Stretch Marks

Stretch marks are caused by pregnancy, excessive weight loss or gain and body building. Stretch marks can appear mostly on belly, breasts, neck, groin, buttocks and back of the arms. In their early stages, they appear red or purple. After healing, the stretch marks acquire white color. Stretch marks appear as streaks on the surface of the skin caused by the tearing of the skin layers.

How to get rid of stretch marks? Can stretch marks go away? These are the questions which are mostly asked by the clients having stretched marks. There are various options available for treating stretch marks e.g. laser treatment, microdermabrasion, creams and home remedies. Their effectiveness varies from procedure to procedure. Your doctor can provide you guidance in removing stretch marks.

Laser surgery for stretch marks is a new procedure. It stimulates the growth of collagen by applying laser technology. It helps in filling the tears or gaps under the skin. Consequently, the stretched marks acquire appearance similar to the neighboring skin. There is a controversy regarding the effectiveness of this method in the treatment of stretch marks. It takes 10 to 30 minutes in completing stretch marks laser treatments. Recurrent treatments are required for good results.



Microdermabrasion is another treatment used for repairing stretched marks. In this method, skin is abraded which results in the formation and growth of collagen and elastin. The collagen and elastin fill the gap between the skin layers by forming a new layer under the mark. The repetition of this method is required from 6 to 10 times for getting good results.

Creams and lotions are also available with their high claims of treating stretch marks dramatically. Clinically, the authenticity of these claims has not been yet proved. Though, in case of newly formed stretch marks and in case of some of their types, creams usage may prove effective to some extent. The effectiveness of a cream depends on the ingredients used in it. If the ingredients of a particular cream can help promote collagen and elastin formation and growth, its results may be effective. In selecting any cream, you have to be extremely cautious. There are so many creams raising false claims. Don’t get fooled by their false claims. You should consult a qualified and certified doctor or pharmacist in choosing one. Otherwise, you can suffer from severe side effects caused by such creams.

The cost of stretch mark treatments vary in range depending on the area to be treated, length of the treatments and the methods to be used. For laser treatment and dermabrasion, it can cost up to $3000.

The recovery times after stretch mark treatments such as microdermabrasion and laser treatment are short. The side effects are minimal. There can be a slight discoloration and swelling. These techniques, which are used in treating stretch marks, have lower risks. Laser treatment and microdermabrasion are non-invasive methods. It is difficult to repair older stretch marks. The results, therefore, often are quite poor in case of older stretch marks.