Stretch marks on the shoulders

Stretch marks on the shoulders are scars in the dermis at the front of the shoulder and across the upper chest, where the skin stretched faster than it could adapt. They are the classic mark of fast muscle growth from training, and they also follow weight gain and growth spurts. Stretch Mark Removal London explains why they form, how they change and what treatment can do.

New shoulder marks are red or purple and often run from the front of the shoulder towards the chest and armpit. They fade to paler lines over a year or two. Slowing the rate of gain gives the skin longer to adapt, and marks that follow steroid medicines are worth raising with a doctor. The guide to reducing the appearance of stretch marks compares the options.

• Fast muscle growth from training the shoulders and chest
• Gaining weight quickly
• A fast growth spurt in puberty
• Some steroid creams or tablets
• A family member with stretch marks

Fast gains in muscle stretch the skin over it faster than the dermis can adapt, which is why marks appear on the shoulders, chest and biceps of people who have trained hard for a year or so. They are harmless. Gaining more gradually gives the skin longer to adapt, and keeping the skin moisturised can ease the itch of new marks. Marks that appear with the use of steroid medicines, or with other changes in the body, are a reason to speak to a GP.

Chest marks often join shoulder marks, running from the front of the shoulder across the upper chest. The NHS lists the chest among the common places for stretch marks. Large marks on the chest and tummy together with slim arms and legs, fat at the back of the neck or a rounder face are the signs the NHS asks people to show a GP.

Once the marks have stopped changing, microneedling or fractional laser can thicken the thinned skin and soften their edges over three to six sessions. Red marks may improve a good deal with time alone. Shoulders show in vests and on the beach, so a course planned to finish before the summer gives the redness and the new collagen time to settle. The guide to stretch marks in men covers the same questions from the gym.