Getting Rid of Stretch Marks

Getting rid of stretch marks is something many people around the world look for ways to do. Also known as striae, these unsightly marks are caused by a rapid stretching of the skin (tearing of the dermis) in a particular area. The dermis is the middle area of the skin which helps the skin retain its shape. When the dermis is stretched beyond its limits, it causes the stretch marks to appear as the skin has been stretched beyond its regular limits. The skin tears in these areas and is replaced by scars or collagen. The resulting purplish/reddish scars are known as striae (stretch marks).

Commonly these unsightly scars are caused by the rapid skin stretching that comes along with events such as pregnancy weight gain, muscle building or puberty. Most commonly these marks form on the stomach, breasts, upper arms, thighs, hips and buttocks. While they pose no real health risk, they're still a troublesome cosmetic issue and cause stress for many people looking to get rid of them.

On this page you'll find ways for getting rid of stretch marks both naturally at home, with lifestyle changes, and through professional medical help.

Diet and exercise go a long way in resolving, treating or preventing stretch marks to begin with. Drinking caffeine has actually been linked to stretch marks, so cutting down on its consumption can help. Drinking adequate amounts of water will keep the skin more soft and less likely to produce striae.

Consuming foods and vitamins that promote skin health will help. These include protein-rich foods like fish, nuts and foods containing zinc.  Taking vitamin supplements A, C or E, or eating foods high in these vitamins can help.  Also, eating foods such as beets, brown rice, bell peppers, soybeans, leafy green vegetables and whole grains can help to form collagen for the skin's supporting fibers.

Vitamin E oil or cream has also been stated to be helpful by many people.  The vitamin E oil is simply massaged into the skin's affected areas following a shower. A natural body scrub mixture is another thing to try. Mixing a bit of olive oil with cod liver oil, Vitamin E oil/cream and aloe vera then using it to scrub the affected areas may also help reduce the appearance of the marks.

Skin rollers, which you can purchase inexpensively on eBay may also help to break up skin tissue, allowing the body to produce more collage, effectively replacing the scarred skin.

Some people have even recommended mixing coffee grounds with any normal collagen lotion then rubbing that mixture onto the area with stretch marks twice daily. A warm damp towel is used to wipe of the coffee grounds, and within 2 weeks you may see results.

Cocoa butter has been used by many people with varying results to improve the skin's appearance with stretch marks. Some people have stated they bought a stick of 100% cocoa butter from Wal Mart for just $1.00 and it greatly cleared up their stretch marks. There are also other OTC creams, oils and rubs used to reduce the overall look of stretch marks, but none are effective in removing them completely. This is where surgical procedures come in.

The common surgical procedures to treat or fix stretch marks include dermabrasion, chemical peels and/or laser surgery.

Dermabrasion involves freezing the skin and then using a special instrument to sand down the area with the stretch marks. Done by a dermatologic surgeon, this usually improves the skin's performance, giving it a smoother look. In this procedure, the patient receives medication prior to the process, and the skin is thoroughly cleaned by antiseptic. Next, an high speed rotary instrument is used to sand down the skin as mentioned, giving it a smoother look. Generally, the skin returns to a healthy looking skin within 8 weeks.

Chemical Peels are also known as chemexfoliation or derma-peeling. This procedure is done on the face, neck or hands. It involves a thorough cleaning of the skin to remove oils. Protection is given to the eyes and hair of the patient. Next one or a combination of chemical solutions are put on small spots of the skin. These may include glycolic acid, trichloroacetic acid, salicylic acid, lactic acid or carbolic acid (phenol), The use of these solutions produces a controlled wound on the skin, and eventually new, regenerated skin will grow in that area. These are generally used on lighter or fair-skinned patients.

In laser surgery for stretch mark removal, lasers are directed at the affected area. A beam of light is concentrated on the areas of the skin to remove very thin layers of skin. While these skin tissues are removed so are the stretch marks. The skin starts to heal itself and new skin is formed where the scars once appeared. Patients generally require two to six treatments for laser surgery, lasting anywhere from 10 minutes up to a full hour. There's no real pain involved in the treatment but side effects may include scarring, bruising, blistering or swelling.

Tummy tucks are yet another surgical procedure used for removal of stretch marks. These are used for the lower abdominal stretch mark removal.  In these procedures excess fat and skin is removed from the abdominal area.  Also called abdominoplasty, tummy tucks will help restore weakened or separated muscles, creating a smoother and firmer abdominal area.

Your doctor or dermatologist will be able to make the best determination for which treatments are most appropriate for you. Also, make sure to check with your health insurance company to determine if stretch mark surgery is part of your coverage, as it is not for some insurance plans.