Stretch marks can feel like a life sentence. While they made fade in color over time, they will never go away on their own. Stretch marks will impact your self-confidence. They will limit your wardrobe: you probably won’t want to wear a bikini if you have them on your stomach, and you won’t want to wear sleeveless tops or dresses if you have them on your arms. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
Stretch marks are not a life sentence, but in order to go back to a life without stretch marks, you’ll need to have your stretch marks treated. Stretch mark treatments can be expensive and grueling—for some treatments, you’ll have to go to the doctor for months of recurring procedures—but they don’t have to be. To choose the best stretch mark treatment for your needs, read more about the ins and outs of the treatments below before making a decision on which treatment is best for you.
Deep Chemical Peel
A deep chemical peel for treatment of stretch marks is the process of applying an acidic solution to the areas of skin over your stretch marks in order to burn the damaged skin in that area and promote skin regeneration. The average cost of a deep chemical peel is $6,000, and only one treatment is needed. A deep chemical peel does carry some serious risks because it requires you to be put to sleep with anesthesia.
While a deep chemical peel may result in a slight improvement in the appearance of stretch marks, it is not considered a highly effective treatment. Learn more about chemical peels for stretch marks.
Microdermabrasion
Microdermabrasion is the process of sanding skin with a crystalline spray in order to exfoliate and remove the topmost layer of skin, eliminating dead skin cells and damaged skin in the process. A single session of microdermabrasion costs, on average, between $75 and $200, but as many as a dozen treatments may be needed in order to reap the full benefits of the procedure.
Microdermabrasion may create the illusion of diminished stretch mark visibility by improving the overall appearance of your skin, but because the procedure does not impact the middle layer of skin that houses your stretch mark scars, it does not have any impact on your actual stretch marks. Learn more about microdermabrasion for stretch marks.
Stretch Mark Removal Lotion
Stretch mark removal lotions contain ingredients that encourage skin regeneration and may reduce the visibility of stretch marks by promoting new skin growth over the areas of damaged and scarred skin. This treatment method is the most cost-effective and least intrusive since the lotion can be applied at home—there’s no need to go to the doctor for repeated treatment sessions.
A stretch mark removal lotion can reduce the appearance of stretch marks and is an inexpensive and easy way to take the first step to a life without stretch mark stress. Browse a list of stretch mark removal products.
