The Prevention and Treatment for Stretch Marks

Stretch marks - no one likes having them. But we're afraid ladies they are just a part of life.

They can happen to anyone, at any time and they aren't genetic. In fact, just because you avoid them during your first pregnancy doesn't mean they will stay away during your second pregnancy.

And the bad information  is - once you get them, you can't get rid of them without surgery.

But don't worry - you can prevent them and you can reduce the appearance of them too.

Why do we get stretch marks?

Stretch marks can appear when your skin is stretched over a short space of time. What happens is the middle layer of your skin breaks in a few places, so the deeper layer of your skin shows through.

There are three main causes of stretch marks - pregnancy, weight gain and puberty.

When you're pregnant your skin stretches a lot over a short space of time. On top of that, your body produces special hormones to soften the ligaments in your pelvis for childbirth, but those hormones also soften the fibres in your skin, making you even more prone to stretch marks. About 80% of pregnant women get some form of stretch marks - they tend to be on your tummy, thighs and breasts.

Rapid weight gain can also cause stretch marks. They should become less obvious as you lose weight but that's not always the case. Also, if you diet a lot, and are therefore putting on and losing weight often, you're more likely to get stretch marks, so try to lose weight gradually.

Finally, puberty, a stage when your body is growing quickly, can cause stretch marks.

Prevention not cure

Once you've got stretch marks there's little you can do to get rid of them without resorting to surgery.

You can reduce their appearance, it's normally possible to turn them from red to white, but that's about it.

That's why experts say with stretch marks it really is about prevention rather than cure. So how can you prevent them?

Moisturising and massaging

One way to prevent stretch marks is to make sure that you skin stays really hydrated.

You can do this by using moisturiser and drinking lots of water, especially around the times when you're most likely to get stretch marks, like during pregnancy. This will help to make your skin more resistant to stretch marks.

Massaging, which you can do as you apply the moisturiser, can improve circulation and is therefore also pretty useful.

Gels

As well as using moisturiser, you can also try some gels that are specially designed to reduce the chances of getting stretch marks and also helps to get rid of them once they are there.

You need to look out for products that have the following ingredients - Vitamin E, Vitamin B5, Chamomile and the less well known Centella Asiatica.

The last resort

The last resort is, as you've probably guessed, surgery. If your stretch marks are really bad then you might want to resort to this.

There are a few different types of procedures on offer - dermabrasion, where surgeons wear away the top layers of skin, and laser treatments are just two options.

It might be that a tummy tuck to remove the skin which has stretch marks on it is best, but that's a pretty expensive procedure.

If you think surgery is your only option you should have a chat with your doctor.