Many treatments have been tested to improve stretch marks

Topical creams containing either Vitamin A (retinoic acid), glycolic acid or moisturizers such as squalene, olive oil derivatives, emu oil, rose hip oil, cocoa butter, aloe vera butter or shea butter have been used to prevent stretch marks. But when used to treat stretch marks, improvement, if any, is very slight.

Some creams also contain Vitamin E, although many studies have now shown that vitamin E does nothing to a scar.

Prescription creams that are derived from Vitamin A, such as Tretinoin, or Retin A. These products often have more success than the naturally occurring vitamin A because they thin the outer layer of the skin which helps them to penetrate into the dermis. They also help to boost collagen production which can improve the appearance and texture of the skin. However, there are a few side affects from these lotions if you use too much, such as sensitivity to sunlight and skin thickening, so always consult your doctor for the correct dose. Pregnant women should avoid using tretinoin and products with retinoic acid. There is also limited information on whether using retinoic acid is safe during breastfeeding. These creams may yield some results if used on stretch marks in their early stages.

Products containing collagen and elastin. Consumers are catching on to the idea that if an active ingredient can't penetrate into the skin, what good is it? For years, companies touted collagen-rich products, saying that applying collagen would somehow stimulate more production of your own collagen, deep in the dermis (they never say why?). But collagen not only does not stimulate the synthesis of collagen by the fibroblasts (the cells in the deep layer of the skin responsible for producing all the elements of healthy skin) BUT it is also such a big molecule it can't penetrate the skin's outer layer. And now that that's been shown through studies, we're seeing a lot less hype about collagen.

Products with ingredients that boost collagen synthesis, with man made synthetic chemicals (see artificial peptides and their effectiveness), which are not enough to prevent stretch marks or treat existing stretch marks. It is also necessary to degrade the existing damaged and worn out cells not only to get rid of them but because the release of their components makes available the amino-acids or building blocks your system needs to create new collagen, elastin, and skin matrix cells that strengthen the skin. 

Topical creams in combination with chemical peels 

Treatments that combine harsh glycolic acid peels and tretinoin or L-ascorbic acid (Vitamin C), or combinations with lactic acid, citric acid or some other such hydroxyl acids have been tested, albeit only on very few subjects: 10 patients in one of the few studies published, according to pubmed.gov http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?CMD=search&DB=pubmed

The study says both tretinoin and L-ascorbic acid when used daily for 12 weeks after glycolic peeling —each and every day— can help with newly formed stretch marks a little, although it may have adverse side effects such as redness and scaling.

Now, tretinoin is not for women who are pregnant or about to get pregnant for it may cause damage to the growing child in mom’s belly, and is also contraindicated for mothers that breastfeed their baby. 

What are these studies findings? “Elastin content within the reticular and papillary dermis can increase with topical 20% glycolic acid combined with 0.05% tretinoin emollient cream therapy; increased epidermal thickness and decreased papillary dermal thickness is found in treated stretch marks when compared with untreated stretch marks; combined epidermal and papillary dermal thickness in stretch marks treated with topical regiments approaches that of normal skin.”

Sure! The epidermis gets thicker with those professional procedures: 20% glycolic peels every single day (applied by a skilled nurse) followed by the topical application of a skin regenerating ingredient: tretinoin or ascorbic acid. Now, what do they do to existing scars —those showing up as stretch marks? Well, since the dermis gets thicker their appearance diminishes a little.

Read that again: what may diminish a little is their appearance, according to the subjects treated and the “researchers involved”, not the scar tissues within.

Let’s face it. In terms of treatment to existing tears to the dermis those methods do nothing. In terms of prevention they do not possibly do enough of what is absolutely necessary. The very best they can do, if and only if the ingredients are in enough concentration in the products and if they are applied with discipline at least two to three times a day, is to improve the skin barrier’s lipid content and seal in water for a few hours after application. They may also thicken and/or plump up the epidermis making it a little softer and may make the stripe lines that remain in the dermis less visible for a short while.

So, to be very honest, when you use these products to treat stretch marks, improvement, if any, is almost imperceptible. Some find a little improvement, especially in early stretch marks, whereas for most people they make no difference. 

Dermabrasion with a diamond fraise, if performed superficially, gives no improvement. If performed more deeply, it can cause irregular or patchy discoloration of the skin, scarring or even rupture of the skin at the depth of stretch marks.

