Scars and stretch marks are evident signs that our body has had to protect itself or adapt to external and internal factors. Even if they are natural, most of us want to get rid of them as soon as possible. Luckily enough, there is a wide range of treatment options that can help eliminate these skin blemishes.

Surgery, laser therapy and other resurfacing techniques may do the trick, but are also costly and can irritate your skin and lead to other problems such as hyperpigmentation. On the other hand, scar creams are relatively inexpensive and are very gentle with your skin.

Alternatives to Scar Creams

If you prefer using scar creams to treat your skin, there are basically two types you can try: simple scar creams and microdermabrasion creams. The first one uses chemical processes to reduce the appearance of scars and stretch marks. The second alternative uses abrading micro crystals to slowly "sand off" scar tissue.

Facial scars are best treated with a simple scar cream. Body scars can resist and will probably require a more aggressive cream such as microdermabrasion cream. Follow these simple suggestions to find the most effective treatment for scars that won't produce further damage.

Ingredients You Should Look For

As with skin care creams, scar and stretch marks creams are only as effective as the ingredients they're made with. If you're wondering which ingredients to look for, here's a short list of the most effective ingredients used for scar removal:

Rose Hip Seed Oil

Rose hip oil has long been used for stretch marks treatment and other types of scar tissue. It is rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and essential fatty acids making it an ideal ingredient for reducing the appearance of abnormal tissue. These components help promote the elimination of damaged skin and help boost the growth of new skin cells.

This product can be used in its pure, oil form or as part of a variety of different skin care products, especially those that help treat dry skin. Rose hip oil has also been used when treating other skin problems such as dermatitis and eczema.

Snail Serum

Snail serum is another natural ingredient that can help achieve scar removal. It contains copper peptides that are known to help increase the rate of skin renewal. Copper peptides also help increase the formation of new capillaries, collagen, elastin and glycosaminoglycans.

Snail serum was rediscovered by heliciculture workers in Chile that noticed their skin was smoother and that their scars would disappear quicker when they came in contact with the snails. The importance of this rediscovery made helix aspersa muller extract (another name for snail slime) an important ingredient in several skin care products.