Stretch marks occur when your body experiences sudden changes, such as pregnancy, puberty or rapid weight-gain. Treat the stretch marks that occur around your abdomen, hips and thighs easily with moisturizer, Retin-A or glycolic acid. These treatments are safe and easy to use on a daily basis. For persistent stretch marks that are reluctant to disappear, try surgery or laser treatments.
Use a moisturizer. Lotion your stretch marks daily to witness a significant improvement in your skin’s appearance and repair its elasticity. The moisturizing lotion prevents your skin from creating tears or stretch marks when it stretches, because it keeps your skin fully hydrated. Use lotion on new stretch marks or sensitive, thin areas to prevent them from occurring in the future and to see the most improvement. Try Retin-A or a retinoic acid cream on new stretch marks for rapid improvements. The Retin-A boosts the skin’s production of collagen, which helps the skin stretch and avoid unnecessary painful tears. Get a prescription of Retin-A from your doctor or physician, and limit your skin’s sun exposure during treatment to avoid discoloration and burning. Treat your stretch marks with glycolic acid to increase collagen production and provide added elasticity to the skin. It is an alpha-hydroxy acid and is found in chemical skin peels, which get rid of dead skin cells and expose and stimulate the production of new healthy skin cells. Put glycolic acid on your stretch marks during pregnancy, as this is a safe and effective treatment. If you have older, more persistent stretch marks, then consider surgical options or pulsed dye laser treatments that affect the skin underneath and revitalize its appearance and health.
Without surgical procedures, it is difficult to fully remove stretch marks from the skin, as they are permanent scars in the dermis. However, try over-the-counter options and creams to reduce the appearance of the stretch marks, lighten the skin and scars and prevent other stretches from occurring. Drink plenty of water during treatments, as this provides hydration for the skin and maintains your skin’s elasticity, which prevents stretch marks from worsening.