Striae Rubrae

Striae Rubra: The common problem you should be aware of

About

Striae Rubra are new colored lines or stretch marks that appear on the skin.

Striae Rubra is very common, affecting about 40% of adolescent boys & 70% of adolescent girls.

• 75-90% women develop stretch marks during pregnancy
• Weight gain or rapid growth (during adolescence) can cause striae rubra
• Can be due to certain medications
• Can be because of certain diseases

They are skin tears or stretches that are red-tinged in color and over time fade to white or silver (striae alba). Striae Rubra are normal and do not indicate any health problem in most cases. They are easy to treat, as they are newer and present with blood vessels under the skin.

Symptoms:

Self-diagnosable
The condition is visible to the naked eye. Sometimes they appear as slightly raised linear lesions on the skin. Striae rubra often appear on the buttocks, abdomen, hips, thighs, and breasts.

Treatment

Self-Care: Moisturizing your skin can help in reducing itchiness. You could also apply self-tanning lotion as a temporary solution to decrease the color difference between normal skin and the marks. A healthy diet and regular exercise can help prevent stretch marks altogether. In some cases, striae rubrae lighten with time and may not be as apparent on the skin as fresh stretch marks.

Medications: While striae rubra are not dangerous, consultation with a dermatologist is warranted in case they appear on large areas of the skin.

Specialists: While they may not be serious, consulting a doctor is essential to get to the underlying cause and remedy the situation. At mfine, we have skin specialists who are available for consultation on demand.