Having clear skin makes us feel more confident about ourselves. Which is why we try our best to keep the skin healthy and glowing. But despite our best efforts, we fall short to stay away from stretch marks. While stretch marks cream seems to be a promising and affordable solution to get rid of these stubborn marks, there are many question marks regarding its effectiveness.

If you are wondering whether to go for these creams or not, you are in the right place.

In this article we will learn all about stretch mark treatment and how effective are stretch mark creams to eliminate stretch marks from your body.

What are stretch marks?

To get started, let us first understand what stretch marks are. They are a type of scar that surfaces when the skin shrinks or stretches suddenly. The abrupt change ruptures the elastin and collagen that support our skin. Over time, the skin heals, but the stretch marks remain. They appear like narrow bands on the skin. 

Initially, these stretch marks are purple, red, pink, dark brown, or reddish-brown depending on your skin colour, but with time it fades. Also, they can be a little itchy and raised at the start.

What causes stretch marks?

As stated above, stretch marks appear due to the sudden shrinking or stretching of the skin. In this section, let us understand the factors that lead to sudden stretching and shrinking. 

Here are a few common causes:

• Pregnancy: A recent survey shows that around 50 and 90 per cent of pregnant women experience stretchmarks during or after birth.
• Puberty: During puberty, the body undergoes rapid growth. These changes in the body can trigger stretch marks to appear. 
• Rapid weight gain: If you gain a lot of weight in a short period, the skin undergoes excessive stretching. This can lead to stretch marks. 
• Medical conditions: Certain conditions like Cushing’s and Marfan's syndrome can cause stretch marks. Cushing’s syndrome causes your body to produce excessive hormones. These lead to rapid weight gain and skin fragility. Marfan syndrome can decrease the elasticity of the skin tissue. 
• Corticosteroid use: Collagen is crucial to support and strengthen the skin. Continuous use of corticosteroid lotions and creams can decrease the collagen levels in the skin.

Common treatments for stretch marks

There are many treatments and therapies to remove stretch marks. Here are a few popular ones: 

• Stretch marks removal cream: These creams contain vitamin A, retinoids, and more. They help to rebuild collagen. Continuous use of these creams can improve the appearance of stretch marks. 

If you are pregnant, stay away from stretch mark removal creams with retinoids. Their exposure can affect the baby. Consult your doctor to know the suitable cream for stretch marks during pregnancy.

• Light and laser therapies. There is a range of laser and light therapies that effectively stimulate collagen growth to promote elasticity and decrease stretch marks. For example, the C02 laser treatment offered by UnCover uses a beam of light to remove the outer skin layers. It is highly effective to remove stretch marks, chicken pox marks, acne, and more.
• Micro-needling: Like laser and light therapies, micro-needling promotes collagen growth. The treatment option is highly famous as it does not change skin colour. Click here to book your micro-needling appointment. 
• TCA cross-treatment: Here, chemical reconstruction of the skin is done using trichloroacetic acid (in high concentrations). It is highly effective in improving the texture of the skin and several scars, including stretch marks. 

What are stretch mark creams?

Stretch mark creams can also be in the form of gels and lotions that contain vitamin A, retinoids and more. They promote collagen growth to improve scar appearance. Here are a few hacks to make the most out of stretch mark creams:

• Stretch mark creams are less effective on mature stretch marks; Therefore, apply these creams on newly emerged stretch marks to see better results. 
• Take time to massage the stretch mark cream into your mark area gently. Doing so might help to show better and faster results.
• It takes time to see results with stretch mark creams. You must consistently apply and massage the product every day for weeks before you start seeing any notable difference. Do not take breaks as it might prolong the process. 

Do stretch mark creams work?

We have already mentioned that stretch mark creams can help to improve the appearance of scars. But there is no scientific evidence to support the fact that they completely remove stretch marks.

These creams have a minimum proven effectiveness against stretch marks.

Yes, it is an affordable option with low risk, but it does not guarantee promising results. You can definitely give it a go, but the chances of getting good results are low. If the marks are new, these creams will show better results.

If you want to go for better treatment options to help you get rid of those stretch marks, here are a few good ones:

• Fractional CO2 laser treatment: This treatment is more aggressive and effective, especially for old stretch marks. Usually, this technique was used for facial skin resurfacing but has shown promising results in treating stretch marks. Here the laser makes tiny micropunctures in the skin; This is done in a grid-like pattern that leaves healthy skin bridges in the middle. 

The procedure is highly effective as it stimulates production that improves skin elasticity. Here you can see effective results after 2 to 3 treatments spaced 3 to 6 months apart. 

• Micro-needling: Micro-needling is another highly effective way of treating stretch marks by stimulating collagen growth. Here, a micro-needling pen will create microscopic punctures or injuries within your stretch marks.

Once the sites in your stretch marks are injured, your body will produce collagen at the wounded region to promote healing.

This action will also heal the tears within your dermal layer that are responsible for stretch marks.

 Also, you must know that micro-needling will not cause any harm to the outer layer of your skin. Plus, it is a chemical-free process and is effective for all skin types.

• TCA cross-treatment: If you like the idea of a needle making tiny punctures in your skin, TCA cross-treatment is an ideal solution. Here a Trichloroacetic acid (TCA) solution is used to break down the extra connective tissue from your stretch marks and scars. Doing so decreases the appearance of such marks on your body.

It also promotes the regeneration ability of your skin cells to knock the stubborn marks out. It takes only around four weeks to notice good results after treatment. 

Here is an amazing thing about all the three treatment options that we just mentioned above: They are all available in UnCover. 

Yes, you read it right. With UnCover, you can start your stretch mark reduction journey today. Also, did we tell you that these sessions start from INR 3000 only?

Click here to get started. 

Can you prevent stretch marks?

There are no surefire ways to completely prevent stretch marks. But there are a few hacks that lessen the intensity of these stretch marks in your body. 

Regularly moisturizing your skin is a good way to prevent stretch marks. Use products like cocoa butter or shea butter to keep these marks at bay especially if you are pregnant. Also, drink plenty of water as it helps to keep the skin soft. 

Excessive consumption of caffeine also increases the chances of developing stretch marks. If you are worried about the marks, it is time to cut down on that daily dose of coffee, tea, soda, and more.

On an ending note

Stretch mark creams may sound like an affordable way of treating stubborn stretch marks, but they do not guarantee any positive results. Yes, they can be effective on newly emerged marks, but there is no point in using them on old stretch marks. This is why you need to invest your money in more effective treatments.

Click here and head to UnCover the benefits of TCA cross-treatment, Micro-needling, and Fractional CO2 laser treatment with expert doctors onboard.