Stretch marks cause no real physical harm, but they can affect your self-esteem. Stretch marks are most common around the abdomen, hips, thighs, and upper arms. They are the natural result of growth spurts, pregnancy, and great weight loss or weight gain.

Stretch marks, also known as striae, appear because the skin is pushed beyond its elastic limit. The extreme push produces a tear that the body tries to repair by producing scar tissue to compensate for the excessive stretching. Initially stretch marks are reddish-purple but eventually turn a silvery-white color.

This scar tissue can be covered up with clothing, for the most part. Nevertheless, people who suffer from stretch marks may spend the hot summer months covered from head to toe just to keep their stretch marks hidden.

Stretch Marks Prevention

In order to help prevent stretch marks, you need to make sure that your skin is at its best. This means that the skin should be able to stretch with great ease to accommodate a change in body size.

Stretch mark prevention is an effective way of avoiding this problem, but to do so you need to use a high quality skin cream that contains elastin and collagen stimulators. These stimulators will help contribute to the production of elastin and collagen which will ultimately help prevent the appearance of stretch marks.

Another precaution that you should take is to gain or lose weight slowly. By doing this, your skin will have the chance to stretch gradually without tearing.

How to get rid of Stretch Marks

Unfortunately, genetics plays a big part in the development of stretch marks. Therefore, sometimes it seems almost impossible to avoid getting stretch marks. However, when genetics plays a role you need to find a real stretch mark cream capable of getting to the root cause if you really want to reduce these scars.

Creams that contain snail serum and/or rose hip oil are ideal for treating stretch marks. These types of natural stretch marks creams contain biological activators like those of your body's own regenerative processes. These activators are capable of triggering and controlling the synthesis of collagen, elastin and GAGs and the replacement of flawed skin with healthy skin cells.

With daily use these types of creams can 'digest' flawed cells, gently dissolve skin lesions, reduce and even erases all signs of stretch marks. They also trigger the regeneration of normal collagen and destroy pathogens thereby improving elasticity.

Microdermabrasion is also used in treating stretch marks. This isn't a cure-all for stretch marks, so keep that in mind when looking for an effective stretch marks removal method.