Stretch marks
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LydiaZembower
Posts: 136 Member
My son, who is a body builder, is suddenly getting stretch marks all over his abdomen. Any ideas why they have all of a sudden appeared. They are dark in color. His previous ones where his shoulders and arms meet weren't like that. They were the normal whitish ones. Any advice?
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Replies
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Most stretch marks that come in are dark at first. It usually means that they are new. Over town they will fade. Lotion and sun can help with the color. It could also mean they are larger in size. How old is your son and how big is he?0
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He is 22 and has been body building since he was 16. He can lift over 200 pounds. He feels he can no longer take off his shirt and I feel sorry for him. I took him to the doctor so that they can run tests to make sure it isn't due to hormones. He weighs 235 lb and is 6'1''.0
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It shouldn't be possible to put on muscle so fast that you get stretch marks, especially if he's been body building for 5 years. If it's not from fat, he's probably juicing or using synth oil. Either spells trouble.
I could be wrong, and he could be a genetic freak of nature. But I would be astonished if I were.
http://www.ironmanmagazine.com/anabolic-steroids-and-the-skin/
http://www.pwnfitness.com/how-spot-steroid-user/0 -
Have the doctor test for high cortisol, which can cause abdominal stretch marks.0
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MamaBirdBoss wrote: »It shouldn't be possible to put on muscle so fast that you get stretch marks, especially if he's been body building for 5 years. If it's not from fat, he's probably juicing or using synth oil. Either spells trouble.
I could be wrong, and he could be a genetic freak of nature. But I would be astonished if I were.
http://www.ironmanmagazine.com/anabolic-steroids-and-the-skin/
http://www.pwnfitness.com/how-spot-steroid-user/
plz go.0 -
Stretch marks with body builders are common. It's just part of the process.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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MamaBirdBoss wrote: »It shouldn't be possible to put on muscle so fast that you get stretch marks, especially if he's been body building for 5 years. If it's not from fat, he's probably juicing or using synth oil. Either spells trouble.
I could be wrong, and he could be a genetic freak of nature. But I would be astonished if I were.
http://www.ironmanmagazine.com/anabolic-steroids-and-the-skin/
http://www.pwnfitness.com/how-spot-steroid-user/
No. During bodybuilding it is possibly to naturally grow faster than his skin stretches. He's 22 and hitting the prime of his testosterone levels. He's built enough muscle maturity at a young age to ensure his current growth has a solid foundation, resulting in gains that are faster than his skin can deal with.
Stretch marks are very common in natural and drug tested bodybuilders.0 -
MamaBirdBoss wrote: »It shouldn't be possible to put on muscle so fast that you get stretch marks, especially if he's been body building for 5 years. If it's not from fat, he's probably juicing or using synth oil. Either spells trouble.
I could be wrong, and he could be a genetic freak of nature. But I would be astonished if I were.
http://www.ironmanmagazine.com/anabolic-steroids-and-the-skin/
http://www.pwnfitness.com/how-spot-steroid-user/
No. During bodybuilding it is possibly to naturally grow faster than his skin stretches. He's 22 and hitting the prime of his testosterone levels. He's built enough muscle maturity at a young age to ensure his current growth has a solid foundation, resulting in gains that are faster than his skin can deal with.
Stretch marks are very common in natural and drug tested bodybuilders.
Exactly. It sounds like he started lifting when he was 16, so 6 years is plenty of time to build substantial muscle mass. Especially as usmcmp mentioned; he's at his peak of testosterone production. Not sure why everybody jumps to steroid usage, yeesh...0 -
Considering that women, even those who don't gain a ton of weight, usually end up with stretch marks after 9 months of pregnancy, a male at his peak could certainly put on weight fast enough to end up with them.0
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MamaBirdBoss wrote: »It shouldn't be possible to put on muscle so fast that you get stretch marks, especially if he's been body building for 5 years. If it's not from fat, he's probably juicing or using synth oil. Either spells trouble.
I could be wrong, and he could be a genetic freak of nature. But I would be astonished if I were.
http://www.ironmanmagazine.com/anabolic-steroids-and-the-skin/
http://www.pwnfitness.com/how-spot-steroid-user/
No. During bodybuilding it is possibly to naturally grow faster than his skin stretches. He's 22 and hitting the prime of his testosterone levels. He's built enough muscle maturity at a young age to ensure his current growth has a solid foundation, resulting in gains that are faster than his skin can deal with.
