Stretch marks are the worst!
They develop quite easily, are caused by a number of things, and it can be a complete nightmare to get rid of them.
Millions of people have stretch marks. And many of them feel insecure and less self-confident because of them.
The good news is that, if you are determined to win, there are methods that can work quickly to get rid of those ugly scars.
We have provided some information below about those options. But let's first talk about what stretch marks are and how they develop.
Stretch marks affect both men and women worldwide. Women get them most often because of pregnancy, and men commonly get them because of weight gain.
But there are other reasons that the scars can develop. Here are some of the common conditions that result in stretch marks:
As mentioned earlier, most women develop stretch marks FROM their pregnancies. The scars are usually on the stomach or breasts, but can also appear on the legs.
All of this is because pregnancy generally results in quick weight gain. The belly, of course, swells as the embryo grows. And the breasts expand to prepare for lactation.
In fact, weight loss is a prominent cause of stretch marks as well. Whenever skin stretches or contracts, it stresses the underlying tissue. If it happens too quickly, these small tears take place.
It leaves ripples and lines that reveal what lies beneath the skin. That's why the coloring of stretch marks appears to be dark.
So taking on weight or losing it rapidly puts a great amount of stress on your skin.
Young women in the range of 12 to 15 years old, and even some young men, may develop stretch marks at puberty. Women who develop breasts quickly will often experience this too.
And men who begin aggressive muscle-building activities can also have issues. That's because underlying muscle also stretches the skin.
As you can see, the majority of stretch mark causes are within our control. However, pregnancy and fitness are key life activities. So we'd like to offer some solutions for those who want to avoid or repair the scarring.
As with any other cosmetic skin condition, science has been hard at work trying to find solutions. Several of them are promising for prevention or removal of stretch marks.
Here are the most common ones:
One of the most affordable alternatives for dealing with stretch marks is creams. If you don't have stretch marks yet, a prevention cream may be the answer. It's a great idea to begin using one as soon as you realize you are pregnant. Or as soon as you start a new workout regimen, for example.
Now, if you already have stretch marks, the ingredients of a quality stretch mark removal cream is preferred. They don't all work the same way, but there are lots of creams available.
These lotions range from inexpensive to somewhat expensive. But they almost always cost less than the other therapies we will talk about next.
The other advantage is that most of the creams come with money back guarantees. If you buy from a reliable seller like Amazon, it's easy to receive a refund if the product does work for you.
The other advantage is that creams are very easy to use. They become just another regular part of your daily beauty routine.
Most users report that results begin to occur within 2 to 6 weeks after they began using the cream. Of course, it can take longer to get full healing.
But if you have seen no progress after roughly 8 weeks, it's probably time to try a different one. We all have different skin types, after all.
Our favorite of the removal creams, TriLASTIN-SR, can begin to work in as little as three weeks. But you can expect it to take several months to do the full job.
TriLASTIN-SR uses the absolute highest quality of ingredients. And a single tube really stretches (no pun intended) a long time.
That example goes to show you that quicker isn't always better. Sometimes, the best answers for stretch marks involve patience.
Many of us are fans of using home remedies whenever possible. I have tried a few that were recommended for removing stretch marks. They didn't help mine, though.
However, there are a few that have worked for others. They might be inexpensive ways for you to try first.
Bear in mind, that most DIY solutions take longer than the clinical alternatives. If you tend to be impatient, this might not be the best approach for you.
Let me tell you about one possible home remedy that you can try. It worked for my friend Berta. Unfortunately, it took over a year before she was willing to wear a bathing suit in public.
1. Get a white potato
2. Slice the potato into sick pieces
3. Rub the slices on stretch marks slowly, letting the potato's juices cover the skin
4. Do nothing until the juices have dried completely
5. Use a very soft washcloth and warm water to remove any residue
Obviously, the advantage of a solution like this is that it's very inexpensive to try. However, it's a lot of work to do day after day until you see progress.
If you live near a city, you might look to see if there are medical spa's nearby. Many of them offer stretch mark removal treatment. The most common skin tightening lasers and/or chemical peels.
This is a relatively expensive option, but it can work speed up results. This might be handy if you have a beach vacation planned, for example.
Even though it may work faster, you should expect 6-8 treatment sessions for complete success. It takes a lot of effort to heal the tears, even when professionals are involved.
Speaking of professionals, dermatologists can help if nothing else has been successful. Doctors have advanced lasers to repair the damage over several treatment sessions.
Of course, insurance usually doesn't cover a treatment like this. It's considered a cosmetic indulgence. In other words, the expense will probably be out of your pocketbook.
We all know that beauty comes at a cost. Only you can decide if these costly methods are within your budget and priorities.
You should also carefully evaluate spas or doctors before using them. See if other customers have left them positive testimonials. Nothing is more reliable than the comments from someone who has already been treated successfully.
