happened when they grew, though their both athletic (one's a rock climber, one's a former gymnast turned football player, and they lift weights together). Ds14 just started his growth spurt; it'll be interesting to see if he develops them.

 

Pediatrician said they're fairly common.

[GoVanGogh]

My 15 yr old son has massive stretch marks and has for the past year. All across his shoulders (front and back) and down his back. He sees doctors on a regular basis because of chronic health issues and they all say how common it is for teen boys. One of the doctors recommended some product to help fade the marks, but my son wasn't interested.

I had awful stretch marks at that age, but on hips and chest. DH never had any, but he didn't fill out until he was in his mid 20s. Our son had already shot up several inches without any stretch marks. He gained ten pounds last year - where, we don't know, because he is still a bean pole! (He went from underweight to just barely not underweight) He got the stretch marks with the weight gain.

[bethben]

My 16 year old son has them in the middle of his back.  I've never seen anything like that either.  They are starting to fade a bit, but in 3 years, he grew 10 inches and a lot of width (muscle), so I guess I should expect that.

[sarasue7272]

My DH has them on his lower back from growing a foot in a year. A boyfriend I had in high school had them on his arms from working out. I have some on my upper thighs/hip area since I was a skinny teenager. It's just from stretching of the skin right?

[UncleEJ]

DH is tall and has them on his lower back and calves from growing. The way my older DS is growing, I expect he will end up with them also. 

[foxbridgeacademy]

DS has a big one on each shoulder (front side just below socket) that are horizontal.  Dh has 3 horizontal marks on each side of his spine.  Both had rapid growth spurts just prior.  DD has 1 set on her back even though she's still tiny (and likely to stay that way).  

[Spryte]

Probably stretch marks from his exercise? Is that common in skaters doing what he does? If not:

 

Bartonella.

 

I am surprised no one has mentioned it.

 

Stretch marks are a common sign of bartonellosis. It can also be called Cat Scratch Fever, but is more commonly transmitted by chiggers and ticks. It causes stretch marks. Google bartonella rash for pics. Or bartonella stretch marks. Often people don't remember a bite.

 

The main concern in teens, that I rarely see addressed is that it causes an increase in depression, suicidal ideation, and what looks alike mental illness but goes away with treatment.

 

Sadly, I and my adult DSS have had this. Mine from ticks, his from chiggers.

[Laurie4b]

Yes, on their backs as teens. I haven't noticed them lately. Maybe they faded?  I think it was natural growth+ sports training.

[solascriptura]

Yeah. My dh has them from his teenage years. However, he did weight lifting then.