Stretch marks are not life threatening, but they can significantly 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. Stretch marks are initially reddish-purple but eventually turn a silvery-white color.

For the most part, this scar tissue can be covered up with clothing. However, most people that have stretch marks are condemned to spend hot summer months covered in clothing in hopes of keeping their stretch mark problems under wraps.

How Stretch Marks can be Prevented

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 maintain its elasticity so that it can stretch to accommodate a change in body size.

A helpful tip for avoiding stretch marks is using a high quality skin cream that contains elastin and collagen stimulators. These stimulators will help promote the production of elastin and collagen and prevent the appearance of stretch marks.

Another preventive measure is making sure that you lose ore gain weight gradually. By doing this, your skin will have the chance to stretch gradually without tearing.

How to get rid of Stretch Marks Naturally

Unfortunately, genetics plays a big part in the development of stretch marks. Therefore, it may seem almost impossible to avoid getting stretch marks. However, when genetics is in play you need to find a truly effective stretch mark cream capable of getting to the root cause of your affliction.

Look for creams containing snail serum and/or rose hip oil. They 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 help trigger and control the synthesis of elastin, collagen, and GAGs along with helping replace flawed skin with healthy skin cells.

With regular use (two times a day for a period of time depending on age and depth of the blemishes) these types of creams '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.

Stretch marks are also treated using microdermabrasion. This isn't a cure-all for stretch marks, so keep that in mind when looking for an effective stretch marks removal method.