Many people can develop stretch marks, which can occur at various stages in life. For both men and women, stretch marks can occur during puberty because of growth spurts.
Pregnant women are especially susceptible to stretch marks, specifically because the skin around the tummy area which is stretched beyond normal proportions.
Body builders who use steroids and bulk up at an excessive rate are at a high risk of developing stretch marks.
There are a number of surgical treatments available. However, they are in most cases very expensive, and have a lengthy, painful recovery period.
Macrodermabrasion
This procedure makes use of sea salt or fine crystals in conjunction with a tretinoin cream, which is used to resurface the cream. This in turn stimulates the production of collagen (one of the fibres responsible for the elasticity of the skin).
The problem is that one can only resurface the skin up to a certain depth before more scarring is caused.
After a series of treatments each costing up to $ 400 a session, stretch marks are reduced, but not eliminated
Surgical Skin Resection
In this process. Stretch marks are literally cut out. Many doctors will claim that this is the only method to remove stretch marks. What they do not tell you, is that this operation may cause more scarring. The recovery period is quite painful and lengthy.
Laser Surgery
In its infancy, this procedure of burning away the stretch marks seemed to be the miracle cure. However, it once again caused more scarring, as well as discoloration of the skin.
Fractional Laser Resurfacing
This newer treatment uses scattered pulses of light on a small portion of the scar. It creates microscopic wounds, which stimulates the growth of new collagen fibres, as well as epithelium. The appearance of the stretch marks were shown to be improved by up to 75% after several treatments, but not removed.
Tummy tuck
This procedure requires the skin to be cut, stretched and stitched in such a way to conceal the stretch marks. However, it leaves another scar on your tummy, which in itself requires further surgery to remove. The risk is that the additional surgery may result in additional scarring and so that cycle continues.
Although claims have been made that these treatments can cure or eliminate stretch marks, the truth is that they can reduce the appearance of stretch marks, but not remove them without causing more scarring.
