In the quest to do away with stretch marks (or even to stop them from appearing in the first place) there are a whole range of treatments to consider. Some are natural, some are medical and some sit at the space in between, and here are a few of the most common treatment options available:
Moisturisers. Keeping skin properly hydrated is vital if you want to reduce the possibility of stretch marks appearing, and that means you need to thoroughly moisturise your skin throughout your pregnancy. Doing so will increase its elasticity to help it stretch as your bump grows, so make sure to be on the lookout for super-hydrating moisturisers that can give your skin the moisture boost it needs.
Home remedies. Of course, you don’t always need to go for more expensive treatments—home remedies can often work just as well as their manufactured counterparts, so think about raiding the kitchen cupboard for olive oil (a great moisturiser) or be on the lookout for things like pure cocoa butter for optimum moisturising benefit. If stretch marks have already taken hold you could even whip up a scrub of coffee grounds and olive oil, combining the moisturising properties of the oil with the stretch mark-busting benefit of caffeine for an added boost.
Retinol-A. Usually only available via prescription, retinol-A is a powerful cream that’s actually been found to reverse the scarring of stretch marks. But, you need to use it early—it will have the most benefit if applied when the marks are still red, but make sure to avoid if you’re breastfeeding.
Surgery. Surgery should always be considered a last resort, but it could be an effective means of treatment nonetheless. You could go for laser surgery or even a tummy tuck to completely cut the stretch marks out, but make sure to discuss your needs with your doctor first.
As you can see there are plenty of different options, and whilst prevention will always be better than cure it doesn’t mean that everything’s lost. Whether you go the natural route or something more on the extreme end there could well be a solution, so always consider the possibilities and you could soon say so long to stretch marks for good.