Stretch marks are a form of scarring that appear after your skin quickly stretches or shrinks. They often happen due to pregnancy, weight gain, weight loss, and bodybuilding. Although stretch marks are a normal part of life and pose no health risks, some people may want to reduce their appearance using creams, light therapy, and medical procedures. Here are some treatments and home remedies that may help reduce the appearance of stretch marks on your thighs:
Treatments:
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Moisturizers: Apply a vitamin-rich moisturizer, oil, or lotion to your stretch marks. Keeping your skin moisturized can increase or maintain elasticity of your skin.
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Microdermabrasion: This is a procedure that uses exfoliating crystals to reduce the appearance of stretch marks. These crystals remove dead skin from the affected areas.
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Prescription medicine you apply to your skin: In studies, two ingredients seem to offer some relief: Hyaluronic acid and Tretinoin. Applying hyaluronic acid to early stretch marks made the stretch marks less noticeable. Tretinoin creams contain retinoid, a compound related to Vitamin A. Retinoids increase collagen production. They may help fade newer stretch marks, but they can also make your skin red, irritated, or scaly.
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Laser skin resurfacing, dermabrasion, and microneedling: These medical procedures can help reduce the appearance of stretch marks.
Home remedies:
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Gently massage the product into your stretch marks every day for the best results. It may take several weeks before you start seeing results. If you’re pregnant, it’s a good idea to talk to your healthcare provider before you use these products.
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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.
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Drink plenty of water. Water helps keep your skin stay soft, so you’re less likely to develop stretch marks. Drinking caffeine can also increase your risk of developing stretch marks. If you drink a lot of coffee, tea, or soda pop, it’s a good idea to drink as much — or more — water as you do of these beverages.
Its important to note that not all home remedies work, and some may even make your stretch marks worse. For example, in studies, researchers found that none of the stretch marks faded when people massaged almond oil, cocoa butter, olive oil, or vitamin E into their stretch marks. If you decide to try a cream, lotion, or gel to fade your stretch marks, be sure to use it every day for several weeks. Take the time to massage it into your skin. These products may work best on newer stretch marks.
