Stretch marks, also called striae, are tears in the skin. Technically, they are scars. At first they are red to purple in color but usually, they fade away to a paler color.

Teenagers are very affected by this condition: 70% of girls and 40% of boys, and 90% of pregnant women develop this condition, which is one of the most common skin lesions. There are many elements that can help cause stretch marks. Rapid gain or loss of weight, dryer skin (it is more prone than oilier skin), pregnancy and heredity are some of them. Still, there are procedures that can be done to reduce stretch marks and even make them disappear.

Some tips and treatments

Drinking plenty of water is one of the most important things one can do to prevent stretch marks. Like this; you will keep moisture in your skin. Remember that the drier the skin, the likelier it is that stretch marks will develop. Keep a balanced diet, including foods that are high on vitamins A and C. And caffeine also promotes the appearance of these marks, so try to keep an eye on the amounts of it you take during the day. In addition to these tips, you can try to find a stretch marks treatment that is good for you. You can easily purchase an over-the-counter cream or lotion to help reduce the appearance of stretch marks. These products can help make your skin get firmer and help reduce newer marks.

The earlier you start treating a stretch mark, the more chances you have to eliminate it. There are also creams on the market that help prevent stretch marks. A good moisturizing lotion can help a lot. You can also consult your doctor and have him recommend a prescription cream to help you. If you want to do a procedure that will work faster or that is effective on older marks, you might want to consider laser surgery. It is by far the most expensive treatment, but it also is the fastest and so far, the most efficient treatment. Laser surgery is used on older and deeper scars and most of the time, 6 to 8 procedures are needed to see good results. However, it is good to keep in mind that even though it is highly effective, there is no treatment that works for everyone.