# Is there a way to remove stretch marks? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 11, 2005, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-remove-stretch-marks/330612 "2005-11-11T19:33:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![andrewdt85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/71e660/32.png) [@andrewdt85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andrewdt85)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2005, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-remove-stretch-marks/330612/1 "2005-11-11T19:33:57Z")
I’m not looking for medical advice on these boards. At least, not advice that I’d use w/o running it past my doctor first. Can stretch marks be removed? I’ve heard of creams on tv ads, but they prevent marks for pregnant women, not remove them. Seems like something that’s permanent- even after the weight is lost, how can you lose them? Surgery? ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_Bowe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df788c/32.png) [@Doug\_Bowe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_Bowe)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2005, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-remove-stretch-marks/330612/2 "2005-11-11T22:02:14Z")
> [@andrewdt85](#): > > Can stretch marks be removed? I’ve heard of creams on tv ads, but they prevent marks for pregnant women, not remove them. Seems like something that’s permanent- even after the weight is lost, how can you lose them? Surgery? We heard a talk from a plastic surgeon last night at the bariatric support group. Surgery will leave a scar. In most cases the scar is horizontal and, if the surgery is done correctly, can be very narrow. ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2005, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-remove-stretch-marks/330612/3 "2005-11-12T03:01:14Z")
> [@andrewdt85](#): > > Can stretch marks be removed? Surgery? I have a dozen or more surgical scars that have faded over time. Stretch marks do too. They can be cut out and replaced by a hair line scar at **some** cost. Surgery seems like an expensive solution to a non-problem, unless you plan to be a belly dancer. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2005, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-remove-stretch-marks/330612/4 "2005-11-12T03:04:45Z")
I’ve heard Vitamin E works for people. You either get the oil or get the gel caps and break them open. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2005, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-remove-stretch-marks/330612/5 "2005-11-12T04:23:39Z")
I also know people who swear by cocoa butter and shea butter. Again, these are probably better at helping to prevent strechmarks than getting rid of existing ones, but it couldn’t hurt to try. Vitamin E oil seems to minimize just about any scar. I used it on a long, rather icky scar on my upper arm before my wedding, and it worked very well (I am talking about several months of daily use, though). ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2005, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-remove-stretch-marks/330612/6 "2005-11-12T09:22:39Z")
depends how old they are - if they’re new, and still purple and raised, vitamin E cream will help fade them to almost nothing. if they’re old and faded, I think surgery or some sort of laser treatment are the only options that make a really big difference. ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2005, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-remove-stretch-marks/330612/7 "2005-11-12T10:09:30Z")
There is nothing that will get rid of a strecthmark unless that piece of skin is removed. Stretchmarks are caused by stretching damage to the deep structures of the skin. They will fade eventually and become less noticable, but without surgery they will never entirely disappear.