Tuesday, May 13, 2008 5:06 PM
Do birth control pills cause stretch marks?
Q. I've been on and off birth control three times now, and every time I go back on it, I get stretch marks on my breasts. Do birth control pills cause stretch marks?
I'm a doctor of psychology, not medicine; however, I do have
some knowledge about birth control pills. Many women gain breast tissue mass
while on BC pills because of the hormones they contain. Gaining breast tissue
mass causes your skin to stretch, leading to the formation of stretch marks.
Different pills contain different ratios of hormones, so I
recommend speaking to your health care provider, family planner, or well-woman clinician
about the birth control pill (or pills) you’ve taken. There may be a pill that
won’t cause your breast tissue to increase. Sometimes it can be a matter of
simple trial and error until you find a pill that doesn’t increase your weight
or make your breasts feel swollen and sensitive.
Keeping your skin moisturized is definitely beneficial, as
your skin will have more elasticity to cope with expansion. There are many
products available to help keep your skin flexible, elastic, and less prone to
stretch marks. Ask your partner to massage your moisturizer or moisturizing oil
onto your breasts as foreplay!