Stretch Mark Treatments that Actually Work

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A Quick Word

Hi guys, Hannah here. 🙂 Today I’ll be discussing everything and anything that has to do with stretch marks. For example, I’ll be touching upon what exactly these skin tears are; what are the mains reasons for their emergence; some common myths concerning them; and course, the best methods in terms of both preventing and minimizing their appearance. I will also mention the top methods of treatment that my and the Health Base team’s research and testing have unearthed.

When the Health Base team sat down quite some time ago to draw up a list of areas and topics that we wanted to focus on, I was immediately drawn to this particular area.

Why this particular area? Well, for two reasons: 1) I know it is a very common affliction for both men and women, and 2) because I have the honor of having stretch lines myself! Yes, heavy sarcasm. 😉

So, therefore, I, more than anyone, was super keen to delve into this area. I wanted to hunt down the answers to the key questions regarding this topic. Due to the fact that I’ve had this issue for many years now, I know quite a bit about them and how to treat them.

However, with the combined existing knowledge of the Health Base’s team and community, as well as the extensive research and testing that we performed, I now feel ultra-informed on this subject – to the point where I want to share what I’ve learnt.

I hope that this guide supplies the answer to any questions that you may have regarding these tears in our skin. If there’s anything that you think that I haven’t touched upon, or if you have any general queries or comments, then please get in touch via the area supplied at the bottom of this page or through our Contact Page. Let’s begin. 

(P.S. Through this guide you will see me use the following terms - stretch marks; tears; stretch lines; skin marks et cetera et cetera. They all mean the same thing in the context of this guide! I've chosen to do this simply because that brands and specialists often use these words/terms when discussing stretch lines so it's good for you to get used to them. I hope that prevents any confusion. 🙂 )

What Exactly Are They?

When the collagen fails to do this, then stretch lines occur. But why don’t we feel this tearing? Surely it would hurt! Well, the reason why we didn’t feel anything is because these tears happen at the middle layer – the dermis. So, it’s not the outer, visible layer where we get cuts and scrapes – these we can definitely feel!!

In terms of appearance, these tears look like long thin lines that run across our bodies. They often start off as red or purples lines, and then settle down into a silvery-white color. You see, when the tear occurs in the dermis, this allows the deep layer of skin to be exposed. This area will be a different color to your outer layer and thus will stand out.

Ok, so that’s a pretty good description of what this affliction and how it occurs. Next, I’ll discuss why exactly they appear on our bodies. There are several reasons, all of which have a similar origin.

What are the Causes - The Three Culprits

As I’ve explained, these skin tears form when our bodies undergo extreme growth in a certain area.

These marks are often associated with getting older, which is kind of true. Yes, we are more susceptible to getting scars as we age because 1) our bodies undergo greater change, and 2) the functions and systems of our bodies slow in efficiency as we age. 

However, it’s not as simple as that. Young people in the prime of their health can get stretch lines as well. Simply put, there is a good chance they might appear on any particular body if that body undergoes a great, rapid change. 

Below, I’ve compiled three of the most common changes that can cause our bodies to be afflicted by these tears. There are other examples, like puberty, but the three outlined below are by far the most common.

Pregnancy

It’s safe to say that the period of pregnancy is a very challenging and trying period for a woman’s body and skin. The abdomen area undergoes extreme change as the skin is stretched with then expanding belly. A considerable change also occurs in a female’s breasts during this time.

Pregnancy is probably the single most considerable change that a human body can go through in a lifetime. The changes that occur from day one till the day the baby is born are quite remarkable. Therefore, it is quite common that, after giving birth, a woman will be left with stretch lines on her belly, breasts, upper things, or perhaps on all three areas.

If the above sounds like you, then make sure you check out our article which explains how to prevent pregnancy related tears.

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Weight Loss/Gain

This is similar to pregnancy except obviously not as extreme or as rapid. If your body was to expand considerably over a short period of time, then the skin would expand in order to compensate for this new bulk. This can cause great strain and thus can lead to tears.

