As body builders, you are trying to create a strong, muscular, lean, well-sculpted beautiful body that is the epitome of your physical perfection…a body in its purest physical form functioning at its peak performance.

The last thing you want to see when you flex in the mirror is a purple mark…and then more purple scars…until you realise that all the hard work of you bulking up has resulted in something you didn’t have before - stretch marks!

It is common for body builders to get stretch marks in their pecs, their legs, their arms and their shoulders.

Unfortunately, it is a very unpleasant side effect of bulking up.

Stretch marks affect different people from all walks of life for a wide variety of reasons.

Here are some of the more generally accepted ‘hormonal’ or endocrine ‘causes’, or more accurately stated, contributing factors to developing stretch marks:

1. Negative emotion, depression or extreme unhappiness (emotions are neuro-peptides and affect the processes and organs in your body)

2. Developmental factors and stages, growth and puberty for adolescents and budding your adults, (both boys and girls)

3. Vitamins and nutrient deficiencies

4. Pregnancy

5. Rapid weight gain or weight loss

6. Sudden change in physical or environmental conditions

7. Medications and steroid use

8. Insufficient skin properties, building blocks and elements, like collagen and elastin (the main ingredients and connective tissue of your skin)

Stretch marks also vary in their appearance…from a slight pinkish red, pale skin-coloration, purple, to silvery white. These are reflective of the different stages of stretch mark development.

Worrying about your stretch marks does not mean that you are superficial, worrying for nothing, or vain. For most of us, stretch marks are a highly personal and intimate matter.

Thankfully, modern science, technology and advancements afford us great ways of addressing and even reducing the appearance and severity of stretch marks.

Medical breakthroughs and even laser-type surgery and treatments leave consumers with lots of choices and options (some easier to live with, less side effects, risk and cheaper than others!).

Some stretch mark procedures are more time-consuming and costly and their impact and consequences you might not always have bargained on, budgeted for or counted among possibilities or risks. This is highly unfortunate. Skin coloration and/or permanent scars are just some of these examples.

Peel-type treatments can be painful and have to be taken repeatedly and these treatments are outside the budgets of many household and personal budgets to be realistic and viable.

Plastic and cosmetic surgery and invasive procedures are still an upscale option for those who can scrape together the dollars to get the job done. The results however will vary and there are no guarantees. As things stand today, there is no ONE sure-fire way to totally prevent, correct or get rid of stretch marks.

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