Spa Treatments to Care for Stretch Marks

Keep your skin hydrated and moisturized to improve elasticity as a preventative measure, but as soon as you spot the first signs of red, purple, or brownish stripes forming, book a spa treatment. Body exfoliation loosens and removes the dead skin cells that are the cause of these lines, revealing a layer of new skin that is ready for further hydration and pampering.A spa treatment focused on stretch marks will begin with a hot towel applied to the affected skin to relax you and open your pores, followed by the circular application of an exfoliant. This body exfoliant will be chosen with your skin type and condition in mind, but it will typically contain crushed seed shells to help loosen and remove dead skin cells. Finally your skin will be massaged with hydrating lotion. Massaging relaxes your body, improves circulation, and encourages tissue growth, resulting in the production of new skin cells. Again your particular skincare needs will determine the course of your treatment, but lotions with cocoa butter or shea butter bases and rich in vitamins A, D, and E all nourish skin and encourage collagen production to reduce the appearance of your stretch marks. Chemical peels might be recommended for more severe stretch marks. Depending on your skin type, a professional will use a chemical, such as glycolic acid (ranging in strength from 20 to 70 percent) or Trichloracetic acid (ranging from 35 to 50 percent) in order to peel away the top layer of dead skin cells and reduce stretch marks. Although no treatment is guaranteed to get rid of stretchmarks, exfoliation and chemical peels work best on newly-formed stretch marks, so frequent and regular spa visits, combined with adequate hydration and proper moisturizing, are the best way to care for your body's largest organ, your skin.