Stretch marks cannot be reversed. Here’s how to make them less visible

They're perfectly normal, though not always welcome.

Stretch marks are tears in the skin caused by a lack of elasticity, hydration, and lipids, resulting in fine lines and discolouration, explains biomedical scientist Dr Judey Pretorius.

These can be due to growth, from a child to an adult, gained or lost weight, or going through puberty.

Maintaining moisture and lipids is key.

In addition to increasing your water intake, she recommends using products containing hyaluronic acid, retinol, and caffeine to stimulate cell turnover and improve skin elasticity.

While stretch marks aren’t fully reversible, their appearance can be reduced with the help of oil-based creams, topical creams and professional treatments such as micro-needling and chemical peels.

“The human skin is nothing other than a production facility for producing brand new skin cells all the time. We have to go and find ingredients that are going to help stimulate new skin cell turnover and circulation.”

Pretorius debunks myths that sunbeds or the use of steroid creams can help reduce the appearance of stretch marks.

Excessive UV exposure can lead to skin damage and make stretch marks worse, while steroid creams can have negative long-term effects on the skin.

To listen to Pretorius, click below: