This Stretch Mark Cream Helps Reduce the Look of Stretch Marks in Just Four Weeks—So I Put it to The Test
Updated: Oct. 23, 2023
Shoppers say this stretch mark cream fades and smooths red, raised scars in just a few weeks and is "worth every penny".
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Stretch marks happen to the best of us. According to research, 6% to 86% of people earn tiger stripes during adolescent growth, up to 90% of women develop them during pregnancy and 43% of those who battle obesity have them as well. Luckily, a stretch mark cream can help.
“Stretch marks occur when the skin undergoes rapid stretching or changes in size. This happens during pregnancy, growth spurts, rapid weight gain or loss or sometimes due to certain medical conditions or medications,” explains Alexander Blinski, MD, co-founder of New York City’s Plump. When the skin is stretched beyond its normal capacity, the collagen and elastin fibers in the dermis break or tear, leading to the formation of stretch marks.
The bad news: “Stretch marks are like tiny scars that form when the skin is stretched or pulled too quickly,” he says. Yes, scars, meaning they will never 100% go away. They appear as thin, reddish or purplish lines when they are newer. But there is some good news: “They may fade over time to a lighter, silvery color,” Blinski adds.
Some products help fade them. Stretch mark creams and in-office treatments targeting stretch marks have become increasingly popular to lighten and diminish the look of stretch marks. “Most doctors may say that stretch marks are not correctable, but cosmetic beauty isn’t about perfection—it’s about improvement,” he says.
Nearly every skincare and aesthetic brand has formulated its own version of a stretch mark cream, using targeted ingredients to help lighten. One of the most popular? The Peter Thomas Roth Pro Strength Stretch Mark Cream is considered the best stretch mark cream by a number of women. I highly recommend adding it to your anti-aging skincare regimen, and this is why.
What is the Peter Thomas Roth Stretch Mark Cream?
Peter Thomas Roth Stretch Mark Cream is a twice-daily cream targeting stretch marks with a handful of clinically backed ingredients. It is one of the most highly rated products of its class at Sephora and is beloved by beauty editors and influencers alike. Here’s why there is so much hype: Fans claim it lightens stretch marks in just 30 days.
The odorless cream comes in 3.4 fluid ounces and is packaged in a purple metallic tube. According to the front of the bottle the product “visibly helps reduce the look of body stretch marks and helps prevent the look of future stretch marks with an intensive expert-level formula.” It’s important to note (and easy to miss on the tube) not to apply the product on the breast area.
VIA MERCHANT
WE TRIED IT
Peter Thomas Roth Stretch Mark Cream
This is a twice-daily cream targeting stretch marks with a handful of clinically backed ingredients.
Stretch mark cream features
First, let’s talk ingredients. There are three main ones responsible for most of the “magic” that happens when you use the cream twice daily for 30 days.
The first is an ingredient trademarked by DSM Pharmaceutical called Regu-Stretch, “a patented bioactive complex of panthenol, a tripeptide and an extract of the organically grown Swiss alpine plant Marrubium vulgare.” According to the company not only does it protect the skin structure from new stretch marks, but it activates the repair process by stimulating the synthesis of collagen and by reducing skin inflammation.
The next is Regestril, another trademarked ingredient by Sederma consisting of botanicals and peptides that help slow the wearing down of skin cells and promote regeneration. Both of these ingredients have undergone clinical testing by the pharma companies, supporting their claims of effectiveness.
The final main ingredient is lactic acid complex, another popular ingredient in stretch mark cream, which reduces the appearance of stretch marks by promoting skin renewal, exfoliation and hydration.
The product also contains shea butter, cocoa butter, avocado oil and ceramides, all of which help moisturize and improve the barrier function of the skin.
