Stretch marks, which are typically red, purple or pink, commonly appear toward the end of pregnancy. Babycenter states that at least half of pregnant women get them, and they are most common on the belly, buttocks, thighs and breasts. This is due to the stretching of skin and hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy. They are more common in pregnant women carrying large babies or multiples. Although there are ways to reduce their appearance, the Mayo Clinic warns that stretch mark treatments are only partially effective and may not remove them completely.
Step 1
Exfoliate your skin in small circular motions. This will help remove dead skin cells on the surface of your skin and improve circulation, encouraging the growth of new elastic skin. You can exfoliate your skin at home using an exfoliating brush or scrub. You can also ask your doctor about professional microdermabrasion, a form of exfoliating that uses crystals to polish your skin and a vacuum tube to remove the crystals and dead skin cells.
Step 2
Apply a topical tretinoin cream to your skin. According to Babycenter, a cream containing 0.1 percent tretinoin may help improve stretch marks by rebuilding collagen. These prescription strength creams are best for stretch marks less than 6 weeks old.
Step 3
Discuss laser therapy options with your doctor. Some laser therapies stimulate the growth of elastin and collagen, while others can repigment the skin and make the stretch marks similar to your skin's shade. Laser therapies are most effective for new stretch marks but can work for older marks as well.
Things You'll Need
- Exfoliating scrub or brush
- Tretinoin
