Striae distensae. Differential diagnostic distinction from hematomas caused by physical abuse

摘要

This article reports the cases of two male adolescents, presenting with many horizontally arranged narrow stripe-like skin marks with red and red-violet skin coloration in the thoracolumbar region. The appearance was suspicious for physical abuse; therefore, an examination by a forensic expert was initiated. The skin lesions were diagnosed as stretch marks, so-called striae distensae. Striae distensae not only occur in pregnancy and obesity but are also common skin lesions during adolescence, which should be included in the differential diagnostics when making a forensic assessment of stripe-like skin alterations.