Stretch marks are very common in natural and drug tested bodybuilders.
Not only that but it's entirely possible the skin simply WONT grow as the underlying tissue dose without stretchmarks. Regardless of how fast or slow the process is.
A guy I subbed to on YouTube once answered a question like this. First he showed off some of his own marks then explained that if your goal is to pile on muscle stretchmarks are likely to happen, and that they should be seen as marks of progress rather than shameful or embarrassing.
If you work with your hands you wouldn't be ashamed of calluses.0 -
His cortisol levels came back normal. He did have a high creatinine level though. He has stopped taking creatinine powder a few days before the test thinking that may have been the culprit. He is pretty much secluded as we live in Germany, he doesn't go anywhere but the gym on base, so he can't get steroids. He stated he has never used them as they are bad for his health. Plus, he has no money!! Could taking the creatinine have caused his abdominal muscles to swell enough to have caused this? I know creatinine increases the amount of water in muscles and weight gain. If so, they really should state that as a caution!0
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LydiaZembower wrote: »His cortisol levels came back normal. He did have a high creatinine level though. He has stopped taking creatinine powder a few days before the test thinking that may have been the culprit. He is pretty much secluded as we live in Germany, he doesn't go anywhere but the gym on base, so he can't get steroids. He stated he has never used them as they are bad for his health. Plus, he has no money!! Could taking the creatinine have caused his abdominal muscles to swell enough to have caused this? I know creatinine increases the amount of water in muscles and weight gain. If so, they really should state that as a caution!
Higher creatinine levels are directly related to taking creatine. Unless he has shown other signs of kidney distress there is no need to worry. Creatine would only cause his stomach to swell if he was sensitive to it, but he would show other digestive issues as well. Creatine won't put that much water in his abdominal muscles to cause stretch marks. Stretch marks are a natural result of building muscle for people who have the goal of having big muscles. His choices are to moisturize and accept that stretch marks will happen or give up on having bigger muscles to spare his body from stretch marks.0 -
Considering that women, even those who don't gain a ton of weight, usually end up with stretch marks after 9 months of pregnancy, a male at his peak could certainly put on weight fast enough to end up with them.
A pregnant woman's stomach that ends up with stretch marks gains 20" plus in 9 months. Half an inch a month isn't getting any but the rarest people stretch marks. And MANY moms don't have any, even with that. If you've been in women's locker rooms at pools, you'd see that a lot of women with kids have no marks. I have none on my belly--closest thing is this fingernail-sized spot of thinned skin at the top of my belly button. I've had 3 kids. Do you REALLY think that any man, anywhere, on any drugs gains the sheer volume that a pregnant woman does in 6 months (when the size really increases)???? Women are putting on at least 30lbs usually, too, in 6 months, and most of it is water and fat (in the baby and in themselves).
If you've been lifting semi-seriously for 6 years, you're laying down maybe a pound of muscle a month. I would be seriously worried if he got stretch marks from such small changes, especially if he didn't get striae just from growth as a teen (since that would show a predisposition toward skin that has low elasticity).
Anyway, skin DOES have stretch to it. Different people's have different amounts. The use of any kind of steriod--this includes predisone and asthma inhalers--with thin the skin and make it unable to deal with the stuff skin normally has no problems with. If he as high levels of natural gluticosteriods, his skin won't work as well, either, which could be seen in a cortisol test.
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MamaBirdBoss wrote: »Considering that women, even those who don't gain a ton of weight, usually end up with stretch marks after 9 months of pregnancy, a male at his peak could certainly put on weight fast enough to end up with them.
A pregnant woman's stomach that ends up with stretch marks gains 20" plus in 9 months. Half an inch a month isn't getting any but the rarest people stretch marks. And MANY moms don't have any, even with that. If you've been in women's locker rooms at pools, you'd see that a lot of women with kids have no marks. I have none on my belly--closest thing is this fingernail-sized spot of thinned skin at the top of my belly button. I've had 3 kids. Do you REALLY think that any man, anywhere, on any drugs gains the sheer volume that a pregnant woman does in 6 months (when the size really increases)????
