As already mentioned, most available treatments for stretch marks are essentially of the preventive and controlling kind. The treatments that deal with repairing already existing damage are quite radical and, for the greatest part, not of established medical validity.
Pulsed laser dye therapy, currently in vogue as a possible ‘cure, has been used in the treatment of warts, port wine stains and acne. The results vary and are the object of much disagreement in medical circles, but the professional consensus seems to be that this form of treatment is of no or very limited benefit in tackling stretch marks.
A group of chemical compounds called retinoids – specifically, retinaldehyde, tretinoin or isotretinoin – has reportedly yielded favorable results in some cases. Retinoids are basically derived from vitamin A. Under proper medical supervision, their use in the treating of stretch marks can certainly do no harm. However, the research conducted on retinoids has been largely in conjunction with acne, skin aging and blemishes like whiteheads and blackheads.
Chemical peels should not be considered an option. This is a radical form of treatment that involves burning off the topmost layer of skin with chemicals such as glycolic acid, salicylic acid and trichloracetic acid (TCA). We now know that stretch marks stem from damage to deeper levels of the skin, so sloughing off superficial layers is patently useless and potentially very harmful.
The safest bet at the present time is prevention by nutritional adjustment, intensive moisturizing and massage, vitamin A, E and C supplementation and a regular exercise routine. Apart from these, only concealing or camouflaging agents can offer a degree of comfort to those afflicted by stretch marks. Various products are on the market. Finding the most suitable one is a matter of personal research.
Related Articles of Interest :
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Home Remedies For Stretch Marks
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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The generally held medical standpoint is that there is no clear-cut treatment for stretch marks. We are not talking of major cosmetic surgery or otherwise radical intervention here, of course – those are definitely possible approaches, but highly expensive ones that are by no means...
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Laser Stretch Marks Removal
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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There is a lot of controversy about the efficacy of laser removal of stretch marks. The main bone of contention is that lasers are only useful in breaking down or vaporizing tissue, not in actually repairing it. In fact, even surgical intervention is apparently only...
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Stretch Marks Cream
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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No clear-cut conclusions have been reached on whether creams, lotions and the other assorted potions for stretch marks really help. Some scorn them, others swear by them. It is quite possible that those who actually benefit would have eventually healed anyway. The damage that causes...
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Laser Surgery For Stretch Marks
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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Stretch marks are caused due to excessive stretching of the skin as a result of rapid weight gain. The skin, being elastic, stretches in order to accommodate this new body volume. At some point, though, the skin will reach the limit of its ability to...
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Cause of Stretch Marks
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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The actual causes of stretch marks are still largely unknown. Fundamentally, the depletion of collagen causes skin integrity to reduce and the end result can be stretch marks. The rupturing of minute blood vessels is also involved in causing the earliest pink discolorations of such...
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Stretch Marks
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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Human skin is an organ in itself, considering the many functions it performs. It protects from internal infection, warns of possible physical damage by means of sensory pain signals and cools the entire body via sweat glands. And, of course, it is the main canvas...
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Stretch Marks and Pregnancy
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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Pregnancy brings some unavoidable problems with it – backache, fatigue, queasiness, and, almost invariably, stretch marks. As the term of childbearing progresses (usually during the 6th or 7th month) something like 80% of all women can expect to find red striations to appear on the...
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Prevent Stretch Marks
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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There are certain circumstances under which stretch marks are almost guaranteed. To be forewarned and not forearmed is therefore foolhardy – especially considering the near impossibility of getting rid of them later on. Without doubt, pregnancy in women and intentional weight loss in both sexes...
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What are the Best Acne Treatments?
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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The most common home treatment for acne is twice daily application of a benzoyl peroxide solution such as Neutrogena On-The-Spot. This works by killing bacteria, drying up the oil, and causing your skin to peel. It is effective for minor acne (whiteheads, blackheads, and pimples)....
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Effective Acne Treatments for Teenagers
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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Acne affects virtually all teenagers at one point or another, to varying degrees. Teen acne is hereditary and is brought on by hormonal changes related to menstrual periods, pregnancy, birth control pills, or stress; oily hair and skin products; certain drugs such as steroids, testosterone,...