I GOT SKIN THAT NEEDS RESURFACED DUE TO STRETCHED SKIN, ITS NOT DARK STRETCH MARKS THEY ARE LIGHTER THAN MY REAL SKIN, WHEN YOU LOOK REAL CLOSE YOU CAN SEE THE SKIN WAS TORN. PLUS I HAVE SOME WRINKLING AND IT LOOKS LIKE BUMPS AND UGGH CELLULITE AROUND THE BOTTOM PART OF MY BELLY FROM PREGNANCY.
THEY TELL ME ONLY A TT WOULD DO IT, BUT I BELEIVE I CAN HEAL MY OWN SKIN, WITH THE RIGHT KNOWLEDGE. I'VE BEEN WORKING OUT I'M ONLY ABOUT 15-20 OVERWEIGHT WITH THE MAJORITY ON THE UPPER HALF OF MY BODY, I'M CURRENTLY USING A DEEP SEA SALT FOR EXFOLITATION ON IT WITH A HARD SCRUB BAR, SO I HAVE SOME SCABS ON IT NOW, THEN I USE THE GEL SOUFLEE THAT CAME WITH IT TO MOISTURIZE I GOT THEM BOTH FROM BATH AND BODY WORKS. I MAY SWITCH THE MOISTURIZER TO MY OLIVE OIL BODY BUTTER FROM REGIS. ANY INPUT OR EXPERIENCES WITH GETTING A BETTER COMPLEXION ON THE BELLY ARE APPRECIATED

THIS IS MY FIRST POST ON THE THREAD, SO SHOW ME WHAT YOU KNOW THANKS

Hello Carmen:

Stretch marks are difficult to treat- however, it seems they can be improved
with tretinoin (retin a) and monthly tca peels 15-20% according to the article attached- also, pulsed dye laser can help it says.

I have no experience in treating stretch marks myself (the 'one' thing the lord has spared me) but I thought this article would be helpful to you:

http://www.emedicine.com/derm/topic406.htm

It seems the key to improvement involves breaking down and rebuilding the fibrous tissue that is the basis of the marks- this is pretty deep in the skin, in the dermis, so superficial treatments won't help that much. Retinoids do seep in an rebuild collagen (takes a looong time, months but it does help). Apparently, the pulsed dye laser will also get to the right level.

LeKaT

lekat, thanks for replying,
i have tried the retin a but i wasnt' consistant with it. it is expensive, i got it from my dermatologist. i never had a peel though. so how would you suggest i start my regimine?? should i do the retin a everyday then do a peel once a month? should i use a moisturizer with either afterward?? thank you so much for your help. btw i also wear a binder around my waist sometimes it really helps to keep things covered without pinching and leaving marks from my pants

Hi Carmen-

You can get the retin a at medsmex.com. Go for the .1% .

I would just apply the retin a in the a.m. and in the p.m. Like the article metnioned, I would do tca every 3-4 weeks, just to the stretch marks.

The moisterizer will dilute and impede the progress of the retin a and tca-
I would try to hold off, but if you really need it- something 'pure' and very absorbable like emu oil or squalene-

LeKaT

AND HAD SUCCESS? I'VE USED RETIN A IT SEEMED TO WORK GOOD BUT I WASNT CONSISTANT IT'S EXPENSIVE FROM DERMATOLOGIST. ANYONE TRY THE TCA PEEL WITH SUCCESS I PLAN TO GO BACK ON RETINA AND INCORPERATE THE PEEL WITH IT AS SUGGESTED.

I'M LOOKING FOR FIRM SMOOTH SKIN AS I HAVE MEDIUM COLORED SKIN WITH TORN LIGHT MARKS AND WRINKLES. I ALSO HAVE SOME DARK ONES ON MY SIDES BUT FOR SOME REASON THEY DON'T BOTHER ME SO MUCH AS I HAVE HAD THEM SINCE I WAS A TEENAGER

Hi Carmen-

I've never had to do a peel on my belly, lucky me- no stretch marks from
my pregnancy- just a bunch of extra skin was left behind .

What got rid of my problem was a mini-tummy tuck- I don't know how extenstive your marks and wrinkling are, though with the tummy tuck they cut away the extra skin down there so most of stretch marks would be gone.

I have a friend who had bad stretch marks & a pot belly- all from pregnancies. When she was done having childeren, she got an abdominoplasty and she now has an abdomen to rivale any movie star!

You may want to get a few professional consults, just to see what is advised.


LeKaT

Lekat,

Great article as usual. What are some examples of a UV-B laser? I never heard of that for re-pigmenting stretch marks.

lekat, thanks for your reply

yeah i'm researching lipo as well, and the dr suggested tt, i had a c section b4 so i know what kinda pain and downtime i'm looking at for that type of procedure, plus i'm not sure if i'm done having children or not. i guess i'm tryin to do everything i can b4 resorting to a tt, which may be what i will ultimately do in the future but i havent got my mentality set for it right now although i would love to have a flat belly now!!