They might be white, red, purple or gray. They’re squiggly, and can be as thick as a colored marker line. And, most unfortunately, they run up and down the sides of your breasts! Stretch marks affect virtually all of us, but the more “generously” you’re endowed…the more likely it is that you have stretch marks that you want to get rid of.
The name “stretch marks” makes it pretty clear where they come from. As your breasts grow, you risk popping stretch marks that will last forever. You can get them to fade, and they can fade a lot—but surgery is the only way to permanently remove them. And they might fade a little on their own, but those scribbly lines will be a forever-friend unless you actively do something about them.
Stretch marks pop up in puberty or pregnancy. They can also pop up if you gain a lot of weight at some point. You want to feel sexy, and if you’re well-endowed you’d probably like the luxury of showing the girls off! Don’t let stretch marks rob that from you.
Castor oil
Who knew! They say that if you rub castor oil lightly into the stretch marks along your breasts (elsewhere, too, if you’ve got marks on your legs or tummy), it can fade stretch marks in as little as a week. First rub the oil on, then place plastic wrap lightly around them and apply heat with a hot, wet towel. Relax for about 15 or 20 minutes while it does its work, then remove and gently wash off.
In as little as a week you can see your stretch marks fade, but keep on doing this for two weeks to really get the job done.
Pros: Caster oil is cheap, and this practice is pleasant and easy!
Cons: Takes time out of your day, every day, and stretch marks only fade (they never fully disappear).
Other oil concoctions
Another popular oil solution is a secret-sauce kind of mix. Take two parts olive oil and one part aloe vera gel, and mix them together well. Any extra you don’t use can be stored in the fridge. Rub the mixture onto your stretch marks at night, right before you get into bed. You’ll have to wash the excess off in the morning.
Do be careful once you’re in bed, because the oily mix can get onto your sheets and clothes. Wear some gnarly pajamas you don’t care about, and be very careful not to roll around while you fall asleep.
Plan for about 10 nights of this treatment during a two-week period, or more if you can swing it. You might be planning around nights where bedtime includes someone getting up-close and personal…so skip those nights, unless olive oil “does it” for them.
Pros: Works while you sleep!
Cons: It gets everywhere, and it interrupts your “social life.”
Stretch mark creams
You’ve probably seen adds, and more than a dozen options at every pharmacy. Stretch mark creams are very popular, and for good reason. The best brands offer you a money-back guarantee if you’re not sure they’ll work, which is extra important when you’re shelling out between $30 and $130 a jar. But hey, they don’t smell like you’re cooking pasta. Plus, you have as many options as there are brands on the internet!
Pros: No mixing the concoction yourself, and you have loads of options.
Cons: They cost more, and there’s very little regulation in the industry—some of them may not even work.
Dermabrasion and laser treatments
Dermabrasion is where little needles are poked into your skin, which might sound especially unappealing along your breasts. And laser treatment is, well…using lasers to get rid of the stretch marks.
These are more aggressive options to get rid of stretch marks, and get rid of them entirely—or at least just about. Each requires at least a handful of sessions, though, and begin to get real expensive real quickly. Some doctors will also tell you that these options aren’t the best idea for stretch marks on your breasts, just other places. The skin of your breasts is so tender, sometimes you can do more harm than good trying to get rid of your “forever friends.”
Pros: Can completely remove stretch marks.
Cons: You could literally buy a car instead of spend this kind of money!
When you think about your options, it might be nice to know you even have them! Keep your chin up about stretch marks, because even if they won’t go away entirely, you can definitely get them to fade. And give yourself an honest assessment about where they came from, too—if you’re at risk of gaining a lot of weight again fast, know that they might pop out with a vengeance. And if you might get pregnant again, stick to the home remedies instead of something as costly as a surgery, because you’ll probably have another round of treating them!
