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How do I Choose the Best Microdermabrasion for Stretch Marks?

Amanda R. Bell
Amanda R. Bell

Choosing the best type of microdermabrasion for stretch marks depends on how old your stretch marks are, the amount of scaring you have, your budget, and how much time you are willing to commit to the treatment. If you only have a few scars, an at-home treatment may be best. For significant scaring, treatments administered by a plastic surgeon or dermatologist will most likely yield the best results. While at-home treatments are significantly cheaper than professional ones, persons with prominent scarring may have minimal results from them.

If you've recently lost or gained a significant amount of weight or gone through a pregnancy, there's a very good chance you have at least a few stretch marks. While initially bright red or purple in color, stretch marks eventually fade to a silvery version of your skin tone. Microdermabrasion for stretch marks is generally best for these older scars. Newer scars that have not yet faded typically do not respond to microdermabrasion treatments.

Female abdomen with stretch marks.
Female abdomen with stretch marks.

If you have minimal scaring, microdermabrasion for stretch marks can be done at home with decent results in some cases. While the treatment cannot completely eliminate the scars, it can improve the overall look of your skin, thereby making the stretch marks less noticeable. This is because the scars are located in the dermis, or second layer of skin, rather than the first layer of skin, known as the epidermis. Microdermabrasion only affects the epidermis.

Because nicotine found in cigarettes damages the fibers and connective tissues in the skin, people who smoke may be more likely to develop stretch marks.
Because nicotine found in cigarettes damages the fibers and connective tissues in the skin, people who smoke may be more likely to develop stretch marks.

At-home microdermabrasion for stretch marks can polish this top layer of skin, thus evening out the surface. In some cases, it can also improve the evenness of your skin tone. Most kits include a scrub made with very fine crystals that slough off a fine layer of skin. They are typically easy to apply and can be done in the privacy of your own home. These treatments are also relatively easy on your wallet. If you have minimal scaring or lack the money or for a professional treatment, this option is probably appropriate.

Microdermabrasion is typically used to help promote smooth facial skin.
Microdermabrasion is typically used to help promote smooth facial skin.

If you have very noticeable stretch marks, or a multitude of them, microdermabrasion done by a professional will most likely give you better results. Very tiny crystals are blasted onto your skin, both on the scars and the areas surrounding them. The area is then vacuumed, thus removing the crystals and the skin.

This type of microdermabrasion for stretch marks treatment removes more skin than the at-home kits and provides more noticeable results. When a few treatments are done over a period of time, it can even cause new skin with more elasticity to grow. This can not only reduce the appearance of existing stretch marks, but also help to prevent new ones from forming. While microdermabrasion, whether carried out at home or in a medical office, can help reduce the appearance of stretch marks, it most likely will not completely eliminate them.

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    • Female abdomen with stretch marks.
      By: Leo Lintang
      Female abdomen with stretch marks.
    • Because nicotine found in cigarettes damages the fibers and connective tissues in the skin, people who smoke may be more likely to develop stretch marks.
      By: illustrez-vous
      Because nicotine found in cigarettes damages the fibers and connective tissues in the skin, people who smoke may be more likely to develop stretch marks.
    • Microdermabrasion is typically used to help promote smooth facial skin.
      By: micromonkey
      Microdermabrasion is typically used to help promote smooth facial skin.
    • A dermatologist may be able to fade stretch marks through dermabrasion, but the less-invasive treatment known as microdermabrasion is rarely effective.
      By: Photographee.eu
      A dermatologist may be able to fade stretch marks through dermabrasion, but the less-invasive treatment known as microdermabrasion is rarely effective.
    • Many women develop stretch marks as the abdominal skin changes during the course of a pregnancy.
      By: sframe
      Many women develop stretch marks as the abdominal skin changes during the course of a pregnancy.