How to get rid of white stretch marks

Stretch marks, also called striae, form when skin is stretched or changes volume faster than its supporting tissues adapt. Early marks can look pink, red, purple, or darker than nearby skin; over time they often become pale or white and slightly indented. Their colour and texture can differ from the surrounding skin, especially on the abdomen, hips, thighs, breasts, upper arms, or lower back. They are not contagious and do not reflect poor hygiene.

A dermatologist can match treatment to the mark's age, texture, location, and your skin tone. Options may include Microneedling, Fractional Laser Treatment, RF Microneedling, or Carboxytherapy. These approaches aim to stimulate controlled skin repair or alter texture and colour contrast; they require an assessment because irritation or pigment changes can occur. Moisturiser can reduce dryness and make texture feel more comfortable, but creams cannot reliably rebuild established stretch-mark tissue. Protect treated and exposed skin from ultraviolet light, and avoid picking or aggressively exfoliating the area.

Arrange a medical review if marks appear suddenly without a clear body change, spread rapidly, or occur alongside easy bruising, muscle weakness, unusual weight change, or prolonged use of steroid medicines. Seek prompt advice for painful, warm, swollen, bleeding, or persistently itchy skin, since those features may point to a separate skin problem.

Ask which treatment targets colour versus indentation, how many appointments may be reasonable, what recovery looks like, and how your skin tone affects pigment-change risk. Also ask whether a test area is appropriate and which products should be paused before treatment.