What Is the Best Treatment for Stretch Marks?

The best stretch mark treatment depends on how old the marks are. New stretch marks that are still red, pink or purple respond best, and prescription tretinoin cream is an at-home treatment with trial evidence behind it for them. Older white or silvery marks need an in-office procedure such as radiofrequency or fractional CO2 laser. In a comparison of 14 trials, the combination most likely to rank best was tretinoin plus bipolar radiofrequency.

Does the color of my stretch marks change which treatment works?

Yes. Color is the first thing to check, because new marks respond to more treatments than old ones. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, new stretch marks look red, purple, pink, reddish-brown or dark brown depending on your skin color. They can feel slightly raised and itchy.

Over time the color fades and the bands sink. An older mark often feels like a slight dent when you run a finger over it.

Stretch marks are a type of scar. They fade with time but do not disappear. Treatment can make them less noticeable sooner, so aim for "less visible," not "gone."

Creams do little for mature marks, and the drugstore favorites have failed in studies. Marks did not fade when people massaged in almond oil, cocoa butter, olive oil or vitamin E. Tanning makes marks stand out more because they do not tan. A self-tanner can hide both new and old marks while you work on fading them.

Does tretinoin work on stretch marks?

Yes, on new marks. In a six-month placebo-controlled study of tretinoin for early stretch marks, 8 of 10 people who applied 0.1% tretinoin cream daily to early, active marks had definite or marked improvement. Only 1 of 12 people using a plain cream improved that much.

The difference showed up early. By month two, the tretinoin group scored significantly better than the plain-cream group. By month six, their treated marks had shrunk 14% in length and 8% in width. The marks treated with plain cream grew 10% longer and 24% wider. The American Academy of Dermatology also names tretinoin as a prescription cream that may make early stretch marks less noticeable.

On its own, tretinoin does less than in-office procedures. A comparison of 14 randomized trials found that tretinoin alone ranked lowest of the options studied. Tretinoin paired with bipolar radiofrequency ranked highest. That makes tretinoin the place to start and the cream to keep using if you add a procedure.

Our clinical team can prescribe tretinoin if it fits your goal and your skin.

If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, check with your clinical team before you treat stretch marks. Some products, including ones that contain retinol, can harm a baby.

Which in-office stretch mark treatment works best?

Tretinoin plus bipolar radiofrequency had the highest chance of ranking best, both for results (84.5%) and for satisfaction (95.7%). Bipolar radiofrequency alone came close behind, at 75.3% and 84.3%. These percentages are the odds of ranking first among the options compared. They are not the share of women who improved, and the authors said larger trials are needed.

Adding platelet-rich plasma (PRP) to fractional CO2 laser also helped. PRP is a concentrate made from your own blood and injected into the marks. In a split-body study of 30 women, the side treated with laser plus PRP scored an average improvement of 60, compared with 44 for laser alone.

The RF microneedling, fractional CO2 and PRP prices come from MedSpot's cost guide. The non-ablative fractional laser prices come from EatHealthy365. Insurance treats stretch mark procedures as cosmetic and almost never pays.

With CO2 laser, ask about darkening of the treated skin. In a split-body study of 24 people, 19 developed hyperpigmentation, which faded on its own by six months. The authors said it was especially common in Indian skin.

Which stretch mark treatment fits me?

• Your marks are new (red, pink or purple) and you are not pregnant or breastfeeding. Start prescription tretinoin nightly now, while the marks respond best. In the trial, the change showed up at about two months.
• Your marks are old (white or silvery, with a slight dent). A cream alone will do little. Budget for a series of radiofrequency or fractional laser sessions. Ask your clinical team whether tretinoin belongs in the plan alongside them.
• You want the best odds and can pay for procedures. The research favors combining treatments. Dermatologists may use more than one procedure, such as radiofrequency with a pulsed dye laser.
• Your marks came with weight loss or a pregnancy. These are two of the most common times stretch marks appear, and the skin can bother you even when you love the result. One woman wrote in r/30PlusSkinCare's "Crepey skin after weight loss" thread: "I lost over 60 lbs on a calorie deficit while lifting weights and I still struggle to like my skin."

If your stretch marks are still pink, red or purple, starting soon gives you the best chance of fading them. Take the quiz to see whether prescription tretinoin from our clinical team fits your plan.