Stretch Marks on Kids

Children of all ages are prone to growth spurts, which in some cases can cause stretch marks to appear. The rapid increase in weight and size sometimes causes the skin to stretch a little farther than it is ready for, which can create small white lines.

Sometimes children also lose weight quickly or suddenly. This is usually the result of a health issue, such as a bad case of the flu, or dehydration. In this case, the skin doesn't always have the required elasticity needed to keep proper form and the child will have some stretch marks.

Luckily, preadolescent children will mostly likely not have permanent or deep scarring from their growth spurts. As the child's body and skin grows and matures, the scarring from weight changes will fade on their own and are barely noticeable into adulthood. The outer layers of skin, as well as the internal cells beneath the skin will continue to regenerate as your child grows.

However, if the stretch marks appear deep or have a dark, bruise-like colour, applying some hydrating moisturizer or stretch mark cream should help the skin with the regeneration process. Hydration is also important for strong and healthy skin, so it's important for all children to drink plenty of water in the formative years.

Sugary drinks such as colas or even too much fruit juice, are less effective since they rob the skin and body of its natural moisture and actually lead to further dehydration. Water is the best source of replenishing the body of lost fluids, so have your kids drink it in buckets.

Sunscreen is a must to help keep kids stretch marks from becoming a permanent fixture. The sun can actually accelerate the darkening of the scarred skin and make growth stretch marks more noticeable.

Your best defence is to stock up on waterproof sunscreen that won't wear off as quickly during a hard day of playtime. Remember to reapply sunscreen on your kids frequently, especially after swimming or a run through the garden hose, to help those stretch marks fade away.