Red and white stretch marks can be removed if we use the right creams and treatments.
Although many think that it can only happen to pregnant women, there are many times when stretch marks can appear, from puberty to just a time when we have changed weight significantly in a short time.
What are stretch marks
They are neither more nor less than scars or lesions that form on the skin.
During pregnancy or when a person loses or gains a lot of weight in a short period, the epidermis tightens and loses thickness, breaking the internal collagen and elastin fibers and resulting in stretch marks.
It usually occurs on the belly, chest, upper thighs, hips, and buttocks.
These marks can also appear during adolescence because it is time that with rapid growth and hormonal disorder, the skin “gets stressed” and forms those small red lines, which will become pearly white over time.
Table of Contents
1. How stretch marks evolve
Stretch marks always start with inflammation, with edema on the surface of the skin. Then it is slightly bulky and red or purple.
After a long healing process (from 6 to 18 months), the groove lowers its relief and becomes narrower in a second stage. It becomes a white line on the skin. It is at this stage that it can be most challenging to treat.
2. Better to prevent or treat them at the beginning
Since the loss of collagen and elastin is decisive and, if these are not well prepared, the skin breaks, creams with highly effective components must be applied to treat the problem from within.
It does not work with a simple moisturizer. Anti-stretch marks products are an excellent ally to use as prevention during pregnancy and when they have appeared, but they are in their initial phase when they are reddish.
At that time, it should be applied daily, and for a few weeks to blur and even remove them.
3. What ingredients should an anti-stretch mark cosmetic include?
Very nutritious vegetable oils (almond, wheat germ, rice germ, jojoba, etc.) are a great source of essential fatty acids and vitamins and, therefore, a good option because they provide elasticity to the skin.
Rosehip oil is one of the most effective because it has excellent regenerative power on damaged tissues. As for anti-stretch mark creams, some of the star ingredients are Gotu kola, silicon, collagen, hyaluronic acid, and retinol.
4. And is there any effective treatment for stretch marks?
Depending on the case, it may be difficult to remove them entirely. Remember that they are scars. But, on many occasions, they CAN be made practically invisible, and there is a commitment to reduce them by between 50 and 80%.
a. Red stretch marks
They are more recent, and their color indicates that there is still blood circulation in them, so they can be blurred with techniques such as microdermabrasion (exfoliation at deep levels to promote cell renewal) or carboxytherapy (injections of carbon dioxide, which are also very well to combat cellulite).
b. White stretch marks
Being more mature, you have to resort to the laser. The power of fractional technology is used to reduce the appearance of marks without damaging the surrounding tissue.
The natural healing process removes damaged tissue and produces collagen and elastin to create new fabric. The result is good, but not immediate.
Usually, four sessions are carried out (one per month), and after that time, you have to wait another three months to see the final result.
It is time it takes for the new collagen to form again. The price depends on the center and the sessions, but the treatment exceeds € 600-750.
5. What can I do at home to prevent stretch marks?
When showering. Gradually decrease the water temperature, going from hot to cold, to activate circulation and keep the skin toned.
Follow a diet rich in protein and vitamins A, C, and E. It will improve the quality of your skin. Are you planning to go on a diet? If you decide to lose weight, especially do it gradually and controlled by a nutritionist.
Find a portion of food that does not make you suffer and remember that sudden changes in pressure can cause stretch marks to appear.
Massages When you apply the anti-stretch mark oil or cream, do it in circular movements and upwards to stimulate blood flow.
a. Exercise
Practice some physical activity (yes, yoga, or brisk walking also work). It will help you not lose the elasticity of the tissues.
Patience and perseverance are the keywords to make those stretch marks disappear And, while you get down to work with the best anti-stretch mark creams that we offer you below, you do not have to resort to photoshop when you take bikini photos.
