subject: Successful Routes To Rid Yourself Of Stretch Marks [print this page] For those who want to keep their skin clear and smooth looking, stretch marks are an avowed enemy. They arrive as zebra like scars with different lengths and depths. They come to many different parts of the body such as the abdomen, breasts, buttocks, upper arms, and legs. Weight gain and rapid growth are the usual culprits for the existence of stretch marks. The middle layer of the skin is called the dermis, and when stretched to a point that its elasticity breaks down, out comes a stretch mark.
This being the case, what can be done?
Fortunately, there are options to choose from.
Today's Available Stretch Mark Treatment Options
Surgery is the route to take if you are willing to take the hit on the bank account. The stomach is where stretch marks can be removed surgically in what's called abdominoplasy surgery, or the 'tummy tuck.' By tightening and molding the stomach walls excess fat and skin are removed which lessen the appearance of the stretch marks. The negatives to this procedure are that it is expensive and painful with a long recovery time.
A second option for surgery would be what's called laser treatment. The objective of this treatment is to produce new collagen in the skin by shooting cosmetic lasers into the dermal layer. The collagen then thickens which leads to the plumping of the skin that fills in the stretch mark from below. However laser treatment is really only effective for new, immature stretch marks as the improvement for more mature stretch marks doctors say is reportedly small.
The realistic expectation of using these surgical treatments should be thought of as a 20 to 50% improvement in the appearance of the stretch marks.
Regarding the non-surgical route, an attractive option is microdermabrasion. There is no pain aftermath and the price tag is more down to Earth compared to surgery. It is performed in beauty spas but as well has an at home solution in the form of a microdermabrasion cream. The method is to wear down and eliminate the top layer of the skin by using abrading microcrystals. This in turn creates a newer and healthier skin to replace the old and damaged one. It also makes your skin more resilient by triggering collagen and elastin production.
