How Can I Reduce Stretch Marks From Pregnancy?
Ever wonder how can I reduce stretch marks from my pregnancy and get my body back?
Having a baby is a wonderful experience, but let’s face it, wouldn’t it be so much better without the “badge of honor” marks?
Luckily today, thanks to science and advancing technologies, we have accessible effective solutions.
While only an extremely lucky few will have pregnancy stretch marks that go away entirely, the rest of us will have to pick one or more of the following 3 best ways to reduce stretch marks.
The Highlights…
Non-Medicated or All-Natural Creams
Prescription Medicated Stretch Mark Creams
Laser Treatments for Stretch Marks
Choosing the right method will depend on the severity of your marks, how long you’ve had them, and how aggressive you want to be about getting rid of them.
It’s important to realize each method is not mutually exclusive. Often, a combination of methods or even following these treatments in stages is required for best results.
Any stretch mark treatment plan should involve a consultation with a qualified physician or dermatologist about your individual case.
How Do You Reduce Stretch Marks?
Non-Medicated or All-Natural Creams
Non-medicated and all natural creams are just that, creams that do not contain prescription-grade medications.
Often they include grapeseed extracts, vitamins A, E and D3, aloe vera, cocoa butter and other similar ingredients. These types of stretch creams are available for over-the-counter purchase.
Some popular brands include Mederma Therapy, TriLastin Complex, Revitagen, and Revitol Stretch Mark Cream.
Who is a candidate for this treatment method?
All-natural and non-medicated stretch mark creams are the ideal choice for nearly all women who want to reduce the appearance of their stretch marks. As with any other type of product that is applied to the skin, women should be aware of any allergies that they may have to the ingredients in any given product.
What are the pros and cons?
The most obvious plus is that these products do not contain a drug component that requires a prescription. This makes them available to anyone who wants to reduce the appearance of pregnancy stretch marks. Additionally, they are less expensive than prescription and laser treatments. The cons of this type of product is that they are not as effective as other methods. In addition, some products may not be suitable for use by women who are trying to combat stretch marks during their pregnancy.
What are the typical results?
Results when using non-medicated creams vary, but they are generally not as effective as prescription creams or laser treatment. Women who use these types of creams should be aware that they will not completely get rid of the stretch marks. In some cases people may find that any changes are minimal.
Where do you get it?
Women interested in non-medicated or all-natural creams can find them at nearly any pharmacy, drugstore, natural food store, or regular grocery store. These types of creams are also available through online retailers. They are easily accessible because there is no prescription necessary.
What are approximate costs?
Costs for non-prescription stretch mark creams vary. They can be as low as $6 or as high as $80. This depends on the manufacturer, the popularity of the product and where it is purchased.
Prescription Medicated Stretch Mark Creams
Women who turn to their doctors or dermatologists for help with their pregnancy stretch marks will likely be given a prescription for a topical retinoid cream.
Topical retinoids are potent derivatives of vitamin A and are often used to treat tough cases of acne and wrinkles.
These creams diminish keratinisation of the cells. In laymans terms, it reduces the formation of the scarring such as stretch marks.
The most popular and effective prescription creams contain tretinoin or retinoic acid. Some common brand names are Retin-A™, ReTrieve™, and Retinova™.
Who is a candidate for this treatment method?
The best candidates for medicated prescription creams are women who are no longer pregnant and are not breast feeding. Their stretch marks must be in the earliest stage possible for the best results. Typically, this means that the marks are no more than two or three months old and are still pink or red in color.
What are the pros and cons?
As with any medication, there are pros and cons associated with prescription creams. On the pro side, prescription stretch mark creams offer better results than non-medicated or natural creams. Another positive is they may increase the development of collagen and make the skin more resistant to stretch marks.
The most negative aspect of using prescription creams is that it can be harmful for the baby if used while pregnant or breastfeeding. When a woman is breastfeeding, it may carry through the body and enter the breast milk. Doctors will typically not prescribe this while a woman is pregnant and will advise them to wait until they are no longer breast feeding. As well, these types of creams are significantly less effective on older stretch marks and may be irritating to sensitive skin.
What are the typical results?
Prescription creams are effective on newer or reddish stretch marks. They can take up to six weeks for the most noticeable changes to take effect. They have been found to reduce the appearance of stretch marks by roughly 14 percent or more.
Where do you get it?
This type of cream requires a written prescription from a medical doctor. As a result, the prescription must be taken to a pharmacy in order for it to be filled.
What are approximate costs?
These creams are more expensive than over-the-counter creams, but less expensive than laser therapy. Because stretch marks are not detrimental to one’s health, insurance companies rarely cover the expense. On average a consumer may pay anywhere from $40 to $80.
Laser Treatments for Stretch Marks
Laser treatments are another method for reducing pregnancy-induced stretch marks.
Lasers use pulses of high intensity light to reduce redness and stimulate collagen and elastin.
There are several options when it comes to this form of treatment, including pulsed dye laser therapy, fractional photothermolysis, and excimer laser.
Who is a candidate for this treatment method?
There is a laser treatment for practically any stretch marks case and skin type.
For women with recent red and shallow stretch marks, pulsed dye lasers work very well by reducing the redness, inflammation, and can spur the formation of new collagen.
For women with deeper or white older stretch marks, fractional lasers have proven to be very effective at smoothing out the texture. Fair complexions are better candidates as there is a risk of hyperpigmentation with some darker skin types.
What are the pros and cons?
Pulsed dye laser and fractional photothermolysis treatments both stimulate collagen and elastin growth. This will, in most people, improve the underlying layers of the skin and make the stretch marks less visible. While this is a positive mark for some, it is a negative for others, particularly women with darker skin tones.
This is because pulsed dye and fractional lasers can change the natural color of darker skin. On the plus side, excimer lasers often work best for older stretch marks. A drawback of excimer lasers is that they do not affect collagen or elastin regeneration in the dermis.
Regardless of the type of laser used, these treatments are the most costly, but surveys have shown, they tend to be the most effective as well.
What are the typical results?
Excimer laser treatment causes the stretch mark streaks to look more similar to the natural, unblemished skin around them. By doing so it makes the marks less visible. Results of the pulsed dye laser is typically between a 25 to 75 percent improvement.
Where do you get it?
Laser surgeries are most often done by plastic surgeons and dermatological laser surgeons. They are outpatient procedures that are performed in office in surgical suites or in hospitals
What are approximate costs?
The per treatment cost of pulsed dye laser treatments range between $200 to $750. Generally, between two to six treatments are necessary depending on the age, size, and severity of marks.
The fractional laser treatments are about the same as pulsed dye treatments. For the most noticeable improvement, three to four treatments are usually necessary.
Excimer lasers can require as many as 10 to 20 treatments and may cost between $200 to $700 per treatment.
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