Medically reviewed by: Bebe Pajo, MD
Many ladies have stretch marks, and a few males do, too. These rippled, indented strains on the pores and skin are innocent, however they do stand out. If the sight of them bothers you, you’ve in all probability Googled “easy methods to eliminate stretch marks.” So, what’s the reply?
“Sadly, there’s no technique to get rid of stretch marks utterly,” stated Bebe Pajo, MD, a dermatologist at Water’s Edge Dermatology with a specialty in beauty dermatology. “However there are good remedies out there immediately that may make them look much less noticeable.” Learn on to be taught extra.
What are stretch marks?
Stretch marks, or striae, are a kind of scar. They typically develop when elements of the physique develop quickly, stretching the pores and skin to its limits. When the pores and skin stretches, collagen and elastin — proteins that help the pores and skin and hold it versatile — can rupture. Because the pores and skin heals, stretch marks present up in areas the place ruptures occurred.
You’re most probably to develop stretch marks in your abdomen, buttocks, breasts, thighs, hips, decrease again or higher arms. They might be purple, white, black or darkish blue, relying in your pores and skin tone. They fade over time and sometimes find yourself lighter than your regular pores and skin. New stretch marks could also be raised, however they finally change into indented.
Stretch marks aren’t painful, however they are often itchy after they’re forming.
What causes stretch marks?
Stretch mark causes embrace:
- Speedy weight acquire or loss
- Speedy muscle acquire from energy coaching
- Development spurts throughout puberty
- Being pregnant
- Breast augmentation
- Marfan syndrome, a illness that impacts the physique’s connective tissue
- Cushing’s syndrome, a dysfunction by which the physique produces an excessive amount of of the hormone cortisol over lengthy durations (cortisol weakens the pores and skin’s elastic fibers)
- Use of a topical corticosteroid cream over a protracted time frame
- Smoking, which decreases pores and skin elasticity
Having a private or household historical past of stretch marks makes you extra susceptible to them. Females usually tend to get stretch marks than males; researchers aren’t positive why, however pure fluctuations in hormone ranges could play a task.
Being pregnant stretch marks, referred to as striae gravidarum (SG), are frequent, particularly in youthful girls, girls who’ve a household historical past of SG, those that carry further weight earlier than and through being pregnant and people who give beginning to heavy infants.
Do stretch marks go away?
Stretch marks fade over time, however they by no means disappear utterly (except the affected space of pores and skin is minimize out, equivalent to throughout a tummy tuck).
For those who’re sad together with your stretch marks, speak to your dermatologist to see in case you’re a great candidate for a number of of the remedies under. In some instances, multiple therapy could also be advisable.
Stretch mark removing strategies
The next remedies gained’t take away stretch marks, however they might make them much less noticeable.
Stretch mark lotions
There are lots of lotions, lotions and gels that declare to decrease stretch marks. Their effectiveness varies. Some don’t present any enchancment.
“Stretch mark lotions could also be price making an attempt when the marks are new,” Dr. Bebe stated. “However when you’ve had them for a very long time, they gained’t work.”
To enhance your probabilities of seeing enchancment, therapeutic massage the cream into the stretch marks and apply it daily for a number of weeks. “For those who don’t see any enchancment in six weeks, the product in all probability gained’t give you the results you want,” stated Dr. Bebe.
Some individuals swear by different topical remedies, equivalent to cocoa butter and vitamin E, however none of them have been discovered to fade stretch marks in research.
Retinoid cream
Prescription-strength retinoid lotions equivalent to tretinoin cream can enhance the look of stretch marks which are lower than a couple of months outdated. They work by triggering the manufacturing of collagen, which can trigger the marks to look extra like your regular pores and skin.
Chemical peels
Throughout a chemical peel, your dermatologist applies an acidic answer to the stretch marks. This removes the highest layer of pores and skin, inflicting the pores and skin to supply extra collagen and elastin because it heals.
Laser remedies
Two varieties of lasers are used to decrease stretch marks: ablative and non ablative. The laser therapy your dermatologist recommends will rely on a number of elements, together with the colour of your pores and skin, the colour of your stretch marks and the way lengthy you’ve had them. Relying on the dimensions of your stretch marks, you may want a number of remedies.
Ablative lasers equivalent to fractional CO2 and Erbium YAG take away the topmost layer of pores and skin, which ends up in smoother pores and skin. Additionally they stimulate the manufacturing of collagen, which helps clean out raised stretch marks. Fractional CO2 lasers are used for deeper scars. Erbium YAG is best for extra superficial stretch marks.
When you’ve got darkish pores and skin, fractional CO2 and Erbium YAG lasers is probably not applicable for you as a result of they’ll trigger post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (darkish spots) or burns that may depart everlasting scars.
Frax1550 laser is a non-ablative laser. It doesn’t take away the highest layer of pores and skin. As a substitute, it stimulates the manufacturing of collagen and elastin, which helps the scars to heal and fade. Like most lasers, Frax1550 works finest on newer stretch marks, however it might assist barely with older, white stretch marks.
Radiofrequency remedy
Throughout radiofrequency remedies, your dermatologist will goal a tool that emits radio waves on the affected pores and skin. The waves warmth the pores and skin, which triggers harm, adopted by therapeutic and the manufacturing of latest collagen.
Profound RF is a system that makes use of each radiofrequency and microneedling to deal with scars. In microneedling, tiny needles make microscopic punctures within the pores and skin. The minor trauma coaxes the pores and skin to supply new collagen because it repairs itself.
Radiofrequency remedy mixed with microneedling poses a lot much less threat of hyperpigmentation than ablative lasers. You’ll have bruising for seven to 10 days, however the process causes much less post-treatment ache in contrast with laser therapy.
Dermabrasion
On this process, a dermatologist or plastic surgeon makes use of a quickly rotating system to “sand” away the highest layer of pores and skin, smoothing it and minimizing the looks of irregular pores and skin contours equivalent to stretch marks.
Microdermabrasion, a much less invasive model of dermabrasion, can also make stretch marks much less noticeable, although it gained’t assist as a lot for deep stretch marks.
forestall stretch marks
There aren’t some ways to maintain stretch marks at bay, apart from avoiding fast acquire or lack of fats or muscle. Many of the methods you could have heard about, together with making use of cocoa butter, olive or almond oil or vitamin E, have been proven in research to be ineffective.
That stated, for stopping being pregnant stretch marks, a number of approaches could also be price making an attempt. One examine discovered {that a} every day, 15-minute therapeutic massage of stretched pores and skin utilizing bitter almond oil helped. Lotions containing hyaluronic acid or an extract of the herb Centella asiatica have additionally proven promise. For those who’re pregnant, seek the advice of a health care provider earlier than making use of any doubtlessly irritating product to your pores and skin.
Written by: Jessica Brown, a well being and science author/editor based mostly in Nanuet, New York. She has written for Prevention journal, jnj.com, BCRF.org, and lots of different shops.
