Before you have a baby, speak with your doctor regarding stretch mark treatment. Early treatment will be essential in order to prevent severe scarring. Many treatment options cannot be used while pregnant because they can cause birth defects. During pregnancy, most physicians will recommend simply keeping the skin well moisturized in order to promote skin elasticity and prevent itching and tightness.
Stretch Marks after Pregnancy: Treatment Options
Retinol is an active ingredient that’s found in most over the counter and prescription medications designed to treat stretch marks after pregnancy. Retinol will work by stimulating collagen production. It can take several weeks before you experience any results from this treatment. Retinol creams will have a price that ranges from ten to a hundred dollars per tube for a one month supply. If you visit with a skin specialist, they can prescribe a stronger retinol cream, which will be more effective than the over the counter brands and will also cost more.
There are a number of products on the market that claim they can remove stretch marks. Typically these creams and lotions will contain onion extract, vitamin C, hyaluronic acid or centella asiatica. These products will be more beneficial if you apply them two to three times daily for a minimum of three months.
Another option to treat stretch marks is laser therapy. Laser therapy will remove the top layers of skin, promoting new skin growth. This type of treatment should be reserved for when you’re done having children. There are different types of laser therapy treatments and the type your physician will choose is based on the type of stretch marks you have. These laser treatment sessions can cost two to eight-hundred per visit. Typically, dermatologists recommend six to eight sessions in order to experience the best results. This type of treatment is not usually covered by health insurance so the cost will need to come out of your pocket.
Microdermabrasion for Stretch Mark Treatment
Microdermabrasion is not only used to treat fine lines but it can also be used to treat significant scarring, such as stretch marks. People who undergo this type of treatment will experience skin that’s softer and smoother. Using this type of cosmetic procedure for the treatment of stretch marks is a relatively safe way to treat scarring, and it’s a method that doesn’t require a long recovery period. While this procedure will not remove stretch marks completely, it’s effective in smoothing out the skin, making the stretch marks less noticeable. The cost for this treatment ranges from two to four-hundred dollars per session with a minimum of two sessions needed.
If you’re considering a cosmetic procedure to treat your stretch marks, you’ll need to make an appointment with a dermatologist in order to determine which type of treatment will be the most effective for you.