Lyme Disease and Stretch Marks: What’s the Connection?

Have you noticed an odd connection between stretch marks and Lyme disease? Many people with Lyme disease report unusual skin changes, such as unexplained stretch marks or stretch-mark-like presentations. 

Whereas traditional stretch marks can generally be attributed to abrupt changes in body weight or hormone levels, stretch marks related to Lyme disease, may have an altogether different cause, maybe something as complex as multi-agents resembling Bartonella. 

This blog will explore the remarkable and commonly misunderstood relationship between Lyme disease and stretch marks and attempt to illustrate as to what is going on underneath the skin and why it may be valuable to know in relation to your health and wellbeing.

Can Lyme Disease Directly Cause Stretch Marks?

Under normal circumstances, stretch marks occur because of the rapid stretching of skin, thereby breaking the collagen and elastin fibers - typically from pregnancy, weight gain or loss, puberty, or use of steroid medications for long periods. But, can Lyme disease itself cause this type of skin damage? 

Not directly. There is no evidence available in the scientific literature that suggests that Borrelia burgdorferi, which is responsible for Lyme disease, degrades collagen in a way to produce the typical stretch marks. But the plot thickens when we introduce co-infections, particularly Bartonella. 

This relatively common co-infection has been documented to cause some unusual skin lesions that may resemble stretch marks and could cause some confusion in diagnoses.

What Is Bartonella, and How Is It Link to Lyme Disease?

Bartonella is a type of bacteria that can be passed on to humans through ticks or fleas, or scratches from infected animals. Bartonella is commonly associated with Lyme disease due to their both having the same vectors (ticks). 

A unique symptom of Bartonella infection includes the appearance of linear skin lesions, known as "Bartonella striae." Bartonella striae are similar to stretch marks but differ in many ways as they may be red, purple or brown, are often painful, itchy, or warm to the touch. 

Stretch marks are the result of skin stretching, whereas Bartonella striae can appear suddenly and without any visible physical stretching of the skin.

What Are Typical Lyme Disease Skin Symptoms Like?

Lyme disease presents specific skin manifestations that differ according to stage.

One of the first and most classic examples is erythema migrans (EM). EM is an expanding rash that appears at the tick bite site within 3 to 30 days. Evidence of EM appears as a red bull's-eye.

Other cutaneous manifestations include the bluish-red lymphocytoma in the ear or nipple (also called lymphocytoma cutis), and the skin-thinning, wrinkling condition known as acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans (ACA)—a later or less often stage on the Lyme disease spectrum, but a more common presentation in Europe.

While these cutaneous manifestations of Lyme disease are well known, traditional stretch marks (striae) are not a specific recognized manifestation of Lyme disease, which can be confusing due to stretch mark-like lesions when Bartonella is also present.

Can You Have Bartonella Without Knowing It?

Yes, a person can have Bartonella without their knowledge and this is especially problematic when a patient has Lyme disease. Bartonella is extremely common but grossly underdiagnosed as a co-infection. 

In fact, there are studies that suggest up to 40% of Lyme patients have Bartonella as a co-infection. The problem with Bart is that it can be dormant in tissues, and since it is in the blood at low levels, most regular blood tests won't pick it up. 

If you have been treated for Lyme disease and have these sudden, unexplained streaks on your skin like stretch marks but without any increase in weight, steroids or pregnancy, that could indicate Bartonella and you might want to ask your medical provider about it.

Why Do People with Lyme Disease Report Stretch Mark-Like Lesions?

There are people with Lyme disease who have reported reddish streaks similar to stretch marks, resulting from a co-infection with the type of bacteria known as Bartonella henselae. 

Bartonella is a type of bacteria that produces dermal effects called Bartonella striae. They can appear linear and serpentine (snake-like) or are red, purple or brown, and typically appear on the torso, upper arms, or thighs, but not limited to these regions. 

Unlike true stretch marks, these marks have not been associated with weight gain, growth spurts, or hormonal changes. Bartonella in a person is very common in cases of chronic Lyme disease and can complicate diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease. 

There is the potential that many of these cases thought to be "Lyme disease stretch marks" or “stretch marks Lyme disease” could be indicating a Bartonella co-infection.

Are There Other Tick-Borne Infections That Can Affect the Skin?

Certainly, there are many other tick-borne infections that involve the skin besides Lyme disease.

• Babesia may cause petechiae, or small red or purple dots, from broken capillaries in the skin.
• Ehrlichia infections may sometimes include skin rashes along with flu-like symptoms.
• Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever has its own characteristic spotted rash, often starting on the wrist and ankles and spreading out afterward. 

When it comes to stretch-mark-like lesions, Bartonella will continue to be the most concerning. These lesions can be linear or serpiginous and are distinct from other rashes, and they are now also being associated with an increase of Bartonella co-infections in patients with Lyme disease.

Final Thought

Lyme disease and stretch marks may seem like completely unrelated things; however, they are related because of co-infections, specifically Bartonella.

Although Lyme disease doesn't directly cause stretch marks, there are a significant number of patients that can identify stretch mark-like red or purple streak-like skin lesions that are actually Bartonella striae.

If you see suspicious marking on your skin along with Lyme disease symptoms , it would be worth mentioning the possibility of Bartonella with your physician.

Reference

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