Microdermabrasion by itself, tends to give irregular results. It is uncomfortable and scarring may occur.

Lasers especially pulsed dye laser, have shown some improvement, mainly on new and red stretch marks.

Superficial peels induced by 20 to 70% glycolic acid concentrations applied on stretch marks is disappointing. This is not surprising as alpha-hydroxy acid acts superficially, mainly by diminishing the adhesion of the stratum corneum cells.

Medium depth peels with standard Trichloracetic acid (TCA) at 35% to 50% (mass per volume) have been tried with irregular results and complications where large areas have been treated.

Deep peels with phenol are too dangerous for extrafacial skin, because of their potential for life threatening complications, local scarring and persistent hypochromia (decrease in the amount of hemoglobin found in red blood cells).

Topical products with the snail secretions described in this website yield significant improvements for both old and newly formed stretch marks.

How it works?

It strenghtens skin affected by fragility and atrophy (weak production of collagen, diminished cellular proliferation, and decreased function) while dissolving scar tissues deep within the dermis with biological enzymes that transform or breakdown their molecules into the basic amino-acids. Once the amino-acids are released within your dermis they are used by fibroblasts to rebuild collagen and all the structural elements of healthy skin.

What makes the creams with snail serum effective?

The treatment includes 2 creams acting together.

The Strawberry Exfoliating Cream is a home microdermabrasion system that yields dramatic skin resurfacing results while stimulating cellular regeneration. It will help you achieve more refined, virtually poreless and flawless skin. Enjoy more clarity, smoothness and luminosity from the elimination of dry, dulling, flaky and damaged skin cells.

The Regular Stretch Marks Cream penetrates deeply into the skin, reactivating its own regenerating processes. This triggers the production of collagen and the skin's own natural moisturizers and the elimination of damaged tissues. The rate of skin cell production is increased because of its skin growth activators.

Application of Stretch Marks Cream night and day for a period of 2 months yields:

*Increase of collagen and elastin production from within the deep layers of the skin, giving skin strenght.

*Improvement of the water holding capacity of healthy skin and increasing its ability to withstand compression and overstretching.

*Reduction of dark pigmentation, hyperpigmentation, age spots or melasma.

*Restoration of the natural skin color of those affected by hiperpigmentation, in people of all skin colors.

*Relief of topic dermatitis.

*Decrease in wrinkles depth.

The bio-available ingredients for stretch mark removal are:

Protein enzymes and skin regenerating peptides: the only natural ingredient that effectively “dissolves” scar tissues and shrinks and replaces the old collagen fibrous cells, which formed scar tissues or stretch marks when skin was injured, damaged or over-stretched, (by collagenase and gelatinase activities). All without the use of harsh exfoliating products or professional procedures.

The natural active substance in the cream speeds new fibroblast growth or proliferation and synthesis of new collagen and elastin cells.

The complex substance regulates the physiological balance between the synthesis and degradation of all the structural elements of the skin while it is beeing repaired by:

*Metalloprotenaise activity of the denatured materials

*Protecting the newly synthezided elements from degrading (via Metalloproteinase inhibitors).

Glycosaminoglycans: the molecules that support the capacity of skin to take in water, thus restoring the moisture holding properties of healthy skin and possitively influencing its Volume and Elasticity.

High molecular weight proteins: they are oxygen carries (copper-haemocyan) and boost blood microcirculation.

Oligoelements: Calcium, Iron and Copper. Also known as trace elements. They are indispensable because they allow the human organism to carry out all the biochemical processes necessary for their tissues. As heavier oligoelements like calcium, phosphorus, iron, copper or magnesium make up the very constitution of human tissue, they intervene during these reactions. Other oligoelements occurring in micro doses stimulate enzymes, and they hasten the speed and precision at which the biochemical reactions happen, thus transforming skin nutrients from one state to another.

Glycoproteins with antimicrobial properties: they clear the skin follicles of bacteria creating an optimum healing environment for the skin renewal and remodeling process.

The two creams include Hyaluronic Acid, for this contributes to deep tissue hydratation. The creams are formulated with all natural emollients, emulsifiers, surfactants and nourishing extracts derived from Olive Oil, and humectant Glycerin.

They help the skin repair itself and without abnormal scarring.