Skin Care

Do Stretch Mark Creams Actually Work?

Not in the way you might think. See what our testers discovered

by Charli Schuler

1 of 6

Why Do Stretch Marks Occur? Before we dive into stretch mark creams, here's what you need to know: When you quickly increase in size, you stretch the elastin in your skin (located in the dermis) and that ultimately causes it to break down. "Think of it as pulling a rubber band," says Murad. "If you keep stretching and stretching, it doesn't come back to the same shape."

As for improving their appearance, any marks that have turned white are sadly ones you may need to learn to love. "But if stretch marks are relatively new (usually dark in color), you should see results within three months of daily application," Murad says. If the marks are white and have been around for years, that means the skin has undergone more or less permanent damage. (But remember, it happens to a lot of us.) "[At that point] I'm not sure a cream can do a lot of good, though it's worth a try," says Murad. "It may take five to six months to show results."

Now that you've gotten the lowdown on stretch marks, it's time to dive into testing stretch mark creams. Do they really work? Let's find out.

SEE NEXT PAGE: Stretch Mark Cream Test No. 1: Belli Motherhood Stretchmark Minimizing Cream, $49

EDITORS' BEST OF

12 Best Acne Products for Your Clearest Skin Yet

11 Best Tinted Moisturizers for Easy, On-the-Go Coverage

products mentioned

Belli Specialty Skin Care Stretchmark Minimizing Cream

8.7

Bio-Oil Skincare Oil

7.3

BUY NOW

Murad Firm and Tone Serum

4.5

Murad Firm and Tone Dietary Supplement Pack

0.0

leave a comment

Older comments

I like this product

by alwafi28 Saturday, May 4, 2013 at 06:05PM Report as inappropriate

I've been using the dr max powers stretch mark treatment, and while it does not 100% remove the stretch marks, i do notice they are lighter...im going to keep using

by mark_tennis Thursday, May 2, 2013 at 05:33PM Report as inappropriate

Very interesting

by LittleBunny Thursday, January 10, 2013 at 10:00AM Report as inappropriate

They don't work in my opinion. There are some that may help "lighten" them which only makes them whiter in color but to removal of the mark itself.

by EricaC123 Saturday, January 5, 2013 at 12:19PM Report as inappropriate

Very interesting article. And there were even non-expensive products that allegedly work! However, I think the concept is overblown. I would not use them.

by CaroleVonAllten Wednesday, November 21, 2012 at 10:38AM Report as inappropriate

Very interesting article. And there were even non-expensive products that work!

by CaroleVonAllten Wednesday, November 21, 2012 at 08:49AM Report as inappropriate

These seem like a waste of money.

by LittleBunny Monday, July 30, 2012 at 09:28PM Report as inappropriate

Good to know that there is some help out there, although it is likely if your mother has stretch marks, so will you...I did. They aren't pleasant, but they are there, and I earned them carrying my beautiful daughter!

by CCochran Saturday, April 7, 2012 at 06:15AM Report as inappropriate

I haven't found one that works for me yet.

by beautybody Thursday, March 29, 2012 at 12:08PM Report as inappropriate

I recently got Skinception, but I was wondering if anyone knew how to best prepare your skin before application to get maximum results. For example should I exfoliate every time??

by sarahwilliams Sunday, March 25, 2012 at 09:27PM Report as inappropriate