Ask Sam letter

Hello,

Thank you for your letter. I’m really glad you took the courage to write in about this, as there will be a lot of young people on here who have similar questions.

You’ve told me you are 14 years old and have really bad stretch marks on your breasts. You haven’t mentioned how this makes you feel but I got the impression you would prefer not to have them as you’ve asked how you can get rid of them. It might be helpful to know that stretch marks are very common and can appear on different parts of the body on both men and women. According to the NHS, 7 out of 10 girls will have stretch marks during puberty.

You might want to take a look at the NHS Choices website where you will find some more specific information about what causes stretch marks. They also offer reassurance that stretch marks usually fade over time and become much less noticeable, so you don’t need to do anything specific to try and get rid of them.

If this is something you are feeling self-conscious about, it may be affecting how you feel about yourself. It’s likely that everyone will have something about themselves they would like to change – even the people who might not say or seem to be really confident. It is normal to have days where you might feel a bit self-conscious. On these days it can sometimes help to make a list to remind you of all the things you like about yourself. You can read a bit more about developing a positive body image in Explore.

Another thing you might find helpful is to read what other young people have posted on the ChildLine message boards about stretch marks. This might help to see that you are not alone and it is normal to have them.

Remember that you can also talk about this more with a ChildLine counsellor by calling 0800 1111 (free from any phone), through 1-2-1 chat online or by sending an email.

I hope this letter has been helpful.

Take care,

Sam