If I’m african american and have stretch marks, would a bleaching cream help??
I give you high marks for thinking creatively about this problem! I hate to say it but usually that strategy doesn’t work well because it fades the surrounding color only a little, and it’s a lot of work for not much result. The over the counter creams are all pretty much the same – they usually contain 2% hydroquinone. If you still want to try, I really recommend trying it on a small test area for at least two weeks first, just in case it irritates you. It could make it look worse if you get irritated.
The good news is though that you probably got these during a recent growth spurt in the past several years. If that’s the case, they will usually fade quite a bit now, if you keep your weight stable or lower. There is also some early data on fractionated CO2 lasers like the DEKA DOT for this problem but it’s still uncertain and it’s expensive. If you do talk to someone about lasers someday, be sure they are an expert in their field and experienced with african american skin.
Hope this helps, Dr. I