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Remove Stretch Marks

Michelle Green
By: Senior Editor & Skincare Expert  |  Michelle Green

These days, every professional photograph you see has been enhanced with some sort of photoshop tweak or tool. The models in these photos have their perceived flaws edited away to such extremes that often, they hardly look human anymore. With all of these distortions being made in the name of beauty, many people (especially women) are feeling more insecure than ever over common flaws, such as stretch marks.

If you have these types of skin striations, and want to remove stretch marks, the good news is that it is within the realm of possibility. There are many different ways to go about doing so, and each one comes with its own set of pros and cons. In order to remove stretch marks easily, cheaply, and completely, you have to carefully consider all of your options before you make a final decision.

How to Remove Stretch Marks

Whether you are thinking of a surgical, dermal, or topical solution to remove stretch marks, you should know what each method entails and which one might work best for you:

Surgery – the most common surgical procedure to remove stretch marks is a tummy tuck. Essentially, a plastic surgeon will cut away the skin afflicted with these striations. This is a popular procedure for new mothers who have anywhere from $4,000 – $20,000 of disposable income to throw around. But you also need to keep in mind that there are serious risks associated with such surgeries, such as infection, scarring (even uglier scars than your original stretch marks), and recovery times of up to 6 months. Also, this type of procedure only works on stretch marks around your stomach; stretch marks on other parts of your body, such as your thighs, hips, breasts, and arms, will be harder to get rid of because there may not be as much excess skin to cut away.

Laser Treatments – the two most popular forms of laser treatment to remove stretch marks are vascular lasers and fractional lasers. Vascular lasers work well on newer stretch marks, especially if you have a very fair complexion and your stretch marks have a deep pink/red hue. Fractional lasers are meant for older marks which have faded into a pale/silver color, and work better (but still imperfectly) on darker skin tones. Either of these treatments can cost between $450-$1,000 per treatment, often requiring 3-6 treatments or more before getting the full effect. Also, fractional lasers run the risk of leaving you with hyperpigmentation or worse scarring than the marks you are paying to get rid of!

Topical Creamstopical creams are the safest and often least expensive way to remove stretch marks. There is no risk of injury or scarring by massaging a cream onto the afflicted skin, and a professional, high-quality formula will be a fraction of the cost of an invasive surgery.

What to Consider to Remove Stretch Marks

If you want to use one of the methods above in order to remove stretch marks, you should first consider your own personal situation before deciding which one is right for you. Most women can’t afford a full surgical procedure, such as a tummy tuck or other form of skin removal. Either the surgery itself might be too expensive, or they simply cannot afford to take up to 6 months off of work for recovery.

Additionally, the possibility of additional scarring or medical complications might not be a risk they are willing to take. And while laser treatments are less dangerous, the enormous expense and less than 100% guarantee that they will be able to successfully remove stretch marks will cause some people to take pause.

Topical creams, on the other hand, are a popular solution for many people. They are very inexpensive when compared with surgery or laser treatments, carry no risk of scarring or injury, and there are several high-quality creams out there which will help you remove stretch marks in a matter of weeks. In the unlikely event that a stretch mark cream doesn’t work for you, there is always a laser or surgical treatment option you can take advantage of at a later date. Therefore, most beauty-conscious people who are concerned about such flaws have virtually nothing to lose by first attempting to remove stretch marks by using an effective cream.

To help get you started, our staff has put together a list of the best creams designed to remove your stretch marks. We’ve done some pretty exhaustive research, and feel confident that our rankings and reviews are some of the best you’ll find on the internet. Click here to see our reviews!

Michelle Green
Senior Editor & Skincare Expert
Michelle Green is a well-established aesthetician with over 20 years experience in skincare. She has researched over 5,000 products over the past decade, striving to help her readers fine-tune their skincare routine so they can get the results they want.

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