Sweep Away Stretch Marks

Stretch marks? A bane that we women spend hours trying to banish or wipe away. Most of the time without major success. So what causes this? It simply happens when the skin gets constantly stretched and becomes less elastic and the connecting tissues break. Though visible on the epidermis, stretch marks are really scarring of the dermis or the middle layer of our skin. Though dermis is a very elastic and resilient layer of our skin that shapes the epidermis, even elastics can get stretched too taut that they break. This is what happens to our skin. During phases like excessive weight gain, pregnancy and even early teens when hormones run amok, the skin gets stretched beyond its limit and get scarred easily.
Depending on your natural skin tone, the stretch marks appear as raised pink, reddish brown or dark brown striations. Gradually these marks flatten and fade to a colour few shades lighter than your skin colour. In most Indian skin they appear as ivory white marks. They do become less noticeable over time, however they never vanish.
Popular Treatments:
Here's a checklist of various treatments that can help you in fighting stretch marks.
Tummy Tuck:
Most pregnant woman end up with lots of extra skin that tends to hand loose. Through surgical excision the loose skin can be tightened that also helps in removing some of the stretched skin as well. This can be done in one sitting, however this is a painful and expensive procedure.
Endermologie:

Though the endermologie machine is mostly used for treating cellulite and orange peel skin, but it has also been found effective in reducing scars caused due to stretching. Endermologie machine uses rollers and gentle suctioning that massages not just the epidermis but also the dermis. This in turn increase the blood circulation in the affected area which helps in expelling toxins buildup and connective fibers get firm. The doctors claim that endermologie can effectively increase circulation by 200 percent, which in turn help in reducing the appearance of stretch marks. However one sitting will not be enough, you will have to go for at least 12 to 15 sitting of half hour sessions each to see any results. This can be an expensive affair as most skin care clinics charge per sitting basis that can start from Rs 3,500 depending on the area to be cured.
Dermabrasion:

This is one the most popular skin improvement treatments that most women opt for and most commonly offered in the cosmetic clinics across the country. Dermabrasion and microdermabrasion are both surgical exfoliation procedures, which are used to improve the skin's texture. In this the skin is exfoliated with mineral crystals, vitamin C crystals to give the skin a smoother appearance. This is great to remove any type of scar marks including acne marks, stretch marks, pigmentation etc.
Laser treatments:

It do not really remove the marks but just fade them. However for the treatments to be effective, you have to get laser surgery in the early stages when the marks appear reddish brown or dark red as lasers responds to dark colours only. Once your marks start fading naturally treating them with laser may not be your best bet. There are different types of laser treatments available today, some of the popular procedures include Intense Pulse Light, Pulse Dye Laser, Carbon Dioxide Laser. Here again a series of treatments are required for any visible result. Moreover you will have to take care of side effects like tender skin, mild redness, which go away with time. However one word of caution while the treatments are expensive, there is yet to be any standardisation in the processes used and some treatments may not be suitable for the Indian skin tones.  
Prescription Treatments:
This is the most cost effective way to handle stretch marks. However the results of prescription medicine and ointments may vary from person to person. Most dermatologists prefer to treat stretch marks with creams containing Tretinoin, or Retin-A. These are vitamin A derivatives that work by loosening the keratin or outer layer of the skin to remove dead skin cells. Tretinoin thins the outer layer of skin in order to penetrate it. It gets into the dermis, where stretch marks occur, increasing collagen production. It is most effective when used in the early stages.
Like any synthetic treatment this also has side effects like stinging, swelling and redness of the skin and an increased sensitivity to sunlight. Doctors also say that this is unsafe to use during pregnancy.
Anti-Stretch mark Creams:
The cosmetic counters in the stores today are stocked with various creams that claim to bust stretch marks. Moreover the efficacy of each product can vary drastically. These creams do help to certain extent if applied with the onset of stretch marks. Most of them work as emollients and by keeping the skin supple help in fighting excessive stretching. These creams are effective as moisturisers but they cannot always penetrate deep into the dermis, where the actual stretch occurs. Some of the remedies that work include Vitamin E Oil, and creams containing vitamin A and Vitamin E, AHA, shea butter and cocoa butter lotions or creams.
References:
Sita Gita