Home Treatments for Stretch Marks Start treating stretch marks early for the best results Time Remember, over time stretch marks will fade from red to white (but a scar will still be visible) Sun The sun can help diminish minor stretch marks Topical Treatments Ingredients that are beneficial to Stretch Marks:
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Vitamin A Vitamin A is essential for the maintenance and normal development of the skin. Retinoids is the name for the group of natural and synthetic forms of Vitamin A. Retinoic acid (also known as Vitamin A acid or Tretinoin) is the medical form of Vitamin A and has harsh topical effects such as itching, redness and peeling. Retinoic acid is highly effective for skin rejuvenation. This has been proven in many clinical studies. These preparations require a prescription usually obtained through a dermatologist. Retinyl Palmitate, retinaldehyde and retinol have milder effects on skin rejuvenation but do not require a prescription. Vitamin C Vitamin C acts as both an antioxidant and also a very important factor in the production of collagen structures. Vitamin C taken orally is essential for wound healing. Sailors who had scurvy (extreme vitamin C deficiency) developed difficulty in healing skin wounds. Creams containing Vitamin C may create new collagen by stimulating collagen-forming chemicals and therefore help in the healing of stretch marks. However, not all preparations contain the active form of Vitamin C. Look for the words 'stabilised Vitamin C' on the label. The higher the amount of ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) in a product the more likely it as no disintegrated. Increasing collagen deposition is essential for skin rejuvenation therefore Vitamin A and C should always be used together. Vitamin E Commonly used forms of Vitamin E are tocopherol or tocopherol acetate. The most active form of vitamin E is alpha tocopherol. Vitamin E is an important antioxidant. The common belief that vitamin E cream helps skin wounds to heal better and faster has not been proved. It is recommended that Vitamin E should be used together with Vitamin A and C for added benefit. Copper Peptides Copper peptides can be used via topical application to treat stretch marks without the risk of further scarring. Copper peptides help rebuild the skin by activating the natural renewal processes in the skin. This involves removing damaged proteins and older cells from the scarred skin by stimulating exfoliation of the damaged epidermal cells. Skin cell turnover rate is accelerated and then new unscarred skin is rebuilt. Copper peptides cause tightening of the skin's barrier and increase collagen and elastin production. Damaged collagen and elastin are replaced with new fibres and skin elasticity is restored. Copper peptides also rebuild the skin's microcirculation improving blood flow and improving skin colour. Copper peptides are especially useful for removing old stretch marks. They is less skin irritation than with using retinoic acid, the most active form of vitamin A. Use together with an extensive moisturiser such as emu oil which will decrease irritation and help heal your skin. Hydroxy acids such as beta hydroxy acid and retinoic acid can be used together with copper peptides for maximum results. Hydroxy acids help loosen the car tissue which is then removed by the copper peptides. Do not use together with vitamin C because copper peptides inactivates vitamin C. How to apply: apply a small amount of copper peptides to stretch mark area once or twice a day. It is very important to apply gradually, slowly increasing the amount to prevent adverse effects. If you have very sensitive skin or skin that is already irritated from treatments such as peels start with a very light amount of copper peptides every other day. Continue this for a week before beginning daily treatments. Use iontophoresis, LFS (professional) or microneedling with a derma roller (0.5 mm) to greatly enhance the penetration of these vitamins and active peptides and help the appearance of stretch marks dramatically. Herbs to help Stretch Marks Horse chestnut extract: Stimulate the skin's fibroblasts by causing them to contract. The activity of fibroblasts is needed to repair the skin. Microdermabrasion Cloth The microdermabrasion cloth uses special fabric that contains ultra fine fibres that remove the outer layer of the skin. Old skin cells are replaced with new cells approving the overall appearance of the skin. This process promotes production of collagen and elastin. These cloths are much cheaper than professional microdermabrasion and chemical peels and if used regularly can provide similar results. 
Skin Peels Chemical skin peels available to use at home include glycolic acid (up to 50%) and TCA (lower strengths only). Chemical peels work by dissolving the outer layer of skin cells which then triggers the healing response and the growth of new undamaged skin cells. Make sure to use professional grade products. A medium depth peel such as TCA 25% can be used at home with caution. It will help fade the red/brown colour of newly formed stretch marks and over a course of treatments the appearance of new and old stretch marks will be improved. A deep peel should never be used as a home treatment only by a qualified doctor. Incorrectly done can lead to damage to the dermis and permanent scarring.
Mildest to Deepest Peels are:
After treatment with a skin peel use topical copper peptides to improve skin healing together with a moisturiser such as emu oil. Apply the moisturiser on top of the copper peptides to increase its penetration. Using a Glycolic peel together with L-ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) can improve mature, white stretch marks. Laser resurfacing and heavy peels such as TCA destroy the epidermis. If not carried out correctly extensive scarring may result, the epidermis is far too important and complex to be destroyed or tortured into being smooth. BE VERY CAREFUL. Please do not use these treatments at home - even though they're available to buy. Microneedling to treat Stretch Marks 
Skin rejuvenation, including the reduction of stretch marks, scars, hyperpigmentation and even cellulite, is achieved by microtrauma using longer lengths of needle (more than 0.5 mm). Microtrauma works by controlled damage to either individual cells or all the cells of the epidermis and dermis. This then induces the natural healing process and the release of various growth factors. To ensure safety the smallest length needle possible should be used to prevent excessive trauma. Derma rollers in various length needles e.g. 1.0 mm, 2.0 mm are available to buy for home use. Added benefit in using a derma roller is the increased penetration of topical skin products. The derma roller should be used with vitamin A, vitamin C and other antioxidants to rejuvenate the skin. Skin Benefits of a Derma Roller:
Home Light Treatments sets that feature UV-B Light (311 nm) can treat mature white stretch marks. |  |