If you've been lifting semi-seriously for 6 years, you're laying down maybe a pound of muscle a month. I would be seriously worried if he got stretch marks from such small changes, especially if he didn't get striae just from growth as a teen (since that would show a predisposition toward skin that has low elasticity).
Anyway, skin DOES have stretch to it. Different people's have different amounts. The use of any kind of steriod--this includes predisone and asthma inhalers--with thin the skin and make it unable to deal with the stuff skin normally has no problems with. If he as high levels of natural gluticosteriods, his skin won't work as well, either, which could be seen in a cortisol test.
I am a 30 year old female who has been lifting for just a couple of years. I have normal cortisol and testosterone levels. I am a drug tested and polygraphed natural bodybuilder (my work tests for steroids and all federations I compete in test). I have stretch marks on my biceps, hips and down my legs. The only other stretch marks I have were from pregnancy, when I gained 60 pounds in 6 months.
It is entirely possible for him to not be on any type of steroid and get stretch marks, despite his cortisol coming back as normal.0 -
MamaBirdBoss wrote: »Do you REALLY think that any man, anywhere, on any drugs gains the sheer volume that a pregnant woman does in 6 months (when the size really increases)????
He's been lifting for six years, so yes he can gain that kind of volume and drug-free as well.Unless he has shown other signs of kidney distress there is no need to worry. Creatine would only cause his stomach to swell if he was sensitive to it, but he would show other digestive issues as well. Creatine won't put that much water in his abdominal muscles to cause stretch marks. Stretch marks are a natural result of building muscle for people who have the goal of having big muscles. His choices are to moisturize and accept that stretch marks will happen or give up on having bigger muscles to spare his body from stretch marks.
I agree. I read quite a bit of peer-reviewed research related to side-effects of Creatine in healthy individuals (note the healthy disclaimer) and there were no major health issues related to Creatine. At most some participants experienced mild gastro-intestinal distress. Now if you're talking about somebody that has various health complications then I guess you wouldn't really know.0 -
I've never been really really fat nor had huge legs. I have small stretch marks just above my knees on the inside from squatting *kitten* to grass.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition 0 -
MamaBirdBoss wrote: »Considering that women, even those who don't gain a ton of weight, usually end up with stretch marks after 9 months of pregnancy, a male at his peak could certainly put on weight fast enough to end up with them.
A pregnant woman's stomach that ends up with stretch marks gains 20" plus in 9 months. Half an inch a month isn't getting any but the rarest people stretch marks. And MANY moms don't have any, even with that. If you've been in women's locker rooms at pools, you'd see that a lot of women with kids have no marks. I have none on my belly--closest thing is this fingernail-sized spot of thinned skin at the top of my belly button. I've had 3 kids. Do you REALLY think that any man, anywhere, on any drugs gains the sheer volume that a pregnant woman does in 6 months (when the size really increases)???? Women are putting on at least 30lbs usually, too, in 6 months, and most of it is water and fat (in the baby and in themselves).
If you've been lifting semi-seriously for 6 years, you're laying down maybe a pound of muscle a month. I would be seriously worried if he got stretch marks from such small changes, especially if he didn't get striae just from growth as a teen (since that would show a predisposition toward skin that has low elasticity).
Anyway, skin DOES have stretch to it. Different people's have different amounts. The use of any kind of steriod--this includes predisone and asthma inhalers--with thin the skin and make it unable to deal with the stuff skin normally has no problems with. If he as high levels of natural gluticosteriods, his skin won't work as well, either, which could be seen in a cortisol test.
I'm natural and have stretch marks at my pec/shoulder tie-in, and my inner thighs.
Honestly, just stop.0 -
MamaBirdBoss wrote: »Considering that women, even those who don't gain a ton of weight, usually end up with stretch marks after 9 months of pregnancy, a male at his peak could certainly put on weight fast enough to end up with them.
A pregnant woman's stomach that ends up with stretch marks gains 20" plus in 9 months. Half an inch a month isn't getting any but the rarest people stretch marks. And MANY moms don't have any, even with that. If you've been in women's locker rooms at pools, you'd see that a lot of women with kids have no marks. I have none on my belly--closest thing is this fingernail-sized spot of thinned skin at the top of my belly button. I've had 3 kids. Do you REALLY think that any man, anywhere, on any drugs gains the sheer volume that a pregnant woman does in 6 months (when the size really increases)????
If you've been lifting semi-seriously for 6 years, you're laying down maybe a pound of muscle a month. I would be seriously worried if he got stretch marks from such small changes, especially if he didn't get striae just from growth as a teen (since that would show a predisposition toward skin that has low elasticity).
Anyway, skin DOES have stretch to it. Different people's have different amounts. The use of any kind of steriod--this includes predisone and asthma inhalers--with thin the skin and make it unable to deal with the stuff skin normally has no problems with. If he as high levels of natural gluticosteriods, his skin won't work as well, either, which could be seen in a cortisol test.
I am a 30 year old female who has been lifting for just a couple of years. I have normal cortisol and testosterone levels. I am a drug tested and polygraphed natural bodybuilder (my work tests for steroids and all federations I compete in test). I have stretch marks on my biceps, hips and down my legs. The only other stretch marks I have were from pregnancy, when I gained 60 pounds in 6 months.
It is entirely possible for him to not be on any type of steroid and get stretch marks, despite his cortisol coming back as normal.
Guess I'm just lucky, then. When I was taking weightlifting as a course and going for bulk, I got 1.5" gains in both thighs and biceps in three months and didn't have a twinge, much less a mark. My husband has terrifically thin skin, and after I got him into weight lifting, he built a bit then maintained at the same weight for several years. Then he got more interested for a while and gained 15lbs in about 9 months (still newbie gains because he was very casual about it before) and didn't show a mark, either.
Perhaps, if he doesn't like it, he should just slow down, then, and try to build slower?
...Or else perhaps this is more likely for those who do aggressive bulk cycles, in which they put on muscle and fat, both, and so have a faster/harder kind of gain? Because fat can go on SUPER fast and can stretch the heck out of most people, no matter how genetically gifted. If you throw on 20lbs in 2, 3 months, striae would be VERY likely....
He could also shift to lifting more for strength for a while.
Once you have stretchmarks, though, I'd think that you'd be more likely to worsen them later because the structure of the skin is fundamentally changed.0 -
MamaBirdBoss wrote: »MamaBirdBoss wrote: »Considering that women, even those who don't gain a ton of weight, usually end up with stretch marks after 9 months of pregnancy, a male at his peak could certainly put on weight fast enough to end up with them.
A pregnant woman's stomach that ends up with stretch marks gains 20" plus in 9 months. Half an inch a month isn't getting any but the rarest people stretch marks. And MANY moms don't have any, even with that. If you've been in women's locker rooms at pools, you'd see that a lot of women with kids have no marks. I have none on my belly--closest thing is this fingernail-sized spot of thinned skin at the top of my belly button. I've had 3 kids. Do you REALLY think that any man, anywhere, on any drugs gains the sheer volume that a pregnant woman does in 6 months (when the size really increases)????
If you've been lifting semi-seriously for 6 years, you're laying down maybe a pound of muscle a month. I would be seriously worried if he got stretch marks from such small changes, especially if he didn't get striae just from growth as a teen (since that would show a predisposition toward skin that has low elasticity).
Anyway, skin DOES have stretch to it. Different people's have different amounts. The use of any kind of steriod--this includes predisone and asthma inhalers--with thin the skin and make it unable to deal with the stuff skin normally has no problems with. If he as high levels of natural gluticosteriods, his skin won't work as well, either, which could be seen in a cortisol test.
I am a 30 year old female who has been lifting for just a couple of years. I have normal cortisol and testosterone levels. I am a drug tested and polygraphed natural bodybuilder (my work tests for steroids and all federations I compete in test). I have stretch marks on my biceps, hips and down my legs. The only other stretch marks I have were from pregnancy, when I gained 60 pounds in 6 months.
It is entirely possible for him to not be on any type of steroid and get stretch marks, despite his cortisol coming back as normal.
Guess I'm just lucky, then. When I was taking weightlifting as a course and going for bulk, I got 1.5" gains in both thighs and biceps in three months and didn't have a twinge, much less a mark. My husband has terrifically thin skin, and after I got him into weight lifting, he built a bit then maintained at the same weight for several years. Then he got more interested for a while and gained 15lbs in about 9 months (still newbie gains because he was very casual about it before) and didn't show a mark, either.