This tearing occurs if the expansion is too great for our skin to cope with. The thing is, you won’t notice these new skin tears until you actually lose the weight that you’ve gained. Gaining weight will cause tears, but only by losing the weight will the marks become visible. 

I know what you’re thinking…so, if I put on a whole lot of weight then surely it’s better to just keep eating rather than be left with tears in your skin!! Well, come on, that’s not a great plan or mindset to have! Stretch lines are always more preferable than being obese. Also, as I’ll explain in a short time, these tears can be treated. So, put down that pizza slice, there’s no good excuse for not exercising and being healthy, my friend. 😉

Speaking of being healthy, it’s worth noting the type of diet that can lead to rapid weight gain and probably issues with your skin as well. Diets that are high in calories, or low in them, will cause weight gain or loss. Especially if these calories are negative ones like junk food and the like.

In terms of where obesity related tears might occur, they can be most commonly found on a person’s hips, thighs, breasts, stomach, and even arms. All in all, this is just another completely logical reason for keeping your body in good shape!! As if another reason was needed, right. 🙂

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Body Building

A type of person who often suffers from this affliction is the guy/gal who likes to body build. Bodybuilders undergo amazing levels of physical stress, strain, and overall change. That’s right, just as unhealthy weight gain can cause tearing in our skin, rapid growth or loss in muscle mass can also leave people with the same end result.

This is even more worrying for bodybuilders as aesthetics are a major part of any bodybuilder’s psyche – especially if he or she regularly competes in competitions. Though, in saying this, elite bodybuilders are keenly aware of the threat posed by stretch lines. The vast majority of them understand how to minimize the dangers and chance.

It’s worth also noting that it’s not just bodybuilders who can suffer from muscle expanding related skin lines. Any gym goer is at risk. Especially newbies who launch themselves into a new training regime that there body has never experienced before. Whenever a person lifts heavy weights for a prolonged period, the muscles that are used expand and change the shape our bodies.

This is why people often looked pumped when they have finished training heavy weights. This muscle expansion can very well cause tears to occur. The areas of the body that you would most likely see these kinds of lines are on the arms, thighs, or buttocks. These are the areas that are most prone to rapid growth in terms of muscle. Your chest and back are already pretty big muscle groups with lots of room for expansion. And most people’s abdomens have extra skin which aid in muscle related stretching.

For more on this particular topic take a look at my article on Stretch Marks From Muscle Gain - Prevention & Treatment. 

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Five Common Myths

The majority of things in this world have some sort of mythology attached to them. The can take the form of factually based opinions, half-truths, or straight up falsehoods. Skin lines are no different!

The tricky part is trying to separate the reality from the mythology. It can be very easy to get suckered into believing something that is simply not true. This lie can then shape the way you view a certain thing.

As I researched this topic, I came across five myths that seemed to be constantly circulating this topic. Below I have outlined the five and given the reality concerning them. 

It’s fair to say though that the vast majority of people would choose to remove their scars and tears if given the option. It must be said that the possibility of full removal really does come down to the severity of the tear that took place.

In saying this, the high percentage of skin tears can be diminished to the point where they are not visible or barely visible to the naked eye. Later on I will look at some of the best methods for achieving this. If you’d rather know now then feel free to skip ahead, or follow this link where I review a quality product for minimizing any tears: TrilAstin treatment cream.

How to Prevent and Treat Stretch Marks

Method One – Fractionated Laser Resurfacing

Overall, it seems that a 30-70% improvement is an achievable goal when it comes to fractionated laser treatment, but this level of success could take anywhere between 3 – 10 treatments.

A single fractionated laser treatment can cost anywhere between $900 - $1,400 so you can see how this venture might turn out to be a very, very expensive one.

VERDICT: Extremely expensive and does not have enough medical proof or consumer testimonials to be fully convincing.

Method Two – Bleaching Cream