We all desire delicate, smooth and glowing skin. But unfortunately, instead of having such skin features, some of us end up with skin affected with acne, hives, eczema, rosacea, and stretch marks.
Stretch marks are a common skin condition that affects anyone, regardless of gender. Based on statistics, about 43-88% of people reported having stretch marks during pregnancy and 6-86% during puberty. Also, about 43% of obese individuals experience this skin condition.
Stretch marks are non-lethal—they pose no threat to your health and aren’t painful. However, they could have adverse effects on your psychological well-being. Like other skin conditions, stretch marks can increase self-consciousness, social isolation, and loneliness.
If you have stretch marks, you probably wish they vanished. Below we have highlighted a few ways to make your wish come true.
What are Stretch Marks?
Stretch marks are long, thin, unattractive lines that appear on parts of your body like stomach, breasts, hips, butt, and thighs. Also known as stria, these marks aren’t painful, nor are they harmful to your health. However, they don’t look good on your skin, either.
Stretch marks don’t require special treatment like wrinkles, acne, etc. They often disappear with time. However, you can fast-track the disappearing time by using certain products and implementing some procedures in your daily routine. Before we outline the procedures, wouldn’t you like to know the causes of these lines?
Causes of Stretch Marks
Stretch marks are often a result of a few factors, including:
- Pregnancy: Many pregnant women experience stretch marks pre and post-birth.
- Puberty: Stretch marks are often evident in growing children.
- Rapid weight gain: Gaining a lot of weight in a short period can result in stretch marks
- Medical condition: Conditions like Marfan syndrome and Cushing’s syndrome can lead to the appearance of stretch marks.
- Bodybuilding: People who build their muscles may experience stretch marks in areas where their muscles bulge.
How do you get rid of Stretch Marks?
There are methods used to get rid of stretch marks. These methods are grouped into two: medical treatment and home remedies. Below, we’ll be looking at both.
Medical Treatment for Stretch Marks
- Microdermabrasion: Microdermabrasion is a painless cosmetic procedure that involves using fine crystals to exfoliate the surface of your skin, removing the top layer. Quality microdermabrasion at Dream Spa Medical can help treat wrinkles, age spots, acne, scarring, and stretch marks. When merged with skin peels, this treatment can be used to remove reddish stretch marks.
- Cosmetic Surgery: If you aren’t scared to go under the knife, you should consider cosmetic surgery like a tummy tuck. A tummy tuck is a cosmetic procedure designed to remove the skin with stretch marks. However, these operations are usually painful and expensive. It could also result in scars.
- Excimer laser therapy: This treatment involves subjecting stretch marks to ultraviolet light. Excimer laser therapy is safe and effective in correcting pigment issues from stretch marks.
Home remedies for stretch marks
The following home remedies are effective in treating or hiding stretch marks:
- Body Makeup and self-tanner: Body makeup or self-tanner don’t remove stretch marks. Instead, they help conceal them.
- Tretinoin: Creams that contain tretinoin also come with retinoids. Retinoids raise collagen production and are often used to treat wrinkles. This compound may be effective in removing newer stretch marks as well. However, they come with some adverse effects.
- Bitter almond oil: Almond oil is another home remedy that can reduce the appearance of stretch marks. Based on a study, pregnant women who massaged this home remedy into their skin experienced lesser stretch marks than those who used oil without massage.
Wrapping Up
Stretch marks can be reduced or eliminated using various methods. Ensure you contact your dermatologist for advice or approval before proceeding with any treatment method. Also, if you intend on using cream, ensure it matches your skin type.
