When you notice any stretch marks on your body and after doing some researches about what are they and what causes them, it comes the next big question, what are the best stretch marks treatments?
Stretch marks especially the older ones can be really difficult to treat and they may not disappear completely.
However, in this article you will find some proven stretch marks removal options that will make them fade faster and give you the best results.
Here is a list of proven stretch marks treatments and removal methods.
1. Tretinoin (Retin-A) and Retinol creams
Most of the time tretinoin and retinol are used for same the purposes but they are different.
To make it short, tretinoin is simply vitamine A and it is available by prescription , and retinol is a derivative of vitamin A. tretinoin and retinol are both good for stretch marks because they stimulate the collagen (the main protein that forms the connective tissue in the skin) and elastin, which makes the skin not only brighter and thicker but also more elastic and soft.
There is no strong evidence that tretinoin and retinol works 100% on old stretch marks. But in a recent study a cream with 0.1% tretinoin helped reduce the first stretch marks.
Tretinoin (Vitamine A) can penetrate the upper layer of the skin and restore collagen, which explains how it improves stretch marks in some people.
Tretinoin is only available by prescription, and the excessive use of vitamin A may not be safe for pregnant women, so you should always check with your doctor before you use them.
The use of the creams and lotions with tretinoin and retinol are particularly beneficial on newer stretch marks, therefore, and for best results, they should be treated as soon as possible.
2. Exfoliate stretch marks
Exfoliation helps to remove old and worn out skin cells and replace them with new tissue, it is also a good and simple way to get rid of stretch marks.
If you apply regular exfoliation along side some skin cream or lotion such as retinol you will get optimal results in short amount of time. Exfoliating will remove the dead skin from stretch marks and allow the creams to be absorbed quickly and deeply and work faster.
3. Dermaroller for stretch marks (Microneedling)
Microneedling, also known as collagen induction therapy or dermarolling, is a procedure in which thousands of microscopic wounds are made on your skin by rolling a stamp devise called dermaroller on your stretch marks.
This procedure targets the middle layer of your skin to trigger collagen production.
Any increased amount of elastin and collagen helps the skin to regenerate quickly and reduce stretch marks.
4. Microdermabrasion for stretch marks removal
Microdermabrasion is a new and chemical free medical procedure to reduce the appearance of stretch marks.
Opposite of dermarolling, the Microdermabrasion targets and stimulate the upper layer of the skin to tighten elastin and collagen fibers.
With the help of a specialized devise tiny crystals and rougher materials are sprayed and rubbed against the affected area and they are gently removed after that to exfoliate and remove the dead skin on the stretch marks with them.
This procedure removes the outer shell of the skin and leaves everything deeper intact.
For effective results, microdermabrasion must be repeated over a period of time.
After the microdermabrasion you may notice some redness because of the exfoliation and you skin may feel a little bit dry and tight.
But don’t worry cause those effects don’t last for a long time it takes just 24 hours for your skin to completely heal.
5. Platelet-rich plasma
(PRP) or Platelet-rich plasma therapy is a very popular procedure to revive the skin and boost the production of collagen. In the (PRP) treatment, a blood platelet-rich plasma is taken from the person’s blood right before the therapy.
Blood is a liquid called (plasma) and it contains small components (platelets, red cells, and white cells).
Platelet contains a protein called growth factors and it’s very important for healing injuries.
(PRP) is just plasma with more platelet than usually found in blood.
Platelet-rich plasma therapy works by Injecting the PRP into the damaged area which helps promote the production of collagen and elastin.
This is most of the times accompanied with microneedling and a study indicates that the PRP therapy maybe a good treatment for stretch marks if it is coupled with and ultrasound device.
6. Red light therapy
Dermatologists use light therapy to treat stretch marks by emitting the infrared light on a streamers to make it penetrate deep into the skin and increase cellular activity and blood supply to the skin surface to regenerate the skin cells.
Beside the production promotion of fibroblasts and collagen, which helps restore and prevent skin damage, the red light therapy has also a number of other therapeutic benefits, such as improving the appearance and structure of the skin, treating psoriasis and relieving pain.
Just take in consideration that you have to avoid chemical peels, collagen injections, waxing, and tanning bed at least two weeks before the infrared therapy.
7. Chemical peels
It is normally used to treat age spots and wrinkles on the face, but this doesn’t mean you can’t use this method for the treatment of the stretch marks on other body areas.
Chemical peels treatment involves removing the outer layer of the dead and damaged skin cells to encourage regeneration of softer and smoother skin.
This process also stimulates the healing system of the body to make it produce more collagen to support the underlying skin structure.
In this peel an acidic a solution is carefully applied to the skin by a brush, sponge, cotton swab or pad and it must be conducted by an experienced skin care specialist in this kind of treatment.
The healing time depends on the strength of the treatment and the type of your skin but in general it doesn’t take so much time to completely recover.
To get the best results and make the stretch marks fade significantly you need to make multiple treatments .
8. Laser stretch marks removal
Laser therapy for stretch marks is a safe and effective method that gives really great results in just few treatments.
It is always conducted by a specialist and it consist on removing the striae via laser resurfacing.
This method works by concentrating beams of light on a specific area to stimulate and encourage new growth.
There is two types of lasers used in skin resurfacing treatment:
ablative lasers and non-ablative lasers.
The main difference between the two is:
Ablative lasers target and destroy the upper layer of the skin in result newer skin tissue regenerates which give your skin a softer and smoother touch and look.
Non-ablative lasers don’t target the upper layer of the skin, instead they target the middle layer area of the skin to stimulate and promote collagen production which gives a better look and quick regeneration of the skin from the inside out.
After the therapy you may notice some redness but it will disappear in a short amount of time.
9. Stretch marks surgery
If non of the other treatments seem to work, cosmetic surgery can always be an option.
Although it is a very expensive procedure, surgery is the most effective way to get rid of white and old stretch marks.
The mostly used surgeries to remove stretch marks are thigh lift and tummy tuck (abdominoplasty).
Both techniques work not only by removing the excess skin and fat but also tightening the remain skin and tissue to give your skin a flat and firm look.
You have to take in consideration that this kind of surgery is normally designed to remove the excessive skin from your body and not stretch marks.
In other words, if you don’t have a loose skin, this kind of surgery may not be an option for you.
