Concern

Red stretch marks

Why stretch marks are red or purple, how long the colour takes to fade, and whether treating them early is worth it, from Stretch Mark Removal London.

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Red and purple stretch marks, explained

Red stretch marks are new stretch marks. The colour comes from blood vessels in the healing dermis, and the NHS says marks usually start off darker and fade over time. Clinically they are called striae rubrae. Stretch Mark Removal London explains why this is the stage when treatment works best, and also the stage when waiting costs nothing.

Over roughly six to twenty-four months a red or purple mark flattens, loses its colour and settles into a paler line. That fading happens without any treatment. Treatment during the red stage tends to change more than it will later, because there is still an active repair process to work with, but it also takes credit for fading that was coming anyway. The guide to types of stretch marks compares red and white marks.

What makes a stretch mark red or purple

  • The mark is new, and blood vessels in the healing dermis give it colour
  • A recent pregnancy, growth spurt or period of weight change
  • Recent use of some steroid creams or tablets
  • Rarely, a hormone condition such as Cushing's syndrome

How long red stretch marks take to fade

The redness goes; the mark stays, paler. Over six to twenty-four months most red and purple marks fade to a silver or white line that sits slightly below the skin around it. A photograph now and another in six months is the fairest way to see the change, because it is too slow to notice from day to day. Itching usually settles as the colour fades, and moisturising eases it in the meantime.

Treatment for red stretch marks

Vascular lasers target the blood vessels that give an early mark its colour and are used to reduce the redness. Microneedling and fractional laser work on texture, and on red marks they have more of a repair process to work with than on white ones. The question for a red mark is whether to pay for a change that time is already making. An assessment can answer that for your marks, and for many people the advice is to wait a few months and look again. Laser treatment for stretch marks explains the options.

When red stretch marks need a GP

Most red marks need no medical attention. The NHS advises seeing a GP if you have large stretch marks together with more fat on your chest and tummy but slim arms and legs, a build-up of fat on the back of your neck and shoulders, or a red, puffy, rounded face, because those can be signs of Cushing's syndrome. Marks that appear without pregnancy, puberty, weight change or training behind them are also worth mentioning to a GP.

Recommended treatments

  • Stretch mark treatments compared Red marks respond best to treatment, and they are also fading on their own. The guide sets out vascular laser, fractional laser and microneedling, and when waiting is the better plan.

FAQ

Red stretch marks
questions answered

Why are my stretch marks red or purple?

Because they are new. Blood vessels in the healing dermis give early marks their colour, and the NHS says marks usually start darker and fade over time. Stretch Mark Removal London notes that very wide purple marks alongside weight gain on the tummy or a rounder face are worth showing a GP.

Do red stretch marks go away on their own?

The redness fades on its own over roughly six to twenty-four months, and the mark remains as a paler line. Stretch Mark Removal London suggests photographs taken months apart to judge the change, because it is too slow to see day to day, and moisturiser in the meantime to ease itching.

Is it worth treating red stretch marks?

Sometimes. Red marks respond better to treatment than white ones, but they are also fading on their own, so treatment takes credit for some change that was coming anyway. Stretch Mark Removal London suggests an assessment, where waiting a few months is often the honest first advice.

Get Started

Describe the marks in two lines.
An assessment follows if one is worth having.

Stretch Mark Removal London • UNTIL, 111 Charing Cross Road, London WC2H 0DT

Ask for an Assessment

Send the form and get a response within 1 hour, to book your assessment for today or tomorrow. Say roughly how old the marks are and whether they are still red. UNTIL Health Concierge arranges the assessment at UNTIL Soho or Marylebone.