Get Rid Of White Stretch Marks

White stretch marks are very common in men and women of practically any age. If you have white stretch marks and want to know more about them and how to get rid of them, this is the article for you.

What Are White Stretch Marks?

Stretch marks or striae are a form of scarring on the skin. They are caused by the tearing of the dermis, one of our skin’s layers.

It’s an easy condition to identify because it manifests itself in lines of colors that can range from red and purple to white or silver, depending on how much time has passed since they first formed.

They tend to diminish and thin out as time passes, but they often don’t disappear completely.

The stretch marks that first appear when the skin tears are the red or purple striae. They are colorful, fresh scars that have barely formed, and usually have only 1 to 6 months.

These are the easiest to remove and anything you apply in order to do so will most probably show positive results. However, when left unattended they evolve and eventually become white stretch marks.

This happens because the functioning blood vessels that were present in the red striae have gradually narrowed, making it harder for treatment to be as effective as it could be if applied before the blood vessels thinned.

Therefore, white stretch marks are white or silver scars that have been on your skin for at least 6 months to 1 year.

White stretch marks can also be many years old, which is why they’re also known as “old stretch marks”.

They remain for so long because they usually never completely heal and are quite difficult to remove completely once they have settled.

However, it isn’t impossible to make white stretch marks fade away or even disappear completely. Think of it like this: having white stretch marks means you have waited for your skin to do its job and heal on its own.

Since it is having a hard time doing so, you can give it a couple of helpful nudges in the right direction, encouraging it to heal.

Why Do White Stretch Marks Appear?

As we just explained, technically white stretch marks are derived from red or purple stretch marks that have taken too long to heal completely.

However, what causes stretch marks to appear in the first place? The most common cause of stretch marks is the skin stretching rapidly and breaking the dermis in doing so.

This is usually associated with rapid growth or rapid weight changes.

Stretch marks are also sometimes influenced by hormonal changes. If you add both main reasons -rapid stretching of the skin because of growth or weight changes and hormonal changes- you can suddenly understand why striae are common in growth spurts, puberty, when suddenly gaining or losing a large amount of weight and pregnancy.

Where Do White Stretch Marks Appear?

White stretch marks and other kinds of striae can appear in any place of the body. However, the most common places in which white stretch marks appear are usually those where larger amounts of fat are stored.

This narrows the most common places down to:

The upper arms,
The underarms,
The breasts,
The back,
The abdomen (especially in the area near the navel),
The hips,
The buttocks,
The inner thighs,
The outer thighs.

In pregnancy, white stretch marks most commonly appear on the belly, but they usually also appear on the breasts, lower back, buttocks, hips, and thighs.

How Can You Get Rid of White Stretch Marks?

There is a wide range of treatments for making white stretch marks fade away at a faster pace and sometimes even disappear completely.

Here are some simple solutions you can try in order to get rid of stretch marks:

A Healthy Lifestyle Can Do You Wonders:

A great way to avoid getting stretch marks, healing stretch marks you obtain by accident and discouraging the formation of white stretch marks from fresh striae is to have a healthy lifestyle.

You can do simple things that will go a long way in maintaining your skin’s health, such as:

Avoiding a sedentary lifestyle,
Practicing moderate amounts of exercise,
Keeping a balanced diet,
Eating everything in moderation,
Keeping your weight in check

Regular Exfoliation To Encourage Your Skin:

If you exfoliate regularly, you will remove the excess dead skin from your body. However, if you take special care in gently exfoliating the areas where white stretch marks have formed, it will help you remove the new skin from your striae.

If you do this continually for a long period of time, it could eventually help the marks soften and vanish gradually.

A Specialized Cream Could Help Your Skin Heal:

Topical creams and ointments are affordable methods for a gradual reduction of white stretch marks.

If applied regularly, the topical treatment can lighten the tone of the white stretch marks, but not completely remove them.

They can vary from over-the-counter creams to treatments prescribed by a doctor.

Remember to always consult your doctor before beginning treatment, because a cream could trigger an allergic reaction or the treatment you selected could not be strong enough to treat your specific condition.

Think of it as applying added nutrients to the affected area of your skin in the form of a cream that could help you reduce your white stretch marks.

However, not any kind of cream will do the job. If you choose this option we would recommend you read reviews about creams that clearly state they work for white stretch marks or old stretch marks.

It’s even better if they have a solid base of a good reviewer or user ratings. This way, you can take advantage of the experience of other users in a similar situation as you to guarantee you’ll buy high quality, effective products.

There are other, more invasive methods, such as: