Dental Care

Stretch Mark Treatments That Really Work

Stretch marks are a form of scarring that can occur when a person’s skin is overstretched. Stretch marks have the initial appearance of purple or red looking lines. In time they fade to a white or off white color.

The two main causes of stretch marks are pregnancy and obesity. Many people will get stretch marks at one time or another. A large percentage of the population has been overweight or pregnant at some time in their lives! It’s not just women who get stretch marks, either. Few people realize that they are a common complaint of male body builders as well.

The good news is that there are several treatments for stretch marks that have been shown to be highly effective. Following is some information on the top three methods of treating this problem.

1. Dermabrasion. General anesthesia is required when you undergo this kind of stretch mark surgery. Dermabrasion is useful for reducing the visibility of abnormalities on your skin such as sun damage, dark spots and scars. In this procedure, the surface of your skin is sanded off using special equipment.

This procedure is most effective is the scar is raised above the skin’s surface. For the treatment of sunken scars, though, it’s not nearly as effective. This surgery involves a fair bit of pain and it can take months to heal completely. But the final result can be very impressive.

2. Microdermabrasion. Popularly known as microderm, this treatment is much less invasive. You can easily undergo this procedure at any number of convenient providers, and you won’t need an anesthetic to dull the pain. A special tool is used to gently sand the surface layer of the skin in order to remove it. People like microdermabrasion because it has a reputation for being a safe, painless procedure.

3. Skin treatment creams. There are hundreds of products marketed these days that claim to prevent or eliminate stretch marks. Creams and lotions containing Vitamin A, cocoa butter or an assortment of other ingredients are highly popular.

There are several of these treatments that have scientific evidence showing that they can minimize the look of stretch marks. Some of the more effective treatments for stretch marks are Trilastin, Revitol and NuVectin. Keep in mind that these products are generally more effective at preventing stretch marks than eliminating them.

However, many products tend to overstate their ability to get rid of stretch marks. It’s important that you read some independent customer reviews on any stretch mark product before you buy it. Do a web search for the product you’re considering, and examine sites that aren’t associated with the manufacturer. Also, check out the company’s website and try to follow through on any of their claims.