Perhaps, if he doesn't like it, he should just slow down, then, and try to build slower?
...Or else perhaps this is more likely for those who do aggressive bulk cycles, in which they put on muscle and fat, both, and so have a faster/harder kind of gain? Because fat can go on SUPER fast and can stretch the heck out of most people, no matter how genetically gifted. If you throw on 20lbs in 2, 3 months, striae would be VERY likely....
He could also shift to lifting more for strength for a while.
Once you have stretchmarks, though, I'd think that you'd be more likely to worsen them later because the structure of the skin is fundamentally changed.
My stretch marks happened between shows and I was not bulking. Stretch marks happen to lots of lifters. Some get lucky and some don't. Jumping to the conclusion that he is on steroids was absurd.0 -
MamaBirdBoss wrote: »MamaBirdBoss wrote: »Considering that women, even those who don't gain a ton of weight, usually end up with stretch marks after 9 months of pregnancy, a male at his peak could certainly put on weight fast enough to end up with them.
A pregnant woman's stomach that ends up with stretch marks gains 20" plus in 9 months. Half an inch a month isn't getting any but the rarest people stretch marks. And MANY moms don't have any, even with that. If you've been in women's locker rooms at pools, you'd see that a lot of women with kids have no marks. I have none on my belly--closest thing is this fingernail-sized spot of thinned skin at the top of my belly button. I've had 3 kids. Do you REALLY think that any man, anywhere, on any drugs gains the sheer volume that a pregnant woman does in 6 months (when the size really increases)????
If you've been lifting semi-seriously for 6 years, you're laying down maybe a pound of muscle a month. I would be seriously worried if he got stretch marks from such small changes, especially if he didn't get striae just from growth as a teen (since that would show a predisposition toward skin that has low elasticity).
Anyway, skin DOES have stretch to it. Different people's have different amounts. The use of any kind of steriod--this includes predisone and asthma inhalers--with thin the skin and make it unable to deal with the stuff skin normally has no problems with. If he as high levels of natural gluticosteriods, his skin won't work as well, either, which could be seen in a cortisol test.
I am a 30 year old female who has been lifting for just a couple of years. I have normal cortisol and testosterone levels. I am a drug tested and polygraphed natural bodybuilder (my work tests for steroids and all federations I compete in test). I have stretch marks on my biceps, hips and down my legs. The only other stretch marks I have were from pregnancy, when I gained 60 pounds in 6 months.
It is entirely possible for him to not be on any type of steroid and get stretch marks, despite his cortisol coming back as normal.
Guess I'm just lucky, then. When I was taking weightlifting as a course and going for bulk, I got 1.5" gains in both thighs and biceps in three months and didn't have a twinge, much less a mark. My husband has terrifically thin skin, and after I got him into weight lifting, he built a bit then maintained at the same weight for several years. Then he got more interested for a while and gained 15lbs in about 9 months (still newbie gains because he was very casual about it before) and didn't show a mark, either.
Perhaps, if he doesn't like it, he should just slow down, then, and try to build slower?
...Or else perhaps this is more likely for those who do aggressive bulk cycles, in which they put on muscle and fat, both, and so have a faster/harder kind of gain? Because fat can go on SUPER fast and can stretch the heck out of most people, no matter how genetically gifted. If you throw on 20lbs in 2, 3 months, striae would be VERY likely....
He could also shift to lifting more for strength for a while.
Once you have stretchmarks, though, I'd think that you'd be more likely to worsen them later because the structure of the skin is fundamentally changed.
My stretch marks happened between shows and I was not bulking. Stretch marks happen to lots of lifters. Some get lucky and some don't. Jumping to the conclusion that he is on steroids was absurd.
I'm sorry.
I was mistaken, making assumptions from what I saw in the past. The guys at my old gym who had stretch marks that were obvious from a distance were also VERY obvious juicers, with the weirdly puffy shoulders and delts and triceps and then ridiculously under-developed forearms--the SOFT muscles that bad juicers get. I never saw it on anyone else, but of course they could have had more "normal" stretch marks and I wouldn't have noticed because I kept myself to myself. I'm a gym introvert! 0
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