How to Handle Stretch Marks After Weight Loss
Will Stretch Marks Remain After Weight Loss?
The good news is that stretch marks may simply disappear on their own after weight loss or childbirth. If the stretch marks don’t go away, they may fade or become less noticeable.
If your stretch marks do not fade in time, there isn’t really anything you can do on your own to make them go away. While some products on the market claim to fade or repair stretch marks, there isn’t really a “cure” for them. Prevention is the best medicine. The ideal way to prevent stretch marks is to avoid rapid weight gain.
A dermatologist or plastic surgeon may be able to offer you options to consider. Microdermabrasion, chemical peels, and laser surgery are sometimes treatment options. While these treatments will not make stretch marks disappear, they can make them less noticeable.
It’s important to remember, however, that the results of these procedures can vary greatly from person to person and your success with the procedures can be affected by your age and your skin tone. They are also associated with their own potential risks.
Since these are cosmetic procedures they are not generally covered by insurance.
Causes
Stretch marks are most commonly caused by significant, rapid weight gain. Stretch marks often occur during pregnancy as your skin stretches to accommodate a growing belly. But stretch marks may also happen if you gain weight quickly for other reasons. For example, stretch marks sometimes occur when a person grows quickly, such as the rapid growth spurts that are experienced by adolescents during puberty.
There are certain medical conditions that are associated with stretch marks.
According to the National Institutes of Health, these are long-term use of cortisone compounds, diabetes, Cushing disease. The organizations also note that conditions including obesity, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome may also cause stretch marks.
If you have stretch marks and know you have gained a significant amount of weight recently, you are most likely not suffering from any underlying medical cause.
If weight gain or pregnancy doesn’t appear to be the explanation, then you probably should see your doctor. While a medical condition is not likely the cause of your stretch marks, you may wish for your doctor to rule any of them out for your own peace of mind.
Some common questions your doctor may ask you include:
- When did you first notice the stretch marks?
- What medicines have you taken?
- Have you used a cortisone skin cream?
- What other symptoms do you have?