How to Get Rid of Stretch Marks
Stretch marks are often seen as a common part of being pregnant and are often referred to as ‘tiger stripes. The name comes from their appearance as long streaks, stripes, or lines on the skin. In fact, anyone can suffer stretch marks as they can appear when the skin is suddenly stretched although they do tend to be more common in women and are common as a result of pregnancy.
The initial appearance of stretch marks can look red or purple but that usually fades to silver or white over time. If you want to improve how your stretch marks look, there are certain things you can do.
Dry Body Brushing
Dry body brushing won’t get rid of stretch marks, but it can help improve the appearance of them. Body brushing works by loosening and lifting dead skin cells and making the skin appear brighter. To get the best effects from this, use a body brush in circular or sweeping motions, moving towards your heart.
Don’t use too much pressure, particularly if you are sensitive. Dry brushing can stimulate your lymphatic system. By doing so, increases the energy flow in your body and helps to reduce the appearance of stretch marks. It can also improve the efficacy of stretch mark creams.
Use Retinol Cream
Retinol is a derivative of Vitamin A and can help stimulate skin cell regeneration. Retinol creams work best on newer stretch marks, that is those that are still red or purple. These creams can help fade stretch marks and reduce the length and width of them.
Retinol creams promote the production of collagen and elastin in the skin. By promoting the production of these substances, retinol creams can help prevent and reduce stretch marks. Use a retinol cream daily, following the instructions carefully, to get the most benefit but avoid using these creams whilst you are pregnant.
Use Stretch Mark Cream
There are a wide variety of stretch mark creams and lotions available to buy. Stretch marks are essentially scars where the dermal skin has been stretched and torn apart. Stretch mark creams are designed to hydrate, tone and nourish the skin and can help with the appearance of stretch marks.
They can also help with itching which can be a common side effect of stretch marks. The ingredients used in many of these creams are designed to improve the elasticity of your skin. This helps support fragile skin and can help prevent any new stretch marks from appearing.
Use Laser Therapy
Laser therapy works by beaming infrared and visible red light onto existing stretch marks to remove the outer layer of skin and encourage new growth. You can choose from ablative and non-ablative lasers. Ablative lasers destroy the upper layer of your skin. This leaves new skin tissue that is smoother in texture and appearance.
Non-ablative laser therapy works from the inside out, targeting underneath the surface of the skin and promoting collagen growth from underneath. You will need a series of laser therapy sessions over a number of weeks to improve your stretch marks.
Try microdermabrasion
Microdermabrasion is a popular facial treatment but it can also be used on stretch marks. It is a painless cosmetic procedure. Tiny crystals are sprayed onto the stretch marks and then gently removed.
When they are removed, the crystals take away the top layer of dead skin. It can cause your skin to feel tight and dry following the procedure and can also leave the skin slightly red from the exfoliation. Your skin should however look better after 24 hours. Like laser therapy, you will need more than one session over a period of time for the best results.
