What does fact checked mean?
At Healthfully, we strive to deliver objective content that is accurate and up-to-date. Our team periodically reviews articles in order to ensure content quality. The sources cited below consist of evidence from peer-reviewed journals, prominent medical organizations, academic associations, and government data.
- Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews: Topical Preparations for Preventing Stretch Marks in Pregnancy
- Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews: Topical Preparations for Preventing Stretch Marks in Pregnancy
The information contained on this site is for informational purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for the advice of a professional health care provider. Please check with the appropriate physician regarding health questions and concerns. Although we strive to deliver accurate and up-to-date information, no guarantee to that effect is made.
Can You Remove Stretch Marks With Bleaching Cream?
When collagen, the primary building block of the connective tissue that makes your skin elastic, development is disturbed, stretch marks appear 2. A least 50 percent of all women develop them during pregnancy, reports the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. They may also occur during puberty when your body grows at a rapid pace, during periods of extreme weight gain or in body builders who push their muscles to an extreme size. No topical cream or ointment will fade these reddish-brown bands, including bleaching cream.
Read more about if its possible to get rid of cellulite stretch marks.
Time Fades All
Bleaching cream won't help because stretch marks are skin that hasn't developed properly -- not just skin that has an overabundance of pigment 2. The University of Maryland Medical Center notes that the skin of stretch marks may actually appear glossy and slightly depressed when compared to normal skin 12. The appearance of stretch marks fades over time to a silvery or whitish color and takes on the look of a faint scar 2.
Related Articles
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Striae
- Teens Health: Stretch Marks
- Farahnik B, Park K, Kroumpouzos G, Murase J. Striae gravidarum: Risk factors, prevention, and management. Int J Womens Dermatol. 2017;3(2):77-85. doi:10.1016/j.ijwd.2016.11.001
- Wollina U, Goldman A. Management of stretch marks (with a focus on striae rubrae). J Cutan Aesthet Surg. 2017;10(3):124-129. doi:10.4103/JCAS.JCAS_118_17
Writer Bio
Andrea Cespedes is a professionally trained chef who has focused studies in nutrition. With more than 20 years of experience in the fitness industry, she coaches cycling and running and teaches Pilates and yoga. She is an American Council on Exercise-certified personal trainer, RYT-200 and has degrees from Princeton and Columbia University.