Why have my stretch marks started to itch?

Daphne Metland

Medical writer and editor.

If you have small, raised, red itchy areas that appear on stretch marks, you may have polymorphic eruption of pregnancy (PEP). This dramatic-sounding condition is irritating, but harmless. It may spread from the areas with stretch marks to other areas, such as your thighs, back, breasts and arms.

It's likely to affect you if your skin has had to stretch a lot. Perhaps this is your first baby, or you are expecting twins?

The itching usually settles down in about a week, but it may not go away completely until a few weeks after you have given birth. Although PEP is not harmful, do see your doctor, so she can rule out other sorts of itching that may need treatment.

If the itching is very intense, your doctor may be able to prescribe a steroid cream or antihistamine. One sort of antihistimane, chlorphenamine, has the side-effect of making you drowsy, so it may help you sleep at night. Remember that prescriptions are free while you are pregnant.


This article was written using the following sources:

BAD. 2007. Polymorphic eruption of pregnancy (PEP). British Association of Dermatologists. [pdf file, accessed February 2010]

Brzoza Z, Kasperska-Zajac A, Oleś E, et al. 2007. Pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy. J Midwifery Womens Health. 52(1):44-8.

Petropoulou H, Georgala S, Katsambas AD. 2006 Polymorphic eruption of pregnancy. Int J Dermatol. 45(6):642-8.

Getting pregnant
For you
Meet other mums!
Our site uses cookies to store information on your computer.