Could it be stretch marks?

Question

On my upper legs i have these tiny purple dent lines. Could it be stretch marks? Ive never had children and I've never been really big. What could be causing it?

Answer 1

I was a premie baby and when I started to grow, I developed purple lines on my hips. They are stretch marks. I grew fast and I was a skinny thing.

Here are some causes: Rapid weight gain
Overweight
Obesity
Pregnancy
Childbirth
Puberty
Cushing's syndrome
What Causes Stretch Marks?
It is thought that at least 90% of pregnant women, 70% of adolescent females, and 40% of adolescent males in the US develop stretch marks. Despite, striae (stretch marks) being quite common among the general population, the factors that lead its development are still poorly understood. There is no general consensus on what causes stretch marks to occur, but there are several theories.

One theory is that they develop when the skin is stretched to the point of breaking down, due to a dramatic increase in the size of tissue. This stretching of the skin is similar to elastic losing its elasticity. The actual stretch marks develop in the middle, elastic layer of the skin, called the dermis. It is made up of fibers called collagen that allow your skin to stretch and then shrink back into shape.

If this layer of skin is continuously stretched over a long period of time, the elasticity breaks down and the skin tries to remedy the problem by increasing the amount of collagen in the over stretched area. This is what then creates the scars in the dermis which show through to the epidermis (top layer of the skin).

The stretching of the skin can come about from rapid weight gain over a short space of time, such as during pregnancy. Stretch marks can also be found on children who have become quickly obese or on adolescents who have had a growth spurt during puberty. Athletes and body builders can also develop stretch marks due to constant repetitive exercises. The most common areas affected by stretch marks are the hips, breasts, buttocks, thighs and abdomen.

However, some believe that the term stretch mark is a misnomer and they are not caused by the stretching of the skin at all. It has been suggested that stretch marks are caused due to an increased level of a hormone called glucocorticoids, circulating through the bloodstream. This hormone is secreted by the adrenal glands and it is increased during pregnancy, adolescence, with obesity, Cushing��s disease and weight lifting.

The glucocorticoids affect the dermis by preventing the fibroblasts from forming collagen and elastin fibers that are required to keep growing skin taut. Dermal tearing then follows as there is a lack of supportive material when the skin is being stretched. So the stretching may determine where the stretch marks will occur but the actual stretching is not seen as cause of stretch marks.

It has also been suggested that some people are more genetically prone to stretch marks than others. Skin type may be a factor; dryer skin has less elasticity than oily skin, and more prone to stretch marks. Stretch marks can also develop more easily in skin with a high proportion of rigid cross-lined collagen that occurs in teenagers.

Another theory on the cause of stretch marks is that they can occur due to the abnormal collagen formation as a result of medications or chemicals that interfere with collagen formation. It is also suggested that some medications that are hormonal or steroid based may cause stretch marks.

Answer 2

Stretch marks information is provided at the source below.

Answer 3

i dont think those are stretch marks, those are probably varicose veins. make and appt with your dr and he/she will reffer you to a dermatologist, there is usually injections to get rid of some of them. good luck.