- Each bottle is filled with 100 ml/3.4 fl oz of product
- Retails for $58
- Dissolves quickly with no residue
- Main ingredients are Regu®-Stretch 3%, Regestril™ 2% and Lactic Acid Complex 5%
- Other ingredients are Shea Butter, Cocoa Butter, Avocado Oil and Ceramide NP
How we tested it
Most of my stretch marks are located on my upper legs, butt and lower flank, so that is where I tested the product. I used it twice daily, in the morning when I was getting ready and at night, after a bath. I generously applied it directly onto my skin prior to moisturizing my body. As mentioned above, the product is easy to apply, pleasantly odorless and easily absorbable.
While I was a little skeptical, within a week I started to notice my stretch marks fading—like really fading. By the second and third weeks, they were even lighter and smoother. After 30 days, there was a very noticeable difference.
Pros
- Effectively lightens stretch marks in just a month
- Easy to apply
- Absorbs fast into the skin
- Mess-free packaging
- Odorless
- Costs a lot less than treatments at the dermatologist
Cons
- The company admits right on the bottle that it “helps reduce the look of stretch marks and helps prevent the look of future stretch marks” but “temporarily and with continued use.”
- Not for use on breast area stretch marks
FAQ
How long does it take for a stretch mark cream to work?
This product in particular takes 30 days to work, according to the brand and reviewers. However, the longer you use it, the better the results.
How many times a day should I put on stretch mark cream?
The brand recommends twice-daily use.
Is there a way to prevent stretch marks?
According to the American Academy of Dermatology Association, most of the remedies believed to prevent the formation of stretch marks—including almond oil, cocoa butter, olive oil and vitamin E—don’t actually work, per scientific studies. However, researchers have found that products containing Centella, an herb, or hyaluronic acid, a popular ingredient in skincare, may help prevent stretch marks.
What other reviewers have to say
Reviewers on Sephora, where the product is currently sold out, are crazy about it.
Tyla, who works in skincare calls it the “best skincare I’ve bought at Sephora,” admitting she was initially skeptical. “I wasn’t sure with all the reviews had been given the product. I bought it and noticed within a week my raised scars and stretch marks were flat and smooth. They are also way less visible than before. I started off with everyday use, but now it’s every couple, and it’s the best skincare I’ve bought at Sephora over 10 years. Bum Bum has nothing on this. I’ve even bought a second bottle for when I run out,” she wrote in her five-star review.
“I swear I started seeing results after just a few weeks of daily use. This stuff is worth every penny. Idk how it works, but it works. Thank you PTR!” agreed another Sephora shopper Kayleii.
Another “skeptical” shopper, who experienced depression and anxiety after gaining quite a bit of weight and was left with bright red stretch marks in her inner thighs, was also pleasantly surprised. “I can’t believe the results after just two weeks of use. Ironically, I don’t even put it on every day as directed, but more just when I remember,” they write. “I felt hopeless and bought this cream as a last resort, and I was astonished with the results. They’re not gone by any means but are no longer bright red and have faded significantly. I’m definitely going to buy another tube as soon as this one runs out.”
Final verdict
I definitely recommend Peter Thomas Roth Pro Strength Stretch Mark Cream for anyone who is hoping to fade their tiger stripes. While there is no treatment on the market (yet) that completely eliminates any type of scarring, including stretch marks, this cream helps make them less noticeable. While the price might seem a little steep, consider how much you would have to spend at your dermatologist’s office for professional treatments. I will continue using the cream until the bottle runs out, and then I may grab another.
Where to buy the stretch mark cream
VIA MERCHANT
WE TRIED IT
Peter Thomas Roth Stretch Mark Cream
This intensive, expert-level body cream visibly helps reduce the look of stretch marks after four weeks.
The Peter Thomas Roth Pro Strength Stretch Mark Cream is available on Amazon, Kohl’s and the Peter Thomas Roth website. Start fading your stretch marks and feel better about your skin in just a month’s time.
About the expert
Alexander Blinski: Alexander Blinski, MD, is a skincare and aesthetics expert in New York City, who has been a practicing physician for 10 years. He is the co-founder of New York City’s Plump, which opened in 2017.
Sources
Originally Published: October 23, 2023
