Stretch marks, also called striae, are streaks that can form when your skin stretches at a rapid pace, such as when the stomach expands during pregnancy. Stretch marks may appear pink, purple and red when they're new, but they aren't a serious problem and they fade as they age, according to MayoClinic.com. If you still want to get rid of your stretch marks, some treatments may help reduce their appearance but won't fully remove them.
Cream
Many skin creams on store shelves purport to remove stretch marks, but most of them don't work, according to the Nemours Foundation. Likewise, creams that say they will prevent stretch marks are generally ineffective, according to MedlinePlus.com. One cream that may actually help remove stretch marks is a prescription known as tretinoin cream, which helps build up a skin protein called collagen to make a stretch mark appear more like normal skin, according to Mayoclinic.com. However, this cream is more likely to reduce the appearance of stretch marks that are less than six weeks old and still have a pink or red hue.
Peels and Microdermabrasion
Chemical peels and microdermabrasion treatments are thought to help slightly reduce discoloration in stretch marks, according to the Consumer Guide to Plastic Surgery website. If you decide to receive a chemical peel, the practitioner will apply a chemical solution that removes the damaged outermost layers of your affected skin, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. If you undergo microdermabrasion, the practitioner will use a handheld tool that rapidly blows abrasive crystals against the surface of your affected skin to remove the outer layer and reveal fresher and more elastic skin beneath, according to MayoClinic.com.
Laser Therapy
Different forms of laser therapy can remove skin areas affected by stretch marks to allow fresh skin to grow in its place, according to DocShop.com. One type of laser treatment thought to be effective for new stretch marks is called pulsed dye laser therapy. This treatment uses wavelengths of light that don't wound the top layer of skin, but stimulate the growth of collagen and a flexibility protein called elastin in the underlying skin, according to MayoClinic.com. A treatment called fractional photothermolysis also stimulates the growth of collagen and elastin but intentionally causes damage to tiny areas of skin to promote the growth of new, fresh skin. An excimer laser works in a different way; it stimulates the production of melanin to cause old stretch marks to achieve a skin tone that is closer in color to the skin around it.
Surgical Removal
The most effective way to get rid of stretch marks is to surgically remove the affected skin, according to DocShop.com. For example, you may a candidate for an abdominoplasty, also called a tummy tuck, if you have stretch marks as well as excess fat, skin or muscle on your abdomen, according to the Consumer Guide of Plastic Surgery. This procedure will get rid of the stretch marks in the process of getting rid of the unwanted tissue.
Choosing One
Discuss your expectations of a treatment with your doctor to determine which treatment would be best for you. You may have many options for stretch mark removal, but all treatments come with their pros and cons. For example, a more effective treatment typically involves more healing time and it may also be out of your price range. The age of your stretch marks is one factor that narrows down your removal options.
