There is so much written about stretch marks aka “tiger stripes” all across the internet. When consumers Google what to do about stretch marks, much of the information out there isn’t very good. Or accurate. Or even true. Whenever reading about treatments for stretch marks, consider the recommendations from the perspective of what someone is trying to sell you!
What to do about stretch marks
So let’s discuss this using only reputable sources: the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). This is a division of the National Institute of Health, under the US Department of Health and Human Services.
According to the NCBI, stretch marks, or “striae are a form of dermal scarring associated with stretching of the dermis. They often result from a rapid change in weight (gain and loss) or are associated with endogenous or exogenous cortico[steroids].
Striae distensae occur in pregnancy (43% to 88%), puberty (6% to 86%) and obesity (43%).
Topical management is commonly recommended to prevent and treat striae, with very little if any evidence of efficacy, according to several published comprehensive reviews.”
As stated above, topical creams won’t get rid of stretch marks. However, if stretch marks occur in the lower abdomen after pregnancy, a tummy tuck can remove them. Clearly this isn’t an option or of any interest to everyone, but it is an option.
Treatments with laser are still under investigation. Unfortunately, the definitive treatment for stretch marks is still elusive.
