Is Stretch Mark Removal Treatment Permanent?

Many of us are plagued with stretch marks. Whether they are from pregnancy, weight gain or other factors, stretch marks are unseemly. If you’ve recently undergone an outstanding weight loss, you’ll no doubt notice stretch marks more than ever. There are treatments available to deal with the appearance of stretch marks, but many wonder, are they permanent? In order to answer that question, you need to understand how stretch marks are formed.

How do stretch marks come to be?

Our skin is composed of three layers. The layer on the surface, the one which we see, is the epidermis. The layer beneath that, which is responsible for holding everything in its right place, is the dermis. When the dermis is stretched due to weight gain, puberty, pregnancy, etc., it can suffer from minor tears, causing the epidermis to become misshapen. This causes a stretch mark to form. First these marks appear reddish before slowly turning white. Eventually stretch marks fade into a colour that is close to your skin’s natural tone, but they will always be visible unless you undergo treatment.

Can’t the body heal itself, preventing stretch marks?

It is true the body has its own natural healing process. This process allows us to recover from scrapes and other skin blemishes. However, when the dermis is damaged, the only way to undo this problem is to have it removed. Stretch marks will fade over time and heal to a certain extent but the damaged dermis will always be there.

How can the dermis be repaired?

You can repair the dermis through surgery by removing the damaged layer but this can cause scarring, taking you back to square one. There are creams, lotions and oils that are said to penetrate the epidermis down to the dermis to aid with the appearance of stretch marks, but these are seldom effective. For effective treatment, rejuvenation of the epidermis must be the priority, because it is the epidermis that you can actually see.

So, is stretch mark removal permanent when the epidermis is repaired?

Unfortunately, there is no easy answer to this question. What is certain is that stretch mark removal treatments, whether it’s laser treatment or the use of creams, are effective and as close to permanent as you can get. As long as the epidermis is targeted, the visual effects of stretch marks will practically disappear, and you should see amazing results.