Most women come away from a pregnancy with at least a couple of stretch marks. They are the result of skin expanding rapidly in a short amount of time. Stretch marks can also occur due to excessive weight gain or other health conditions. According to MayoClinic.com, treating stretch marks can help them fade, but nothing will get rid of them completely. One of the most common treatments for stretch marks are lotions and creams, some of which work better than others. Creams with ingredients to assist in collage production are the best choices.
Revitagen
According to StretchMarkCream.org, Revitagen is made up of ingredients that include peptides. The presence of peptides in the cream encourages the restoration of collagen, which helps moisturize and repair skin affected by stretch marks. This stretch mark cream also helps reduce the discolored appearance of the skin where the marks are. The instructions for use are to rub the cream into the stretch marks twice daily in a circular motion.
Captiva Striae Minimizer
Captiva Striae Minimizer contains collagen-repairing peptides as well as aloe vera, cocoa butter, shea butter, mango butter and vitamins A, C and E. Aloe vera is a substance that has been used throughout history to heal the skin, says StretchMarkCream.org. The butters and antioxidants in the vitamins moisturize the stretch marks and surrounding skin. The cream claims to reduce the appearance of stretch marks by 20 percent in just under a month and is applied to the stretch marks once or twice a day.
Mederma
StretchMarkCream.org reports that Mederma is designed to treat scar tissue like stretch marks. You apply the cream to the affected area three to four times per day for eight weeks for new stretch marks and up to six months for older ones. The active ingredient in Mederma is Cepalin, which is derived from onions and is reported to reduce the appearance of scars. Mederma is available over the counter at most drugstores.
