When skin changes shape rapidly due to growth or weight gain, you can be left with stretch marks. Even though they are a natural part of life, many people consider them to be unsightly and look for ways to lighten or eliminate them.
Here are some ways to get rid of stretch marks.
1. Vitamin A
Referred to as a retinoid, vitamin A helps the skin appear younger and smoother. Luckily, it is sold over the counter as a topical cream. Using the cream will easily improve your skin’s appearance, but it will also be helpful if you increase your intake of foods rich in vitamin A. Foods such as carrots and sweet potatoes are wonderful sources of vitamin A.
2. Sugar
When used as a microdermabrasion treatment, sugar is touted to make stretch marks fade. The mixture consists of one cup of sugar, ¼ cup of almond or coconut oil, and lemon juice. You scrub the mixture over your stretch marks several times a week for eight to 10 minutes and you should start to see them reduce.
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3. Aloe Vera
Aloe vera is a well-known skin healing agent, which makes it an excellent resource when trying to get rid of stretch marks. You will want to apply a thin layer over your stretch marks a few times a day, and over time, you should start to see them disappear.
4. Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic acid stimulates collagen production in the skin. Collagen is a protein in the skin that allows it to maintain its shape and healthy appearance. When choosing a hyaluronic acid, you can take it safely in pill form to help you get rid of stretch marks.
5. Coconut Oil
Studies with coconut oil found that when used topically, it reduces the amount of time that it takes for skin wounds to heal. This is why the use of coconut oil on stretch marks is so beneficial. You just apply it to your skin each day and over time the redness will start to fade.
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6. Retinol
Retinol is powerful, and when used on stretch marks will improve the skin’s texture by stimulating epidermal renewal, collagen production, and evening the skin tone with papain and saccharomyces cerevisiae extract to provide enzymatic exfoliation. This will slough away your stretch marks and replenish hydration and the lipids that restore the skin’s natural barriers.
7. Tretinoin
If retinol is not for you, your next option to get rid of stretch marks is tretinoin. Retinol is more of a natural form of vitamin A, whereas tretinoin is a much stronger, synthetic version, and is only available through prescription. It is often sold as Retin-A and works to speed up cell turnover, rapidly exfoliate the skin, and stimulate collagen and elastin. If you have sensitive skin, this is not recommended for you.
8. Laser Treatment
Laser treatments are used to treat an area of skin where the collagen is damaged and actually rebuild it. Each laser treatment usually takes between 15 and 30 minutes, depending on the area you are treating. It is recommended that three treatments be used per month until you reach the desired results. The treatment is not painful but has been described as feeling like warm snaps of a rubber band.
There are multiple treatments available to help people get rid of stretch marks. You can go to a licensed dermatologist and have them perform microdermabrasion on your stretch marks. It works pretty quickly to remove the appearance and tighten the skin.
Needling is also a new treatment that injects collagen underneath the top layer of the skin. These treatments if deemed necessary can often be covered by insurance. But if not, they can be a little pricey.
