Stretch marks are a very common condition the affect 50-90% of men and women. There are several scenarios which can cause them. While they are very easy to get, they are nearly impossible to get rid of. We will review some of the most common stretch mark treatments.
Prevention
One of the key factors in dealing with stretch marks is prevention. It is important that you keep your skin hydrated in order to keep its elastin. This elastin is necessary to prevent your skin from scarring. Some people opt for applying regular lotion. Depending on how dry your skin is overall, this may work just fine as long as you have a good, hydrating lotion. There are many other options that will work great for keeping your skin hydrated.
Coconut oil is at the top of the list for effectiveness. It is readily available and very easy to keep on hand. You apply it in the same manner that you would any other lotion or moisturizer. The good thing about coconut oil is that a little bit goes a long way.
source: heraldnet.com
Cocoa Butter is another good option for keeping your skin well hydrated. Not only will it help to prevent stretch marks, but it will also help in healing the skin to help minimize any that you may already have. You can also use things such as Vitamin A or Vitamin E to help with the healing process.
source: thehivebulkfoods.comLaser Treatment
About 50-75% of people report an improvement to their stretch marks after having laser treatment done. The ICON 1540 Fractional Laser has been approved by the FDA for use in the removal of stretch marks. When you go in for laser treatment, the area will be numbed first. After that is done, the laser treatment will begin. Pulses of energy are delivered into your skin. This does not cause any damage to your skin at all. It simply tricks your cells, making them think that they are injured. This process will make your body’s natural healing process begin. Your cells will release all of the chemicals necessary to create new collagen in the area where the laser was applied.
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Over time, the appearance of your skin will improve. It is important that you realize that this process does take time and patience. It is not something that will improve after one treatment. It will take several visits and laser treatments for you to begin to notice a difference.
Laser treatments can be quite costly. They range anywhere from $500 to $8,900. The average cost of each treatment is roughly $2,681. This cost is not exactly budget friendly but, depending on the severity of your stretch marks, it can be well worth it.
Microneedling
Microneedling is done by a dermatologist or trained aesthetician. This process creates tiny punctures in the skin using microneedles that are 0.5-2 mm in diameter. While this process may sound intimidating, it is minimally invasive.
This process, much like laser treatments, triggers your body’s wound healing process. Once the body believes it is injured, it will begin to produce the necessary collagen to begin the healing process. Microneedling is not a fast process at all. It will take about 4 months for you to begin to see a difference. It is important that you realize it is a lengthy process that will require great patience on your part.
Generally, one microneedling treatment costs about $700. Depending on how many treatments you need, this will determine your overall cost to have this treatment done. The entire process can take anywhere from 4-6 months, or even longer depending on the severity of your stretch marks.
source: thebodyclinic.uk.com
While stretch marks can appear unsightly for many, they are a very common part of life for many people. While effective treatments are available, they can be quite costly and out of the budget for many people. If professional treatment is not an option for you, you can use the home treatment as we mentioned above.
Regardless if you decide to treat them or not, it is important to realize that they are very common among people. If you do decide to opt for treatment, make sure you are consulting with a professional that will provide you options in a safe manner.
