How to Fade Stretch Marks After Pregnancy: Taking Care of Your Skin
Just about every mom will tell you that their pregnancy resulted in lack of sleep, endless diaper changes and an overwhelming amount of joy.
What most won’t tell you, even though 90% of women experience them, is that pregnancy also results in stretch marks.* The average woman gains 30 pounds over the course of her 9-month pregnancy, and her skin just simply cannot keep up with the growth. As her body is changing to carry the baby, stretch marks can form on her abdomen, breasts, thighs, buttocks and arms.
Factors Affecting the Severity of Stretch Marks from Pregnancy
There are several factors that will affect the location, color, shape and size of your pregnancy stretch marks. These include:
Genetics. If your mother had stretch marks from pregnancy, then you’re more likely to have them as well.
Baby. Naturally, a larger baby requires more room, so women with larger children or multiple children may have abdomens that expand more than normal. The amount of amniotic fluid surrounding your baby can also affect how much your abdomen expands.
Skin Color. Your complexion can affect the color of your stretch marks. They may be more or less noticeable depending on the pigmentation in your skin and how much sun exposure you get.
How to Fade Stretch Marks After Pregnancy
Regardless of how or where you got them, your greatest concern is probably how to get rid of them. Stretch marks that start out pink, red or purple, will eventually fade to white or light gray over the next 6 – 12 months. And, for some women, the reduction in color alone is enough to regain confidence.
Yet, every mom has different expectations for their body and will want to deal with stretch marks differently. Below, we briefly discuss a few of the options available to you.
Home Remedies
While many mom’s try home remedies such as lemon juice, honey or essential oils, most researchers agree that these methods do not yield results.
Topical Creams
Heavy Moisturizers
Heavy moisturizers, such as cocoa butter or shea butter can help to improve the appearance of your stretch marks, but cannot actually help to reduce them.These products are more helpful in soothing the dry, itchy skin.
Stretch Mark Creams & Oils
When you look more closely, most stretch mark creams largest ingredient is a heavy moisturizer, such as cocoa or shea butter. These creams help to improve the appearance of stretch marks by keeping the skin well-hydrated, but do not actually change the size, shape or color of the mark because they’re lacking important ingredients that can be found in more comprehensive stretch mark therapies.
Microdermabrasion
Microdermabrasion can be scheduled with a dermatologist or esthetician, or can be completed with an over-the-counter kit from your local health and beauty store. Microdermabrasion removes your top layer of skin and stimulate collagen production to promote growth of new, healthier skin cells.
This is an expensive and time-consuming process. The average microdermabrasion treatment costs between $150 and $400 dollars, and you may have to schedule multiple treatments before you see results.
Laser Treatment
Laser treatments can be scheduled with a dermatologist or cosmetic surgeon. Laser treatments stimulate collagen and elastin production, promoting growth of new, healthier skin cells.
While laser treatments can be effective in reducing the appearance of stretch marks, they can also require a lot of time and money. The type and cost of laser treatment depends on a variety of factors including the location and age of your stretch marks, but the average total is between $5,000 and $10,000.*
Surgery
Cosmetic surgery can be scheduled with a dermatologic surgeon. Similar to a tummy tuck, the process usually involves cutting away the stretch marked skin. The average cost of this procedure is $5,000 and is not covered by insurance.*
Comprehensive Stretch Mark Therapy
Comprehensive stretch mark therapy can provide optimal results without the painful or expensive laser treatments and surgery.
Combining the right ingredients, and targeting the layer of skin where the stretch marks form can effectively reduce the appearance of stretch marks. This is exactly the method behind the ReTone Stretch Mark Therapy Kit. The kit includes an exfoliating body scrub which removes your top layer of dead skin cells. The stretch mark cream can then be applied directly to your freshest layer of skin, and more effectively target your stretch marks. Users of the ReTone Stretch Mark Therapy Kit have remarked that it’s so easy to use, and typically see results in as little as 60 days.
Ready to Try a Stretch Mark Cream To Care For Your Post-Pregnancy Skin?
Not only does the ReTone Stretch Mark Therapy Kit reduce the appearance of your stretch marks, but also it hydrates and rejuvenates the surrounding skin. Even after your stretch marks have faded, you can continue to use the lightly apricot scented exfoliant to improve the look and feel of other areas of your skin.