Cut and pasted from NHS website -
Treatment
There is no specific medical treatment for stretch marks and, in most cases, there is no need to see your GP about them. Most stretch marks fade over time and are not that noticeable.
However, if you have a lot of stretch marks, if they affect a large part of your body, or if you are worried that they look unsightly, there may be treatments available that can help. However, there is little, or no, medical evidence to show that any of these treatments will work, so it is important that you are realistic about what they can achieve.
Creams, gels, and lotions
There are many creams, gels, and lotions that claim to be able to remove stretch marks. These products are essentially moisturisers for your skin, and are available from pharmacies, and from many supermarkets, and health and beauty shops.
Although the effectiveness of these products has not been medically proven, you may still like to try them. You may notice an improvement in the texture of your skin even if your stretch marks are not reduced. Using these types of cream daily can help to keep your skin smooth and supple, and the action of rubbing in the cream can encourage better circulation.
If you do decide to try a cream, gel, or lotion to treat stretch marks, remember that there is no need to pay for the most expensive brands because they are not necessarily more effective. For example, creams containing collagen claim to be able to cure stretch marks, but collagen rubbed into the surface of your skin cannot penetrate down into the deeper layers where stretch marks occur.
A better, cheaper option may be products containing vitamin E, or Caribbean cocoa butter, which is sometimes effective in improving the appearance of scars.
Tretinoin cream (Retin-A)
Tretinoin is derived from vitamin A, and creams and gels that contain tretinoin are often used to treat acne and skin that is severely damaged by the sun.
A cream containing tretinoin, called Retin-A, is sometimes also used to treat stretch marks. Research into whether or not it is effective has had varying results, although it appears to only work on stretch marks that are newly formed (less than six weeks old, and still red, or pink, in colour). Tretinoin cream is not effective on older stretch marks.
When it is effective, tretinoin cream is thought to work by making the surface of your skin thinner, so that the cream can get to the layer underneath (the dermis), and boost the amount of collagen that is produced. Collagen is needed to keep your skin stretchy, so the less there is in your skin, the more likely it is that stretch marks will form.
Tretinoin cream is only available on prescription from your GP, and can cause several side effects. It can cause your skin to sting, swell, and become red. It can also make your skin more sensitive to sunlight.
Do not use tretinoin cream if you are pregnant, or breastfeeding because it may harm your baby.
While using tretinoin cream, you should avoid taking supplements that contain vitamin A because too much vitamin A can be harmful.
Laser therapy
Laser therapy cannot remove stretch marks altogether, but it may help them to fade, and appear less obvious.
There are several different types of laser therapy that may be used to treat stretch marks, such as pulsed dye laser treatment. This type of laser therapy works on early stretch marks (that are still red) by sealing the blood vessels within your skin, and speeding up the fading process.
Laser therapy for stretch marks is not available on the NHS and is usually very expensive. It is likely that you will need many treatments in order to obtain visible results, but the exact number will depend on your skin colour and type.
Cosmetic surgery
Cosmetic surgery for stretch marks is a very extreme and expensive option, and is rarely recommended.
If you have stretch marks on your abdomen (stomach) as well as a large amount of loose skin, it may be possible to have an operation called an abdominoplasty, which is also known as a tummy tuck. An abdominoplasty can remove the excess fat and skin around your abdomen, as well as removing the stretch marks below your belly button at the same time.
As this type of surgery is a cosmetic procedure (used to improve your appearance), it is not available on the NHS. Cosmetic surgery also carries several risks, and it can cause considerable scarring.