The stretch mark challenge
STRETCH MARKS are scary for some women. But sometimes, these streaks in the skin tell the tale of heartburn, morning sickness, and nausea. It’s just the price many have had to pay for carrying a child. However, there are ways to minimise them and improving your self-worth.
Medical aesthetician Zoe Arscott knows of the dilemma. She has not only seen it through the eyes of her clients, but this mother of two has been teased by these lines. Microneedling and laser technology are modern methods she performs to remove stretch marks at Emed Spa, her therapeutic healing enterprise.
“About 50 per cent of women who get stretch marks get them after pregnancy. There are treatments; however, it’s a very prickly topic because there is no 100 per cent proven treatment option to fully get rid of them,” she explained.
TREATING THE BIRTH SCARS
Genetic predisposition and weight gain or loss are common factors that influence who will get them and when stretch marks will form. When they do, they are likely to pop up in places such as the abdomen, outer and inner thighs, calves, arms, flanks, buttocks, hips, and breasts.
Microneedling is a quick and effective collagen induction therapy, which can take 15-30 minutes. However, she stresses that the duration of the process depends on the area that is being treated. It’s also a safe alternative to common skin resurfacing tools, such as lasers and dermarollers. This means, there’ll be minimal downtime with natural looking results.
“There are also laser techniques, both ablative and non-ablative. Laser at this level is not suited for all skin types and there is a lot of downtime. So, the CO2 laser an ablative form that takes off the top surface of the skin is a known treatment that Hollywood celebrities use, especially through a camera’s eye,” she explained.
Arscott continued: “I wouldn’t recommend this for us in the Caribbean. It’s not suited for us because we are always exposed to sun and the post-procedure care is hard to manage. Plus, our pigmentation puts us at a higher risk of negative results.”
WHEN TO TREAT
Oftentimes, your image will determine your level of confidence. So, it’s understandable if you’ll have a desire to get rid of the flecks soon after giving birth. But that could be too soon. Arscott suggests waiting until after you have weaned your baby.
“You have to catch it within a good time frame. If the stretch marks are too old, the likelihood of us being able to change it becomes very hard and even impossible. This means you have to be aware of when they first appear,” Arscott explained.
In any case, having no stretch marks and preventing it is much easier than having to struggle to find corrective measures. If they haven’t shown up yet, here’s what Arscott wants you to do.
Manage weight gain and loss. This is where a proper diet becomes important. Yo-yo dieting is a no-no.
Ensure that the skin is well hydrated. This is to avoid over-drying of the skin.
Reduce alcohol and caffeine intake. These tend to make the skin less flexible.
Remember to moisturise the skin. It’s more effective after a shower when the skin is damp.
Start using a topical retinoid cream after reaching 30. Emed Spa is located at Unit 29B Seymour Park, 2 Seymour Avenue, Kingston 10. Call (876) 648-8180 for additional information.
‘There are treatments; however, it’s a very prickly topic because there is no 100 per cent proven treatment option to fully get rid of them.’