Ques:

My belly looks terrible with Stretch Marks and Loose Skin. Which treatment should I prefer to Recover It as early as Possible?

I am only 23 and have ugly stretch marks on my tummy after 2 kids. I feel so embarrassed with it. I want to be able to wear a bikini again. So, I want to know what it the best procedure to recover it. Please help me!!!!

ANSWER:

Hi, it is normal for women to develop stretch marks after giving birth. You carried another human being inside your womb by the way so it’s totally understandable. Right after giving birth the skin on your belly may have stretch marks or may develop loose skin. You must understand that this is totally normal and does not hinder your health or the health of your children in any way.

First off, let’s discuss what stretch marks are exactly? Striae, more commonly known as stretch marks, are tiny tears on the dermal layer of your skin that result from you skin’s loss of elasticity. The dermis is a normally very resilient layer and can normally resist huge amounts of tensile stress but when the dermis is stretched too far too fast the fibres on the layer stretch out and then eventually break. Stretch marks that are caused by pregnancy are referred to medically as Striae gravidarum. Aside from pregnancy, stretch marks can be caused by any of the following things.

• Rapid weight loss or weight gain
• Puberty
• Growth spurts
• Hormonal imbalance
• Rapid increase in body mass (just like in athletes and in body builders)

WHAT ARE YOUR OPTIONS?

Let’s face it; stretch marks aren’t exactly the easiest things to get rid of. How we wish we could just cure them with aspirin but unfortunately we can’t. When considering removing stretch marks AND getting rid of loose skin your options further narrow down.

Basically there are only two ways to improve the appearance of your stretch marks. One of the options will be invasive while the other one isn’t.

INVASIVE OPTION: SURGERY

If you really want to remove your stretch marks a hundred percent and then smooth out loose saggy skin to boot, your best option is to get a Tummy Tuck.

Getting a tummy tuck involves incising the skin under the navel and then excising the excess skin. Although minimally invasive options are now available most procedures in most clinics will require the surgeon to cut through some muscles and some ligaments. Expect to have a hard time functioning after the operation.

Despite its cosmetic use treat this procedure the way you would treat any other kind of surgery—WITH CAUTION. Contact a loved one who can drive you to and from the clinic, consult only with highly recommended physicians and follow through on all the post-op care instructions.

NON-INVASIVE OPTION: FRAXEL LASER TREATMENT

Fraxel laser treatment is apparently the only treatment that has been clinically proven to improve the appearance of stretch marks with as much as 75% improvement in their appearance. This procedure is minimally invasive and as such doesn’t have the same risks as surgery but with regards to loose skin, this procedure has its limitations.

There are two kinds of Fraxel Laser Treatment: Ablative and Non-Ablative

Ablative fraxel laser treatments use higher intensity lasers and therefore don’t require as many repeated sessions as Non-ablative treatments. Non-ablative treatments however have the benefit of lesser and less severe downtime because of the gentleness of the procedure. Ablative treatments on the other hand make for a more effective procedure.

Before undergoing any of these procedures you must take into account if any of the risks involved are worth it. Except in really rare cases like Marfan’s Syndrome and Cushing’s Syndrome, stretch marks are never an indication of any dormant disease in your body. So take the time to weigh things because in the end the risks may not even be that worth it.