You’ve recently noticed stretch marks appearing on your thighs, stomach or chest. Panic sets in — you’re not sure what to do, and these marks are making you a little anxious. And to top it off, your stretch marks aren’t white, they’re purple, which makes them anything but discreet! Let us walk you through everything, calmly.
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Causes of purple stretch marks
Les stretch marks, or striae distensiae, are micro-tears in the elastic fibres of the skin’s deeper layers. These tears are caused by a sudden and intense stretching of the skin which, under tension, “breaks” in places.
In the dermis (the middle layer of the skin), collagen and elastin fibres provide the skin with its suppleness and elasticity. But when subjected to sudden distension, they rupture. The result is visible at the surface of the skin: stretch marks.
The causes of stretch marks are varied. Among the most common:
1- Puberty
These are known as growth stretch marks, typical of adolescence. They are triggered by a mismatch between bone growth (as a child becomes a teenager and reaches adult height) and skin growth. When growth spurts are rapid and intense, purple stretch marks can appear on a teenager’s skin — on the thighs, legs, lower back, and chest in girls.
2- Pregnancy
Pregnancy is perhaps one of the most common circumstances in which purple stretch marks appear. The belly grows month by month during gestation. The dermis, subjected to increasing and rapid stretching, sometimes lacks the elasticity needed to keep up. Under the pressure, the elastic fibres give way and stretch marks appear. Pregnant women may also notice stretch marks on their hips and chest, due to the weight gain that naturally comes with pregnancy.
3- Weight fluctuations
Rapid weight loss or gain, as well as yo-yo dieting, are factors that encourage the appearance of stretch marks. The skin, despite its remarkable suppleness, is vulnerable when subjected to repeated distension. When the demand for elasticity caused by significant weight changes becomes too great, collagen fibres will break.
4- Significant muscle mass gain
Purple stretch marks can affect dedicated athletes. Weight gain and muscle mass gain place a similar strain on the dermis. It is therefore not uncommon to see people who train regularly (particularly in weightlifting, high-impact sports, powerlifting…) develop stretch marks on the shoulders, arms, pectorals or chest, and calves.
5- Stress
Sustained stress or prolonged anxiety triggers a hormonal response in the body. The adrenal glands overproduce cortisol, a hormone released in response to stressful situations. Naturally present in the body, cortisol is necessary — however, elevated cortisol levels in the blood can have damaging effects on the skin and blood capillaries, and may lead to the appearance of purple stretch marks.
6- Medication
Cortisone-based medications and hormonal treatments (contraceptive pill, hormone replacement therapy) can, over time, have a detrimental effect on the quality of the dermis and on microcirculation. Stretch marks may therefore appear following prolonged use of this type of treatment.
7- A pathological cause
Cushing’s syndrome, or chronic hypercortisolism, is a chronic condition of the adrenal gland. The body, out of balance, produces more cortisol than it needs. Among the consequences of this condition: the appearance of wide, vertical, purple stretch marks on the abdomen.
Why are my stretch marks purple?
When they first appear, stretch marks are often coloured. They may turn pink, red or take on a purplish hue.
The colour of stretch marks reflects how recently they have appeared and, by extension, the degree of subcutaneous inflammation. The dermis has sustained a recent injury, so the atrophic skin lesions are still immature and pigmented.
The purple colouration of stretch marks is actually the body’s response to these lesions. The skin’s immune cells get to work on healing and rebuilding an elastic network.
What can you do to reduce purple stretch marks?
The time to treat stretch marks is when they are still coloured. The inflammatory stage is actually an opportunity: the skin, actively healing, is more receptive to treatment. Purple stretch marks addressed early on have a much better chance of fading than white stretch marks, which are mature and deeply set.
Tip #1: nourish from within
Skin health starts from the inside. When stretch marks develop, staying well hydrated is essential — the dermis needs water to heal. Diet also plays a key role. Your meals should provide the nutrients your skin needs to repair and rebuild quickly. Focus on foods rich in:
- Vitamin C: fresh produce such as blackcurrants, kiwi, citrus fruits, peppers and parsley.
- Vitamin A: offal such as liver, and dairy products.
- Vitamin B5: brewer’s yeast, wheat germ. Cheese-
- Vitamin E: vegetable oils, nuts and dried fruits, seafood.
- Copper: offal such as liver, cocoa, shellfish.
- Silicon: dehydrated foods (soups, coffee).
- Zinc: meat, oysters, wholegrains and nuts.
Tip #2: treating purple stretch marks
- Medical treatment for stretch marks
Several dermatological techniques are now used in an attempt to eliminate stretch marks. With varying degrees of effectiveness, they are often costly and require consultations (not covered by insurance, as they are cosmetic in nature) with specialist practitioners.
These include mechanical techniques (peeling, dermabrasion), which aim to exfoliate the upper layers of the skin to stimulate cell renewal; as well as laser, pulsed light, LED photo-stimulation and radiofrequency, procedures designed to encourage collagen production; and injections.
- Topical treatment for stretch marks
The cosmetics world has developed formulations based on plant-derived ingredients to help reduce stretch marks and deeply nourish and repair the skin. Certain plant oils, plant butters and essential oils are particularly beneficial for rebuilding the dermis, thanks to their richness in vitamins and antioxidants (flavonoids and tannoids).
Our Stretch Mark Routine harnesses the power of nature and draws inspiration from the best medical techniques to help you visibly improve the appearance of purple stretch marks.
- The Dry Massage Brush exfoliates the skin to optimise the effectiveness of stretch mark treatments and massages. Its bristles and nodules stimulate the lymphatic system and deeply release toxins and impurities from the skin.
- The Anti-Stretch Mark Treatment Oil, a blend of 6 nourishing and restorative oils, works on both the prevention and healing of stretch marks. Used daily, it visibly reduces the appearance of purple stretch marks. 95% of women who have used it noticed a reduction in the visible appearance of their stretch marks (both old and new).
- The Anti-Stretch Mark Cream with its velvety texture (cocoa butter and macadamia oil) strengthens skin elasticity and helps reduce the appearance of purple stretch marks. After 14 days of use, women noticed a significant improvement in the creviced appearance of their stretch marks — including older, white stretch marks.
Kelly’s review of this routine:Highly effective ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5Just 2 days of use and I’m already seeing results. I’ve only tried the oil and the milk so far and I’m absolutely delighted — I had red stretch marks and they’re completely invisible now. I’m blown away by how well it works.
This gentle routine, with no contraindications for pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers, is an effective solution for preventing or treating inflammatory purple stretch marks, with the utmost respect for your skin.