Just a stretch mark? or screwed up vein/artery?

[MidwestBeast]

I just got home from hitting a heavy back session (near PR on deads) and went upstairs to shave and shower. I happened to notice something under my left arm when I had it raised for a minute -- the color caught my eye. So, I raised my arm back up and started freaking out for a brief moment; I thought I had a blown vein/artery or something along those lines. After I lift, I can see my veins better than normal and that's what also led me to wonder/think this.

I snapped a photo on my phone real quick and sent it to a friend to ask his thoughts; he immediately said stretch mark (after asking if I was sending him dirty pictures lol). The more I think about it, the more that makes sense, but I'm just trying to be cautious because I didn't notice it until today. I would have figured I'd see it when I'm putting on deodorant any morning, but maybe it's just because of the increased bloodflow post-workout. There isn't one on the other arm, though. And, I can't be certain, but it does in fact look like it's an area that a vein is running on the right arm (can't be certain it's exactly that spot).

Anyone ever experience this? Any thoughts?

One other thing, it seems to be darker/more visible when my arm has been down in a normal position (the first time I was studying it and then getting pictures, it seemed to fade after a while). Or, it may have just been the hot water in the shower that brought it out more, again.

Any help is greatly appreciated, guys.




(and feel free to make all the obvious jokes you want because of what the picture somewhat looks like)

 

[MidwestBeast]

The more I look at this picture (blown up and not on my phone screen), it looks more like a stretch mark because it looks like there's a little separation in it near the bottom of it. I couldn't/didn't see that before just now; that makes me feel a little better.

 

[jherman08]

Stretch mark bro, be proud of the growth :headbang:

 

[MidwestBeast]

Stretch mark bro, be proud of the growth :headbang:

Once I saw the little break in it in the full-sized picture, that's what I was thinking, too. It was just odd that it seemed to get darker when it was down. Plus, this morning, I woke up and my left arm was totally asleep and I'd been lying on my right side, so that freaked me out, too lol. Basically, I've ended up being mildly paranoid since my current medical ordeal still hasn't been fully diagnosed (don't want to overlook something and have something bad happen).

Thanks for the input.

 

[evandem27]

Looks like a stretch mark
To me!! Aka, a little trophy that follows you around to show you how hard you worked!!

And your last thing you said in your 1st post made me giggle totally looks like a hairy vag :x

 

[AdtheRock]

No doubt a stretch mark, congrats. Many more to come! Cocoa Butter helps flesh them out, but getting big has its affects!

 

[MidwestBeast]

I measured my arms last night to see if there was really that much of a difference, because I didn't think they were much bigger than before. With no gym pump they're sitting at 17.25" completely cold and unflexed and 18.5" flexed. I've had them up just shy of 19" before, but that was with a gym pump and flexed, so I'll have to measure them in the middle of arm day to see if there really is a difference.

Just baffling that it's only on the left arm.

 

[MidwestBeast]

Measured after a heavy arm session today and flexed with a pump, left arm was at 19.5" and right arm was actually at 20". I measured them each 2-3 times to make sure I wasn't getting incorrect numbers.

 

[winston09]

Dude my lats are covered in them! Power!!!

 

[AaronJP1]

Yeah I have little small red stretch marks like that as well.

Wild that the skin is getting stretched that much to make an impression like that.

Yeah coco butter should help. I need to get my hands on some soon.

 

[MidwestBeast]

I've got cocoa butter; haven't used the stuff in a while, though. I would always use it when I'd shave my upper arms so they wouldn't peel in the Summer from swimming all the time. I'll start putting it on there, again.