How do I get rid of stretch marks?

Question

After a bit of weight loss, I've got stretch marks on my stomach and continued stretch marks on my arms (bicep area). I'm using Cocoa Butter, but that doesn't seem to be working.

Any other suggestions?

My main question, will tanning work to discolour the red or white of the scar?

Answer 1

Sorry bud, can't do much about the ones you have. But an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure; keep using something that keeps your skin elastic (like cocoa butter which you already are) to keep from getting more of them. Be religious about it.

Also another idea if you don't want to smell like chocolate all the time (you ARE a guy after all), go to a health food store and get a homeopathy "Cell Salt" combination called 'Tissue G - Elasticity'.
For cells needing to stretch, grow or bouce back. 500 tabs will cost you $9 at most - $7.95 if you go directly through the makers at www.1800homeopathy.com. Good luck.

Answer 2

Whether or not you get stretch marks is determined mostly by heredity, and getting rid of them isn't easy. In fact, experts aren't even sure it's completely possible. The first thing to know is that no over-the-counter cream or lotion can remove those lines. Stretch marks occur in the middle layer of the skin, called the dermis, and common creams can't reach that far deep. Vitamin E and cocoa butter treatments can make your skin feel soft and supple, but they won't make your skin mark-free. You'll need to talk to a doctor, dermatologist, or plastic surgeon if you want to seriously reduce the lines.

Prescription creams containing Tretinoin, also called Retin-A, may help reduce the appearance of fresh stretch marks. These creams should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. This type of treatment will not eliminate stretch marks completely, and it won't work on older marks that have already faded from red.

A French treatment called Endermologie claims to reduce scarring. A machine with rollers and gentle suction is used to massage and exfoliate the affected area. Again, this won't remove stretch marks, but it may enhance the overall appearance of the skin.

Laser surgery is sometimes used to lessen the severity of stretch marks, but the results are mixed. Microdermabrasion has been somewhat more successful in changing the appearance of stretch marks. Both treatments are expensive and should only be performed by qualified doctors.

Answer 3

The truth is that stretch marks are very hard to get rid of and no creams no matter what people tell you can ger rid of them, absolutely no creams..they might help to make them less visible but only for a minimum of time..now i do hear that microdermabrasion is great for stretch marks its something new very few people know about so you ight wanna try it, also laser is supposed to correct this problem but its expensive, so ill go with the dermabrasion..my friend tried dermabrasion and she has no stretchmarks im next on trying it..so good luck..

Answer 4

You'll have to exercise and walk a lot if possible, A good brisk walk is better than heavy exercise. Start light and work your self up to an exercise and walking progran you can keep up with. This will get you ready for your second stage sit ups. Nightly use of rubbing alcohol on the area will will help alone with a good vitimin e cream. As you get into exerciseing you will have to exercise your area where the stretch marks are as it is the stomach area that means sit ups, and deep knee bends. Avoiud over eating and over drinking . When exercising or walking some gatorade is ok but gatorade is basically sugar and salt, so plenty of water is best to keep the weight off.Good luck.

Answer 5

You could try tanning. Nothing lost as long as you don't totally overdo it. If it doesn't work it is temporary. Try vaseline, or vitamin E oil. There are scar removal products you can buy at drugstores such as Walgreens and others. I haven't tried them but that might be worth a try.
I do know that vaseline can work on minor stretch marks. Use it everyday. Also a lot of people swear by Aloe Vera. You can break off a piece of the actual plant and rub the gel on the stretch marks.

Answer 6

The only solution really is to get plastic surgery to fix the issue. There is no real topical product that you can find that'll minimize the stretch marks. As far as your scarring is concerned, I don't think that tanning will help minimize the color of the scar. I've had a scar on my leg since the age of about 11 from falling off a bike. And being tanned myself, it has always remained white. I hope that I've helped in answering your questions. Good luck.

Answer 7

They will fade with time. You can try lasers, retin-A has been shown to help, but usually only when the stretch marks are recent and still dark and raised. The best thing to do is to see a dermatologist. That cream isn't going to do anything other than give you soft, moisturized skin.

As for tanning, it's bad for you by the way :), technically, it makes it worse, since stretch marks lack the pigment the rest of your skin has. However, I always thought mine were camouflaged a little better when tanned. (Out of a bottle or otherwise!)

The creams most likely to help are not the ones with elastin and collagen, but the ones "that trigger the generation of collagen, elasting and the water holding capacity of healthy skin. "

Answer 8

Keep on using the cocoa butter. If you can, go to a maternity store, they have the best stuff for stretch marks usually. Palmer's is the best stuff. Also try using scar reduction cream with the cocoa butter. That might work.

Answer 9

join the club honey, but there is some hope. i found this stuff called tummy honey at raley's, not sure if you have that store there. it did improve the texture and overall appearance of mine, and i'm almost 70 pounds lighter than i was when i made them. the color will eventually fade to white from the purple or red, mine were already white when i started using the tummy honey. i've heard of laser treatments for stretch marks if after you're done losing they really still bother you. in the end remember how much good you're doing for your body and pat yourself on the back for caring for yourself. tanning may temporarily blend them into the rest of your skin, somewhat, but it isn't a very safe alternative if you go overboard. be careful and consider a self tanning cream or lotion. good luck

Answer 10

I'm afraid you can't remove them complete. Over time the scars should fade and just become very faint lines. Fake tan is really the only way to cover them.

You can help the healing process by using weatgerm oil, or anything high in vitamin E. Massage it in daily.

Hope this helps, and try not to get too self conscious about them...I think more people than you realise will have them. And well done for the weight loss!

Answer 11

Cocoa butter , Real Cocoa butter not a blend in a product but the actual butter smoothed on right after shower or bath even before dryin off helps as well as a product called mothers friend