6 Medical treatments to get rid of stretch marks

by Bongiwe Mati

Stretchmarks or stria are lines that manifest themselves in areas such as hips, stomach, thighs, breasts, and buttocks. This is all causes by the stretching of our skin due to life events such as pregnancy, weight loss and many others.

It may be very difficult to remove stretchmark but there are medical treatments that may fade them, with constant use your stretchmarks are likely to get light and almost unrecognisable.

After consulting with your dermatologist, these are some of the stretchmark removal treatments that the Healthline suggests doctors may try on you.

  • Tretinoin cream. Also known as Retin-A and Renova, this works by restoring collagen, a fibrous protein that helps give your skin elasticity. It’s best to use this cream on recent stretch marks that have a red or pink appearance. This cream may cause skin irritation. If you’re pregnant, you shouldn’t use tretinoin cream.
  • Hyaluronic acid cream. This may help when applied consistently to early stretch marks. Hyaluronic acid is generally considered safe for most people to use.
  • Pulsed dye laser therapy. This treatment encourages the growth of collagen and elastin. This therapy typically works best on newer stretch marks. It may cause some skin discoloration if you have a darker skin tone.
  • Excimer laser therapy. This stimulates skin color (melanin) production so that stretch marks match the surrounding skin more closely.
  • Microdermabrasion. This involves polishing the skin with tiny crystals to reveal new skin under the more elastic stretch marks. Microdermabrasion may, in some cases, help improve the appearance of older stretch marks.
  • Fractional photothermolysis. This uses a laser to target small areas of your skin. It works similarly to pulsed dye laser therapy, with less potential for skin damage.

For a more youthful skin try the RF Skin Tightening and a Glycolic Peel available for those in Pretoria on 60% off, and a choice of a Fat Freeze Combo available in Claremont, Cape Town at 54% off.

Also see: Why you should add turmeric to your skin care routine