Stretch Marks

Many women have stretch marks - the "orange peel" and unsightly indentions on the sides of the stomach, beneath the arms, or below the buttocks.  These marks can cause a great deal of embarrassment and hiding.  Stretch marks have many causes; the most common of which are pregnancy or sudden weight gain/loss.   

While it was thought that stretch marks were "incurable", the latest innovations in dermatology are now offering treatments that may be effective.  If your stretch marks are abundant or cause great self-consciousness, the following treatments can be tried out though none have been proven to be absolutely effective:  

1.  Creams - Most stretch mark creams contain retinoids, which are derivatives of Vitamin A.  Products with retinol and retinaldehyde can be bought without a prescription at supermarkets, but some stronger creams (containing tretinoin or isotretinoin) needs a doctor's prescription.  These creams can be applied on any area and are usually buffered with alpha hydroxyl acids (AHAs) that can help fade stretch marks.  AHAs come from and work by encouraging cell regeneration.  They strip the top skin layer to make room for new skin, thereby improving the look of stretch marks.   

2.  Chemical peels - Chemical peels are often the option for treating stretch marks in smaller areas of skin, such as the arms.  Peels can also be used to treat photoageing or sun damage, melasma and fine wrinkles.  It can also be used to remove freckles and dark spots  

The peel works by removing several layers of the "damaged" skin cells, making it possible for newer and smoother skin to grow.  Like laser therapy, peels also stimulate the production of collaged, which improves the skin texture around the "stretch mark" area.  However, chemical peels can cause superficial or profound skin injury.  A trained aesthetician or a salon therapist can perform superficial peels, but it takes a trained dermatologist or a plastic surgeon to do stronger peels.  The peel can be done as many times as possible provided that there is a reasonable time interval between peels.  A superficial peel can repeated every few weeks, but a deeper peel should wait at least three months before doing it again.   

Common and safe chemical peels are the glycolic acid and the Jessner's peels that strip away small lesions on the skin surface.  They also leave skin fairer and more moisturized.  The first peel's results may not be as dramatic.  Optimal improvement is achieved only after repeated peels. 

Dermatologist-performed "medium-deep" peels use stronger chemicals and are usually painful.  This is only for stretch marks that are noticeable enough to leave an indention in the skin, yet shallow enough to be "shed".  The treated area may be swollen and red for up to two weeks.  However, on the third week, there is a remarkable improvement in skin texture.  Even blemishes and wrinkles disappear.   

But if your stretch marks are deeply imbedded, you may opt for a "deep" Phenol peel, but with great caution.  It can cause scarring, has high toxicity and may cause nerve damage.  However, Phenol is very successful in treating deep marks.  After the treatment, the skin is usually pale but waxy-looking.   

3.  Laser therapy  - Laser surgery is one of the most expensive options and can require up to six sessions.  It does not remove stretch marks but it does minimize them while improving the skin's appearance tremendously.  Studies show that this improvement can continue up to six months after the first treatment.  There are many innovative laser techniques to treat all kinds of stretch marks and scars.  The laser works by stimulating the skin under the stretch mark and encourages this lower layer to produce new and smoother skin.  Laser also stimulates collagen production which thickens the skin and fills out the stretch mark.   

Although there are many skin products claiming to remove stretch marks, the truth is that most of them are ineffective and costly.  The only way to completely eliminate stretch marks is by the help of a qualified dermatologist or plastic surgeon.  These doctors can offer many aggressive treatments from actual surgery to microdermabrasion to laser treatment that can help reduce the pockmarked appearance of your stretch marks.  However, these treatments cannot remove stretch marks completely and are usually much more expensive.