Physiological striae atrophicae of adolescence with involvement of the upper back.

We report a 13-year-old boy with multiple purplish, atrophic, horizontal linear striae in the thoracic area. He reported a growth spurt in the preceding 12 months. His past health was unremarkable, and he took no medications. To our knowledge, physiological striae atrophicae of adolescence where idiopathic striae were restricted to the upper back have rarely been reported. Physiological striae atrophicae of adolescence may, on occasions, be mistaken for child abuse. It is important that child care professionals recognize this condition so that false accusations of child abuse will not be made.