Stretch marks are a form of scarring that appear after your skin quickly stretches or shrinks. While there is no perfect solution for stretch marks, there are some treatments and home remedies that can help reduce their appearance. Here are some options:

Home Remedies:

• Body makeup and self-tanner: These products can help hide stretch marks. Note that tanning won’t get rid of stretch marks. It actually makes them easier to see.

• Tretinoin: Creams with tretinoin (Retin-A) contain retinoid, a compound related to Vitamin A. Retinoids increase collagen production and can help fade newer stretch marks.

• Coconut oil: Virgin coconut oil can help maintain your skin’s protective barrier and improve dry skin. While there is little clinical evidence for its effectiveness, it may be worth trying.

• Hyaluronic acid: Applying hyaluronic acid to early stretch marks may make them less noticeable.

Procedures that dermatologists perform:

• Laser therapy: Pulsed dye lasers and intense pulsed light can improve the appearance of stretch marks and increase collagen production over time.

• Chemical peel: This acidic solution burns off the top layers of your skin to remove dead and damaged cells and boost new skin growth. This treatment may improve your stretch marks a little, but won’t completely get rid of them.

• Microdermabrasion: This treatment uses tiny crystals to rub off the top layer of your skin. One study showed that this treatment helped fade new, reddish stretch marks when combined with skin peels.

• Radiofrequency and Ultrasound: These treatments use radio wave energy or sound waves to heat and tighten and jumpstart collagen production. They can improve stretch marks, but more research is needed.

Its important to note that treating stretch marks is difficult, and treatment improves their appearance, but they may not go away completely. Addressing your stretch marks when they first appear yields the best results. Older, deep stretch marks may be more challenging to treat.