A new dawn for stretch marks

In 2016, Getty Images released some remarkable pictures of model Jasmine Tookes displaying her stretch marks while posing for Victoria’s Secret. She was wearing a bra encrusted with diamonds and emeralds, worth a whopping $3 million.

The world greeted these images as nothing short of miraculous. It was virtually unheard of for a model to display her stretch marks openly (and indeed, in the official photos they were airbrushed out). It’s like the whole world conspires to pretend these scars don’t actually exist.

Why Are They So Common?

It’s ironic because studies show that stretch marks are incredibly common—perhaps one of the most common skin conditions in the world. Studies indicate that up to 90% of pregnant women develop them, and around 70% of adolescent girls have them too.

Despite being so prevalent, it’s something we don’t talk about openly. This could be why so many women struggle with self-esteem issues when it comes to stretch marks.

How Do They Affect Confidence?

Over the years, I’ve spoken to countless women who feel uncomfortable showing their stretch marks. Some won’t go to the pool or beach without a sarong. Others, with marks on their arms or chests, are always careful to cover up with long sleeves, high-cut tops, or carefully placed accessories.

Sometimes, they even apply concealer or self-tanner to camouflage the marks. It can significantly affect their confidence and intimate lives, becoming a real obstacle.

So, What Exactly Are They?

It all comes back to one word: collagen! Collagen is the key protein that keeps your skin firm and elastic. Think of it as fibres below the surface of your skin, like a series of rubber bands.

When you stretch your collagen fibres too much—whether due to pregnancy or weight gain—they’re pulled out of shape, leaving visible marks on the surface of your skin. Those marks are essentially a form of scar.

Common Myths

Many products, such as olive oil, aloe vera, and cocoa butter, claim to reduce stretch marks. While these can moisturise and hydrate your skin, they don’t address the root issue. The problem isn’t that your skin is too dry—it’s a deeper, structural issue involving collagen breakdown.

Effective Treatments for Stretch Marks

Fortunately, there are treatments available that can significantly reduce the appearance of stretch marks. At Riverbanks Clinic, we offer two fantastic treatment options:

Early Stage Treatment

When stretch marks first appear, they’re usually an angry red colour. This is the best time to treat them! We use our powerful VBeam laser to target the redness in your skin, calming the red marks down and turning them a pale colour much faster than would happen naturally.

Afterwards, we treat the scars with Secret RF, an advanced microneedling and radiofrequency treatment. Since a breakdown in collagen is the root of the problem, triggering the growth of new collagen is the best way to soften your stretch marks.

Later Stage Treatment

If you’ve had stretch marks for a while, and they’ve faded to a silvery or pale colour, we can still help. We simply treat them with Secret RF as described above to encourage new collagen growth and reduce their visibility.

Take a look at this patient, who had three rounds of Secret RF to fade her mature marks. These results are three months after her last treatment. Her marks, which were originally bright and harsh, are much more difficult to see. Her confidence has improved immeasurably.

Treatments at Riverbanks Clinic

Stretch marks don’t have to be a secret, and they’re certainly nothing to be ashamed of. For many women who earned theirs through pregnancy, they’re a badge of pride.

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