Can You Get Stretch Marks From Muscle Growth?

Maybe you've been lifting consistently for a few months, and your shoulders finally look stronger. Then you notice a few reddish lines near your arms or chest.

Not exactly the progress marker you were expecting.

Stretch marks from working out are common enough, and they usually don't mean anything is wrong with your skin or training routine. If the area also feels dry or tight, Bella B's Tummy Honey Cream can help keep the skin comfortable.

So why do some people get them from weight training while others don't? Let's start with what is actually happening under the skin. 

Why Does Muscle Growth Cause Stretch Marks?

Stretch marks, medically called striae distensae, are a type of scar.

Your skin contains collagen, which gives it structure, and elastin, which helps it stretch. When an area of your body increases in size quickly, the skin has to adapt. If that change happens faster than the skin can comfortably accommodate, stretch marks may develop.

The American Academy of Dermatology specifically lists rapid muscle growth from weight training as one situation in which stretch marks can appear.

This is why someone going through a fast bulking phase may notice new marks around the shoulders, chest, thighs, or arms.

Who Is More Likely to Get Stretch Marks From Weight Training?

Two people can follow similar strength programs and have completely different experiences with their skin.

Genetics plays a role. If stretch marks run in your family or you've developed them before, you may be more likely to get them again.

The speed of your body changes matters too. Someone adding muscle slowly over a long period may put less sudden tension on the skin than someone gaining a significant amount of muscle and body weight over a short bulking cycle.

Hormonal changes, puberty, pregnancy, weight fluctuations, and certain medical conditions can also affect how likely you are to develop stretch marks.

Mayo Clinic's overview of stretch mark risk factors notes that family history and rapid growth or weight change can influence your risk.

So if your workout partner has been lifting just as hard and has zero stretch marks, that doesn't mean you're doing anything wrong. Skin does not follow the same training program for everyone.

Where Do Stretch Marks From Working Out Appear?

Stretch marks from muscle growth usually show up in areas that are increasing in size.

For people who strength train, common areas include the shoulders, upper arms, chest, thighs, glutes, and sometimes the back.

According to Cleveland Clinic's guidance on common stretch mark locations, they frequently develop around areas such as the upper arms, thighs, hips, buttocks, lower back, and abdomen.

Women can develop workout-related stretch marks too. If you've recently increased lower-body training, for example, you may notice new marks around your thighs or glutes.

And if you're returning to strength training after pregnancy, several body changes may be happening at once. Older pregnancy-related stretch marks may already be present while your weight and muscle distribution continue to change.

What Do New Stretch Marks Look Like?

Fresh stretch marks may be pink, red, purple, reddish-brown, or dark brown depending on your skin tone.

Over time, they usually become lighter and less noticeable. Older marks often look pale, white, or slightly silvery.

Bella B's guide to the different types and colors of stretch marks explains what those changes can tell you about how mature the marks are.

Are Stretch Marks a Sign That You're Gaining Muscle?

They can appear while you're gaining muscle, but they aren't proof that your workout is working.

Stretch marks simply tell you that the skin in that area has experienced a relatively fast change.

That change could come from muscle growth. It could also come from weight gain, puberty, pregnancy, hormonal changes, or a combination of factors.

If your shoulders have become noticeably larger after several months of strength training and new marks appear around the same area, muscle growth may be contributing.

But you don't need stretch marks to show that you're building muscle. Changes in strength, body measurements, training performance, and muscle definition are much better indicators.

Can You Prevent Stretch Marks While Building Muscle?

You can't guarantee that stretch marks won't develop.

That matters because plenty of advice online makes prevention sound much simpler than it is.

One practical approach is to avoid extremely rapid changes in body size when possible. Gradual muscle gain gives your skin more time to adjust than aggressive bulking or repeated large weight swings.

Moisturizing can also help if the skin feels dry, tight, or itchy. What it cannot do is guarantee that stretch marks won't form.

Popular ingredients such as cocoa butter, olive oil, almond oil, and vitamin E are often discussed as prevention options, but research has not consistently shown that they can stop stretch marks from developing.

Bella B takes a closer look at one of the most commonly recommended ingredients in its guide to cocoa butter for stretch marks.

What Can Skincare Do for Stretch Marks From Working Out?

Skincare has a useful role, but it helps to be clear about what that role is.

A good moisturizer can keep the outer layer of your skin soft and reduce the dry, tight feeling that sometimes comes with stretching skin.

Ingredients such as shea butter, aloe vera, and honey can be useful for moisturizing and comforting dry skin. What topical skincare cannot do is completely rebuild scarred skin or guarantee that existing stretch marks disappear.

That doesn't make skincare pointless. It just means the expectation should match what a topical product can realistically do.

Bella B's breakdown of how stretch mark creams work goes deeper into what these products may help with and where their limits are.

If you're pregnant or breastfeeding while returning to exercise, be more careful with active ingredients marketed for stretch marks. Some ingredients, including retinoids, are not recommended during pregnancy.

Bella B's guide to pregnancy-safe skincare ingredients can help you check which ingredients deserve more attention during this stage.

Can You Get Rid of Stretch Marks From Working Out?

Stretch marks often fade, but completely removing them is difficult.

Newer marks usually become less noticeable as they mature. A bright red or purple stretch mark may gradually become much lighter over time even without treatment.

Exercise itself will not remove it.

You can't squat, curl, or run away a stretch mark because it is a form of scar tissue within the skin. Changing your muscle size or body composition may change how the surrounding area looks, but it doesn't erase the mark.

Some treatments may help make stretch marks less noticeable, particularly when treatment begins while the marks are still relatively new. Options may include topical treatments or dermatologist-led procedures such as laser therapy, microdermabrasion, and radiofrequency.

If fading existing marks is your main concern, Bella B's guide to stretch mark removal and fading options covers that subject in more depth.

When Should You See a Dermatologist?

Stretch marks caused by normal muscle growth usually don't require medical treatment.

You may want to speak with a dermatologist if a large number of stretch marks appear suddenly without an obvious reason, especially if you haven't experienced significant changes in weight, muscle size, pregnancy, or growth.

You can also see a dermatologist simply because the marks bother you and you'd like to understand your treatment options.

And if they don't bother you, you don't have to treat them.

Some people barely notice their stretch marks. Others want to fade them. Both reactions are completely normal.

The Bottom Line

So, can you get stretch marks from muscle growth?

Yes.

They can develop when your muscles grow quickly enough to create rapid changes in the size of an area such as your arms, shoulders, chest, thighs, or glutes.

That doesn't mean you trained incorrectly, and stretch marks aren't proof that you've built muscle either.

If you want to reduce your chances of developing more, aim for gradual changes rather than extreme swings in body size. Keep dry or tight skin moisturized, and be realistic about what creams can do.

Your skin changes along with the rest of your body. Sometimes those changes leave a visible line behind.

Dr Arsham Najeeb

Medical doctor (MBBS) and professional writer creating clear, reader-friendly health and wellness content.