Do as Kourtney Kardashian, who shows off her stretch marks without complexes or touch-ups on her Instagram.
b. Elancyl: cream with safflower oil and vitamin E
Stretch marks begin as reddish lesions that mature and leave whitish scars. To prevent them, Elancyl has formulated this cream that deeply nourishes the skin. It helps lessen stretch marks and prevent new ones from coming out.
c. Atlantia: with 100% natural ingredients
In addition to pure Canarian aloe vera, which is the signature ingredient of this firm, Regestimul cream incorporates shea butter, which is high in vitamin F and 100% pure rosehip oil, with high regenerative capacity, which helps improve skin tone and texture. If you are a lover of natural and vegan cosmetics, you will love this cream.
d. Babe: corrective and preventive
The rosehip oil and Gotu kola present in the formula of this cream favor the tissue repair process. This healing action is joined by other ingredients such as milk thistle or seed sprouts, which promote the elasticity and flexibility of the skin, and vitamin E, which fights free radicals.
e. + Farma Dorsch: accelerates cell renewal
Laboratorios + Farma Dorsch has used regenerating and healing active ingredients to formulate its Anti-Stretch Cream, a treatment that reinforces and stimulates cell regeneration, favoring the progressive disappearance of stretch marks and cracks in the skin. Among its star ingredients: rosehip oil and extracts of Gotu kola and horsetail.
f. Suavinex: anti-stretch marks for sensitive skin
One of the attractions of this anti-stretch mark cream is its light texture, easily absorbed, and pleasant smell. With 89% ingredients of natural origin, Centella Asiatica and hyaluronic acid stand out. And to take into account its size, because it is 500 ml.
g. Weleda: anti-stretch mark massage oil
Taking a few extra pounds in a short period –something that has happened to more than one during confinement– causes the skin to tighten and crack.
And there are the fateful stretch marks. Before they “mature,” and it becomes more challenging to eliminate them, massage the area with an oil-rich in nutritional ingredients, such as this one from Weleda, which combines the action of jojoba oil and almond oil.
h. Mama Mio: butter with a combination of oils
Tummy Rub butter is one of the most used by future moms who see their bellies grow and grow and do not want skin tension to cause stretch marks.
Experts recommend applying it twice a day, massaging from the upper chest to the lower belly area, covering everything well.
With a dense texture but fast absorption, its clinically proven formula is a unique combination of avocado, sacha inchi, and argan oils (rich in omegas 3, 6, and 9), which helps keep skin elastic and firm.
i. Biotherm: delicately scented oil
Enriched with water from Life Plankton, an exclusive Biotherm complex, which has a powerful regenerating action, the brand ensures that this powerful combination of corrective oils (rapeseed, sweet almond, and olive) manages to improve the pigmentation and relief of stretch marks in so only 28 days, leaving it visibly softer and more elastic. Does not contain alcohol, silicones, or parabens.
j. Bio-Oil: the most popular
If not the most popular, one of them, since it is a multipurpose oil that we have heard a lot about for being excellent value for money.
Used by celebrities and influencers, its active ingredients include vitamins A and E, which promote the formation of collagen, in charge of restoring the elasticity of the skin.
Also, it provides a significant antioxidant action, protecting the skin against free radicals.
k. Uriage: intense nourishing oil
Bariederm Cica Oil prevents the appearance of stretch marks and corrects existing ones, making it perfect for the care of the skin of pregnant women and mothers.
Although it is also indicated in other situations in which the body changes, such as sudden weight gain or marks after an operation, it contains jojoba, avocado, and sunflower oil, among other ingredients rich in omegas and vitamins.
I. sdin: collagen activator
Its highly concentrated formula, with Gotu kola, rosehip oil, and vitamin E, allows collagen formation to be activated to prevent and treat stretch marks.
Dermatologically tested, it has been clinically evaluated by more than 500 women, obtaining very satisfactory results.
m. Me and Me: Anti-stretch mark and anti-stress mask
It seems like a play on words, but it is. Me and Me anti-stretch mark cream is also firming (claims to increase skin firmness by 53%) and contains neuro cosmetic ingredients, which help decrease stress and cortisol levels.
And one more plus: it includes prebiotics that maintains the health of the skin, restoring the microbiological balance. Very complete.
