If you have ever wanted to know how to remove stretch marks you will want to read this. A lot of us have stretch marks on various parts of our bodies and it is completely normal.

Stretch marks are marks on your skin where it has stretched, pretty self-explanatory really. They will usually appear in a little cluster or a few lines at a time in an isolated area. They can be in a variety of colours, mainly due to each individual’s skin tone and how their body reacts to scarring.

Why do we get stretch marks?

Stretch marks indicate a sign of growth. Whether that be puberty, pregnancy or general weight gain. Stretch marks are an indication of your skin is being stretched.

They can appear at any point in your life, and they do not discriminate. They are more often associated on women during pregnancy but the truth is, absolutely anyone can get them.

We are giving stretch marks various other names as ways of empowering the scars. Names such as tiger stripes or lightning bolts, make them seem to feel less like a flaw on our skin.

We are all learning as we go through life and learning to love our bodies is part of that. Our bodies, as a vessel, carry us every single day and give us the capacity to live. Showing a bit of self-love to these less-desired scars on our bodies certainly can’t be a bad thing. For whatever reason, you have stretch marks, learning to love them or just accept them is very body positive. But this doesn’t mean you can’t still desire to get rid of them.

How To Remove Stretch Marks

You will find that stretch marks naturally appear less obvious over time.

The best way to help stretch marks fade is by taking collagen supplements in your diet. When we get to about 25 years old, our bodies stop producing the levels of collagen we need to maintain youthful skin. Adding a collagen supplement into your diet will not only improve the appearance of your stretch marks but also add more elasticity to your skin.

Using retinoid (often called tretinoin) creams or hyaluronic acid lotions directly on your scars. These may help reduce the appearance if used on new stretch marks. Maintaining a good skincare routine which keeps your skin stay hydrated will certainly be beneficial in reducing the appearance of your stretch marks.

Microdermabrasion is a cosmetic procedure that uses fine crystals and a vacuum to remove dead skin cells. It is a great way of encouraging your skin to rejuvenate itself and create a new layer of skin. This new layer of skin will come through without stretch marks but as skin is very thin, it takes multiple sessions to notice huge differences.

Laser and light treatments are by far the quickest way to reduce stretch marks. However, this comes at a cost and each treatment will set you back quite a lot of money. Laser surgery is used to try to make the scar flatter. This involves using a laser to remove the top layers of skin, which stimulates collagen production in the deeper layers.

Moisturise your skin for prevention

Preventing stretch marks in the first place is by far the best solution.

It is a genetic condition which seems to be female-orientated but not exclusively. If your birth mother has stretch marks it is highly likely you will also develop stretch marks at some point, somewhere on your body.

Using natural, hydrating body lotions and body oils will be kinder on your skin. While there is no surefire way from preventing them from appearing, taking measures to reduce the amount and depth is possible.