stretch marks? maybe?

[TechaN9ne]

Hey guys long time since ive had to post.

ill try to give as much useful information as possible quickly.
i was 155lbs a year or two ago, slowly went down to 120. that was in july. 5-6 months later im back up to ~161lbs. first couple months i put on a quick 20 lbs the past few months since its been a much slower gain. im at a great body fat% for +40lbs (probably between 10-13%) the past month ive had lots of things come up and its been the worst out of them all, probably only a 2 lb gain the past month, and its been going up and down between ~157-161 so its been pretty steadily maintaned. but for some reason im now seeing this on my left leg(see pic)?

so my questions are:
stretch mark?
should i worry about it?
prefer not to go to doctor if dont have to but should i?
can i continue workouts (im doing starting strength so i figured only squat may stress that calf area a bit?) <-- probably the most important one to me

thanks a lot for any help at all will rep good answers.

edit: a bit of calamine lotion left over still as you can see (my parents advised it thinking it was a stretch mark) and sorry about the hairyness of my leg.

[BigVic92]

It looks like a stretch mark to me, but that's sort of a weird spot to get stretch marks. Do you have stretch marks anywhere else on your body that you could compare them with?

If you're worried about it, I'd see the doctor. Also, does it hurt or is it tender?

[TechaN9ne]

It looks like a stretch mark to me, but that's sort of a weird spot to get stretch marks. Do you have stretch marks anywhere else on your body that you could compare them with?

If you're worried about it, I'd see the doctor. Also, does it hurt or is it tender?

really appreciate the fast reply breh.
no other stretchmarks i can see and i checked pretty well, not tender or painful at all. i also forgot to mention its been there about 2-3 days and it looked ...20-40% more visible at the start. and i know stretch marks fade but not completely so thats why ive kinda assumed thats what it was.

[lankywhitekid]

really appreciate the fast reply breh.
no other stretchmarks i can see and i checked pretty well, not tender or painful at all. i also forgot to mention its been there about 2-3 days and it looked ...20-40% more visible at the start. and i know stretch marks fade but not completely so thats why ive kinda assumed thats what it was.

Looks like a progress mark to me bro! If it bugs you then I would suggest getting some bio oil and apply it twice a day it's great for stretch marks.

[TechaN9ne]

Looks like a progress mark to me bro! If it bugs you then I would suggest getting some bio oil and apply it twice a day it's great for stretch marks.

hahahaha progress mark i like that. thanks man appreciate the help you two been repped!

[LlamaWithARifle]

How to stop stretch marks

WATER

First off you need to be well hydrated so drink lots of water (5+ litres per day) as the skin rips and causes stretch marks when the skin is dry and there is no ellastic.


COCO BUTTER

Stretch marks are caused by lack of collagen and elastin which is the skins support structure. You can buy creams such as:

Palmers coco-butter with vitamin E collagen and elastin. Apply this daily to reduce and prevent them. Make sure your coco-butter has vitamin E collagen and elastin in it though.


SPECIFIC VITAMINS AND MINERALS

The key in fading and preventing future stretch marks is consuming mega dosages of the right vitamins and minerals (vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E and Zinc) these are the most important micronutrients which effect the skin directly.


VITAMIN A


Vitamin A is very important for the growth of skin, and maintaining healthy bones, nails, and hair. It helps to repair injured skin, and improve dry, scaly skin. It is absorbed through the skin, and helps the skin remain soft and plump. When Vitamin A is topically applied, it stimulates the skin mitotically, and metabolically, therefore maintaining the skin in a youthful condition. Experiments have showed that Vitamin A applied topically keeps the epidermis saturated with the vitamin

Vitamin A also stimulates the renewal process of the epidermal cells which causes thickening of the epidermis. At the same time, collagen content in the skin was increased and improvement in skin elasticity could be seen (very important!)


VITAMIN C


One of the most important roles of vitamin C is to help heal wounds and scar tissue. It is required for the synthesis of collagen, and acts as a cementing substance between skin cells. The most important role of collagen is to provide barrier for infections and diseases, and to promote healing of wounds. (Vitamin C looses its potency very quickly which can make it worthless unless used immediately. It also oxidizes very quickly when exposed to air and light. Look for vitamin C in an airtight brown glass bottle or metal tube which can block out sunlight.)


VITAMIN E


Another very important vitamin when trying to prevent stretch marks. Vitamin E is needed for the maintenance of normal body metabolism and in the protection and healing of body tissues and skin. For skin care, vitamin e is most beneficial as an anti-oxidant in preserving the health of skin tissue and membranes. It is also used to help the recovery process of post surgical scars. There are two ways to take Vitamin E. These include orally and topically. Applying the Vitamin E topically onto the stretch marks, or taking Vitamin E pills.


ZINC - The most important


Quite possibly, the most essential supplement to take in the prevention of stretch marks. The most important property of zinc is the production of collagen.

Collagen holds the bodies skin tissues together. It is the most abundant structural protein and makes up 80% of all connective tissue. In fact, 75% of the dermis consists of collagen and it makes up 90% of its volume. When a person has enough collagen, it is near impossible to get stretch marks. Collagen is not available in food, so it's very essential to supplement with zinc.

From a post by Xuaxace who credits joseph rakich.

Definitely look like stretch marks, above info should help to fade them or to minimise any new ones.

[Aaronza]

99% sure thats a stretch mark.