If you go online and search for creams to treat stretch marks, you may find yourself with the daunting task of having to wade through millions of websites to find the best products for you. Type “effective stretch marks cream” and you’ll get more than three million results; remove the word “effective” from the search, and you’ll get more than five and a half million results!
Although some of the claims made by certain manufacturers may not be entirely accurate, as what I have mentioned in the previous chapter, I do know for a fact that there are creams that have a scientific basis for their claims. There has been enough research about stretch marks to indicate that the following ingredients may provide you with the best chance to deal with your stretch marks as effectively as possible.
Ingredient #1: Tretinoin
Tretinoin has long been used as a treatment for acne, until it was discovered that it could also help treat wrinkles and other forms of skin problems. It didn’t take long until Tretinoin was tested for stretch marks as well, and the initial results have been encouraging. In one study conducted by the University of Michigan Medical Center’s Department of Dermatology, about 8 out of 10 women who used it daily for half a year showed remarkable improvement. Stretch marks became less severe, and the area of the scarring was significantly reduced. Tretinoin works by helping to rebuild collagen, which may transform the stretch marks to resemble the normal skin around it.
Unfortunately, creams with this ingredient should be avoided by pregnant women as well as those who have just given birth and are now breastfeeding. When you use a cream that contains tretinoin, you may have to endure the rather unpleasant first stages, when your skin gets irritated by tretinoin. It gets worse before it gets better.
Ingredient #2: Glycolic Acid
Glycolic acid improves the skin in several ways. Not only does it help in collagen production, but it also functions as an exfoliant and moisturizer. A study conducted by the Naval Medical Center of Portsmouth, Virginia indicated that a cream with 20% glycolic acid could make your stretch marks look better and feel smoother. More importantly, these improvements come without any adverse effects.
As an exfoliant, it removes dead cells from your scarred skin by reaching through the upper skin layers. The replacements for the dead skin cells tend to be much smoother and younger-looking in comparison. Glycolic acid creams also improve the ability of your skin to absorb moisturizers.
Ingredient #3: Vitamin C
As an ingredient in topical creams, Vitamin C can also act as a collagen booster. Most studies indicate that creams with Vitamin C can result in marked improvement in the skin while the stretch marks are still in its early stages, and the best results may be achieved if this cream is used in conjunction with glycolic acid treatments. You may also take vitamin C as a supplements and I’d recommend 500milligram tablets three times a day.
All these ingredients have shown remarkable ability to fight stretch marks. Although other creams with different ingredients may proclaim themselves to be the best, with countless anecdotal reviews to back up their claims, these three ingredients have rigorous scientific studies as proof that they work. You may opt to buy these ingredients individually or purchase creams that contain them
