Ask the experts: How can I treat and prevent stretch marks naturally?
Oil-based lotions can prevent striae
Stretch marks, or striae, are
scars created in the skin when
it has stretched beyond its ability to
recoil. The mark appears as a thin
line that starts out red in color and
fades to white. Stretch marks are
partly hereditary, so if your mother
has them, you're more likely to have
them, too. But anything that causes
the skin to stretch-obesity, puberty,
rapid weight gain or loss, pregnancy,
or even lifting weights and taking
steroids-can cause striae.
To prevent stretch marks, keep
your skin hydrated and healthy.
Use an oil-based, thick moisturizer
(like ShiKai's Borage Dry Skin
Therapy, shown below) and drink
six to eight 8-ounce glasses of water
daily. Cocoa butter also has a
reputation for preventing stretch
marks, but there are no studies that
show it works better than a regular
moisturizer.
More aggressive treatments for
stretch marks include topical retinoids
like Renova, Retin-A, and Avita,
which minimize scars by stimulating
the production of collagen in the
skin. Laser treatments have also been
shown to lighten and smooth stretch
marks. Vascular lasers, such as the
Vbeam, which are typically used to
treat birthmarks and rosacea, target
the color red and are therefore useful
when stretch marks first appear. The
Fraxel laser, an infrared resurfacing
laser, has been shown to stimulate
collagen production, which helps fill
in the sunken area beneath the older,
white scars. Signs of improvement
should be visible after three to six
monthly treatments. (It's not cheap:
One session can run from $600 to
$1,200, depending on the size of the
scar, and insurance rarely covers
the procedure.)
Stretch marks are generally
a cosmetic concern. If striae suddenly
appear with other changes
like facial hair, irregular menses,
a swollen face, or diabetes, see
your physician. This may indicate
an underlying condition called
Cushing's syndrome.
-Joely Kaufman, M.D., director of
geriatrics and anti-aging at the
University of Miami Cosmetic Center
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