In general, stretch marks take between six and 12 months to fade. With treatment, they often fade faster.
Medically, stretch marks don't require treatment because they aren't harmful or painful. They usually fade over time, with or without treatment, but may never go away completely.
It's common for stretch marks to appear during teen years when rapid growth of weight gain occurs. Other factors that make teens predisposed to stretch marks appearing include a genetic risk or family history of stretch marks, pregnancy, being overweight or obese, or topical or oral steroids, like prednisone.
Stretch marks usually lose their color in six to twelve months, changing from red to white. Stretch marks should be treated as soon as they appear, when laser procedures are much more effective. Red stretch marks are easier to remove with laser treatments than old scars or stretch marks that have already turned white.
Stretch marks eventually fade to a silvery, white, or glossy appearance, due to the pale fat beneath the skin becoming visible instead of the usual blood vessels. They are more likely to develop and become more severe where there are high levels of circulating cortisone, or when cortisone is applied to the skin.
They vary depending on how long you've had them, what caused them, where they are on your body and the type of skin you have. Common variations include: Indented streaks or lines on the abdomen, breasts, hips, buttocks or other places on the body. Pink, red, discolored, black, blue or purple streaks.
Can Vaseline remove stretch marks? While Vaseline can help to moisturise the skin and improve its overall appearance, it is unlikely to completely remove stretch marks. Using Vaseline in combination with other treatments can help to reduce the appearance of stretch marks over time.
Stretch marks look like lines or streaks across the skin. Stretch marks can be pink, red, brown, black, silver or purple. They usually start off darker and fade over time. Stretch marks are most common on the tummy, breasts, chest, upper arms, legs, bottom, hips or back.
Causes of Stretch Marks
Stretch marks can occur as a result of rapid weight gain when your skin stretches, causing tears in the inner layer of the skin. However, even though you may have already had them before the weight gain, the stretch marks may actually not be visible until you lose weight.
Stretch marks (striae) are common stripe-like skin marks that develop as a result of thinning of the skin from rapid growth (such as during puberty or during a growth spurt), rapid weight loss or gain, and as a result of some diseases.
Through puberty, the skin of children progressively darkens with no differences between sexes prior to adolescence.
In general, stretch marks from weight loss fade or disappear completely on their own. Sometimes rapid weight loss can actually cause stretch marks because of excess skin weighing down on the healthy skin.
Many creams and other skin products claim to get rid of stretch marks, but the truth is that most don't work and are costly. Usually, the best thing to do is be patient because stretch marks often fade with time. If they still bother you when you're an adult, you can ask your doctor or see a specialist for treatment.
When does puberty end? For girls, puberty typically ends around age 15 to 17 years. For boys, it tends to end around age 16 to 17 years. Again, every child is different, so these ages can vary.
Aloe Vera
In addition to providing heartburn relief, lowering blood sugar, and acting as a natural laxative, aloe vera gel can ease symptoms from rashes and hives, moisturize the skin, and help the skin repair itself in order to diminish scarring, including stretch marks.
Aside from the obvious causes like pregnancy and rapid weight change, a few other reasons why stretch marks might appear include: Genetics or a hereditary condition. Having overly dry skin. Having previous damage or injury to the skin.
Stretch marks may fade naturally but often won't disappear completely. Using topical treatments can help to keep skin moisturized and reduce their appearance. If a topical product is still not enough, you may consult your dermatologist to discuss more drastic solutions, such as laser, radio and ultrasound therapy.
Myth: Stretch marks are mainly caused by gaining weight quickly. Truth: We tend to associate stretch marks with rapid weight gain, whether from overeating or pregnancy. In fact, any individual undergoing a period of rapid growth, including slender teenagers and bodybuilders, are more susceptible to stretch marks.
Early stretch marks are usually red or purple. Over time, stretch marks lose their colour and become white or silvery in appearance.
The marks occur when a person experiences a significant amount of growth or weight gain in a short period of time, such as during puberty. Getting stretch marks does not necessarily mean a person is overweight. Thin people can get the marks too, especially when experiencing a rapid growth spurt.
Radiofrequency Treatments
Allure reports that RF treatments use energy to heat the skin's deeper layers, stimulating collagen and elastin production. This process tightens the skin and reduces the appearance of stretch marks by improving skin elasticity and texture.
Alternative medicine. The idea that you can prevent or treat stretch marks by rubbing creams, oils or lotions on your skin is not supported by strong evidence.
As much as we'd love VapoRub to be able to make stretch marks disappear, we're afraid that it's just not true! Stretch marks are fickle things, and nothing has currently been proven to get rid of them entirely.