Stretch marks after weight loss: what fades, what helps, and what does not

The short answer

Stretch marks fade and flatten over months, becoming paler, but they are scars and do not disappear completely. Treatment works best on early, still-coloured marks: prescription tretinoin and hyaluronic acid have shown benefit there, while oils and most creams have not. Procedures such as laser can make marks less noticeable, but none removes them.

Best treatment window

Early, still-coloured marks

Home oils

Did not fade or prevent them

Procedures

Soften marks, none removes them

Tretinoin access

Prescription-only in Australia

General information, not medical advice. Read the disclaimer.

Stretch marks are one of the changes people least expect after losing a lot of weight. Some were there all along, hidden by fuller skin, and become obvious as it loosens. Others appear during the loss itself: rapid weight loss is one of the times the skin is most likely to develop them, along with puberty, pregnancy and rapid weight gain. [1]

They are also one of the most over-marketed skin problems there is. Here is what the evidence says, including the parts people selling creams tend to leave out.

What a stretch mark actually is

A stretch mark is a scar. It forms when skin stretches or shrinks quickly enough that the collagen and elastin supporting it tear, and it heals as a narrow band. [1] New stretch marks are usually red, purple, pink or dark brown depending on your skin colour, and can feel slightly raised or itchy. Over months they fade and flatten, becoming paler than the surrounding skin and slightly sunken.

That distinction between early and mature marks matters more than anything else on this page, because almost every treatment that works at all works better on early ones. [1]

It also explains why stretch marks and loose skin are separate problems. A stretch mark is a change in the skin's structure along a line. Loose skin is surplus skin. You can have either without the other, and nothing that treats one will fix the other.

What does not work

Home remedies have been tested and have not delivered. In studies, massaging almond oil, cocoa butter, olive oil or vitamin E into stretch marks did not make them fade, and the same oils did not prevent them either. [1] A comprehensive review of the research found that topical products in general appear to lack efficacy for preventing stretch marks. [2]

Tanning makes them more obvious, not less, because the marks do not tan. [1] A self-tanner can help disguise them for a while, which is a perfectly reasonable thing to do if it makes you feel better, but it does not change them.

What has some evidence

Tretinoin, for early marks. The best-known trial compared tretinoin cream with a plain cream over six months in people with early, still-active stretch marks. Eight of the ten using tretinoin had definite or marked improvement, against one of the twelve using the plain cream. [3] It is a small trial, though others have found similar results, and like most stretch mark treatments it seems to have little effect on mature, pale marks. [1] In Australia topical tretinoin is a prescription-only medicine, so whether it suits you is a decision for a doctor, and it can irritate skin. [4] Retinol, the milder non-prescription relative, may also help fade early marks. [1] If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, check with your doctor first, because retinoids can harm a baby. [1]

Hyaluronic acid, for early marks. Applying hyaluronic acid to early stretch marks made them less noticeable in two large studies. [1]

Procedures. Dermatologists use lasers, radiofrequency, chemical peels, microdermabrasion and ultrasound to make stretch marks less noticeable, sometimes in combination. None of them removes stretch marks. [1] The review found light and laser treatments have shown improvements, but also that there are few high-quality randomised trials of any stretch mark treatment, so the evidence is weaker than the marketing suggests. [2] Fractional laser and RF microneedling are the procedures most often offered for this in Australia; both guides cover their costs and risks, including the extra care needed for darker skin types.

What to do, in order

1. If your marks are new and still coloured, that is the window when treatment works best. Whether a prescription treatment such as tretinoin suits you is a question for a GP or dermatologist.
2. If your marks are mature and pale, creams are unlikely to change them much. The honest options are to leave them, to disguise them, or to consider a procedure, knowing it will soften rather than erase them.
3. Before paying for a course of procedures, ask what improvement the clinic expects for mature marks specifically, how many sessions, and what the total cost will be. The how to choose a clinic checklist covers the rest.
4. If you are heading towards skin removal surgery, marks on the skin that is removed go with it. An abdominoplasty, for example, removes a band of lower abdominal skin, so it is worth factoring in before spending on treatments for the same area. The surgical options guide explains what is removed in each operation.

A word on expectations

Stretch marks fade by themselves over time, and for many people that fading is enough. [1] They are harmless, extremely common, and nothing about them needs treating for health reasons. If they bother you, the treatments above are reasonable to try. If they do not, leaving them alone is not a missed opportunity.

Frequently asked questions

Do stretch marks go away after weight loss?

They fade and flatten over months, becoming paler and less noticeable, but they are a form of scar and do not disappear completely. Treatment can make them less noticeable, especially when the marks are still new and coloured.

Do stretch mark creams work?

Most do not. Almond oil, cocoa butter, olive oil and vitamin E did not help in studies. Tretinoin, a prescription retinoid, and hyaluronic acid have shown benefit on early marks, but have little effect on mature, pale ones.

Can laser remove stretch marks?

No. Laser, radiofrequency and similar procedures can make stretch marks less noticeable, but none removes them, and the research behind them is limited. Ask what improvement to expect for your marks before paying for a course.

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Sources cited

1. American Academy of Dermatology. Stretch marks: why they appear and how to get rid of them.
2. Al-Himdani S, Ud-Din S, Gilmore S, Bayat A. Striae distensae: a comprehensive review and evidence-based evaluation of prophylaxis and treatment. British Journal of Dermatology, 2014.
3. Kang S, Kim KJ, Griffiths CE, et al. Topical tretinoin (retinoic acid) improves early stretch marks. Archives of Dermatology, 1996.
4. Therapeutic Goods Administration. The Poisons Standard (SUSMP).

Written by

Dan d'Auvergne-Massie· Editor, Skin After Weight Loss

Lost 36kg while on a prescription GLP-1 medicine and spent the next two years researching what actually tightens skin after rapid weight loss. Runs a small findability agency and previously worked in health technology. Not a doctor: every clinical claim on this site is sourced.

Last updated by the editor: 2 November 2026