Stretch marks on a child's skin

[Suedonim]

Dd2 is 12yo and is developing stretch marks on her thighs and lower bottom area, also on the outside back of her knees. She's growing but not at a phenomenal rate, she's about 5ft and 6st, and is thin. Why is she getting stretch marks and is there anything I can do to help reduce/prevent them?

She isn't that bothered about them and dd1 also had them but to a lesser degree. But I only got them when I was pg so don't understand why dd is getting them at 12.

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She is growing- no other reason. The skin can't grow and stretch quickly enough and so stretch marks occur in areas where the most rapid growth has occurred.

Most teenagers will have a few stretch marks around this time. They will fade to silvery lines.

There's nothing you can do to prevent them when it is due to upwards growth.

I got stretch marks across my thighs/hips as a teenager.

I was stick thin, and incredibly sporty - was a ballet dancer.

I think it's just one of those things - she may not be growing upwards at a huge rate, but have her hips suddenly appeared?

i went from a boyish straight up and down to very hourglass overnight, and despite not much weight gain, certain bits of skin did have to expand rapidly! Also have strech marks across my norks, which also went from nothing to huge overnight...

Suedonim, I was a very skinny kid, and I got stretch marks at age 12, around the time I started getting a bust. I was also 5 foot 6 and thin. I think it must be normal when thinner girls hit puberty, for me it was like a hormonal switch was pressed and I suddenly got a few curves and it stretched my skin. I think they became less noticeable as I got older but can't remember. I wouldn't have thought anything could prevent them.

So not a medical opinion but just personal experience to reassure you that others do have it.

I got these as a teenager from growing too and the best thign I found for them was Body shop vitamin E cream it really reduced their appearance though Bio Oil would probably be even better now.

Silverfrog, yes! She is definitely getting an hour-glass figure (though there isn't much up top just yet) so you seem to have hit the nail on the head. She has very fine skin, too, quite delicate-looking.

But how odd that it seems to be the thinner ones who get stretch marks, you'd think they'd be less prone to them. It's reassuring that so many of you have experienced the same thing - yet another aspect of raising children that the books don't tell you about.

Bio Oil might help. I found it worked wonders on my c section scar. I got stretch marks on my breasts. They seemed to come overnight

it depends on your skin type, not how much weight you put on

I have always been slim but still have fine silvery marks on my hips and sides of boobs from puberty

funnily enough, during my 2 pregnancies I did not develop any stretchmarks at all !!

weird

I have very thin skin, and ended up with loads of marks. they mostly faded, but imo were always noticable.

Still, it didn't stop me from wearing bikinis etc (no swimming costume would have covered marks on thighs anyway), and made me deal with a few issues earlier than otherwise (eg would normally expect stretch marks post children etc, but now I don't care that mu stomach looks liek a map of the underground, as have had to deal with stretchmarks for what seems like most of my life)

Actually, I'm remembering that ds2 also got stretch marks. They were on his back and we thought they were from the steroids he was on for asthma, which can thin the skin. Growing to 6ft 4in didn't help, either!!

I feel a bit better about dd2 now, but am still at her lovely skin having these big red marks in various places. As I said, she isn't particularly concerned herself and I can't say that my own stretchmarks worry me much so I'll invest in some Bio-oil for her and just be at dd's long lithe legs!

DH has them- he is 6'2"- they are at the base of his back, around his knees and elbows, but they are silvery lines now.
He grew pretty quickly at 13...

I have always thought they were lovely I'm sure she won't be embarrassed by them.

Does anyone know where to get bio oil from? It was recommended for a keloid scar I have.

another thin one here who got them on hips at about 12 or 13, and got none during pregnancy! you can get Bio OIl in Boots, superdrug etc

Lots of stretchmark-ey people then and I can't say I ever notice them on anyone in RL so they're pretty insignificant in the general run of things, I guess!

Dd has other things to dwell on today - she's just had train-track braces fitted, in pink and turquoise. She said 'I'll be able to tell my grandchildren(!) that on the day America chose its first black President I got my braces put on.' Lolol