Try Stretch Mark Removal Cream Or Another Treatment For Scars
Stretch marks (or stria, the dermatological term) are furrows of scarring on the skin caused by tearing of the dermis over a brief span of time. These scars may be red or purple at first, and then fade until they are white. They develop during times when the body’s hormones are experiencing changes such as during puberty, weight loss or gain, and pregnancy but are not completely caused by stretching. The real damage occurs down in the epidermal layer of the skin. These marks can be reduced but never disappear completely.
When considering stretch mark removal it is wise to research all the available methods in order to select the best scar treatment choice for your needs. The least invasion and easiest treatment is to use a stretch mark removal cream. The Patient’s Guide, an online magazine from the nation’s leading dermatologists, reports that The Journals of Drugs in Dermatology (Volume 3, Issue 1) lists three specific removal creams. The first is TriLastin-SR with microspheres that are infused with collagen as the active ingredients. This collagen infusion causes epidermal skin cells to swell from absorption of moisture. This swelling smoothes out the ridges of the furrows and even lightens the marks. It has been effective on all skin types and on new as well as old scarring marks. You can expect to see changes within four weeks with maximum significant change effects completed by four months of use. These changes have been found to be lasting.
StriVectin-50 is the second recommended cream. It contains peptides that stimulate the collagen production necessary to repair the skin. It is effective when applied two times a day for up to eight weeks. One small side effect some people experience is warmth or blushing of the skin to which the cream is applied, which typically disappears within two hours. It is thought to be produced by expansion of small blood vessels. The third cream is Mederma. Its main active ingredient is Allium cepa, or onion extract, considered an anti-inflammatory. Other active ingredients are the anti-inflammatory pennywort and sulfur, to fight infections and bacteria. Merc Pharmaceuticals, its creator, conducted a 2010 in-house study and found scar improvements as high as 40% after use.
Many dermatologists report that chemical peels and microdermabrasion both have a minimum amount of impact as treatments for stretch marks. In your search for how to get rid of scars, you will find that tummy tucks work by removing skin below the navel, not repairing it. According to Dermatology Times (Volume 23, May 2007), the most effective treatment to date for stretch marks is a procedure called fractional laser resurfacing. It uses scattered pulses of light to zap a small fraction of a scar to create microscopically tiny wounds. These wounds stimulate the skin to produce new epithelium and collagen which smoothens the skin’s texture and reduce redness. A 2007 clinical trial found that most treatments brought improvements as high as 75% to the scars.
There is a great deal of information available on the treatments for the scaring effects of stretch marks. Evaluate each then choose the method that suits your needs and budget.
