Dawaa Reference

Clinical reference

Stretch marks (striae)

Treatment options, dosing, cautions and Egyptian brands from the shipped Dawaa Reference card.

Evidence status

Checked against the sources named below

Sources3 sources

Cushing Syndrome - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470218/ · ICPC-3 (WONCA International Classification of Primary Care, 3rd edition) class SD99.06 - condition scope only, no dose · No dose - referral pathway, no medicine given in primary care

Verified against2 documents
  • No dose - referral pathway, no medicine given in primary care
  • Stretch marks (striae) - disease-level clinical article (striae-distensae-clinical.txt)

Verified date2026-08

Presentation reference

Is it this?

Reference only, to read alongside your own examination.

Symptoms — what the patient reports (4)

  • Striae often follow skin stretching from pregnancy, a growth spurt, heavy muscle building, or weight gain [stretch marks · weight gain]
  • A history of potent topical or prolonged systemic steroid use is worth asking about
  • Early striae rubrae can itch, though most striae cause no symptoms otherwise [itching · stretch marks]
  • The harm is cosmetic and psychological, and it can be considerable

Signs — what you find (5)

  • Early lesions are slightly raised pink to purple lines that later flatten into pale, thinned, wrinkled scars [pallor · scarring]
  • The lines run at right angles to the direction of skin tension
  • Pregnancy-related striae typically appear on the abdomen, breasts, and thighs [stretch marks]
  • In teenagers, girls tend to show striae on the thighs, buttocks, and breasts, while boys show them on the back [stretch marks]
  • They form wherever skin is stretched quickly: abdomen, buttocks, thighs, breasts, back, and also the armpits and the groin

Tests (3)

  • No standardized or validated method exists to grade the type or severity of striae
  • Dermoscopy shows increased pigment in early red striae and reduced pigment in the pale, older ones
  • Biopsy is not usually needed or clinically useful for evaluating striae

SourceStatPearls "Striae Distensae" - disease-level clinical article

Presentation findings are traced to the source above.

1

NO DRUG THERAPY IN PRIMARY CARE (RECOGNITION & REFERRAL)

1st line
Adult dose and duration

Stretch marks from pregnancy, weight change, or corticosteroid use; primarily cosmetic, and reassurance is the main management in general practice. - Refer

Paediatric dose

Children follow the same pathway: recognise and refer. No primary-care medicine is implied.

Dose source

No dose - referral pathway, no medicine given in primary care

Why

Stretch marks from pregnancy, weight change, or corticosteroid use; primarily cosmetic, and reassurance is the main management in general practice.

Cautions
  • Widespread purple striae with other signs (central weight gain, easy bruising, high blood pressure) may indicate Cushing's syndrome or chronic steroid use and warrant further work-up.
  • No medicine is prescribed for this in primary care - this entry is for recognition and referral. Anything given is decided by the service it is referred to.
  • RED FLAG - Striae can occasionally signal an underlying endocrine disorder such as Cushing syndrome warranting further systemic evaluation.

Prices are indicative (dataset snapshot 2026-06); verify with the pharmacy.