When skin is over stretched, stretch marks are formed. These skin problems can appear after sudden growth spurts, during and after pregnancy, and due to excessive weight gain and weight loss. They normally develop around the thighs, hips, abdomen, breast and upper arms.

Some experts claim that stretch marks are directly linked to genetics. This means that if your parents have them, you probably will, too. However, you can take steps to prevent them and you can even treat them with a stretch mark cream or balm.

Prevention is a great way to help prevent stretch marks that arise during weight gain or pregnancy. The idea behind this type of prevention is to gain and lose weight as slowly as possible. You can also accompany this type of treatment with special creams that can help make the skin more elastic.

Unfortunately, there isn't a way to prevent stretch marks due to growth spurts. In this case, your best bet is covering up the striae with make up or clothing.

Stretch Mark Removal Options

There are two alternatives you can use if you want to remove stretch mark removal. These are non-invasive methods and surgical intervention. The type of treatment you decide to use will depend on the results you're looking for. Surgery is the only real way of eliminate damaged skin for good, while non-invasive methods will help reduce the appearance of stretch marks without having to undergo the pains and costs associated with surgical interventions.

If you are interested in less invasive methods then you might want to try using alternatives such creams and microdermabrasion. Stretch mark balms are a gentle way of getting rid of striae. If you choose this method, make sure that the cream contains the appropriate ingredients.

Look for products that contain ingredients that can repair collagen and elastin. Having healthy collagen and elastin is essential to healthy and unblemished skin. The basic idea behind these types of products is that they can help remove the damaged, scar tissue and help replace it with a healthy skin structure.

Ingredients like retinol, neuropeptides and Vitamin C are just a few products that can promote the production of collagen. Cynergy TK and nano-lipobelle can boost the production of collagen and elastin.

Do, however, avoid products that contain collagen because even though they sound appealing the collagen molecules are far too large to penetrate the skin pores. Purchasing these products will only be a waste of money.

A very popular option for stretch marks is microdermabrasion. Through this procedure, the damaged layers of the skin are removed and replaced by healthy skin cells. Microdermabrasion for stretch marks is normally part of a multi-session treatment.

This procedure is faster than stretch marks creams, but it will still take some time to show positive results.