Due to changes in our body, our skin is constantly being stretched and pulled. Luckily, our skin was made to stretch enough to withstand most of these transformations. However, weight fluctuations and some hormonal changes can stretch your skin passed its limit and produce scar tissue, more commonly known as stretch marks.

Stretch marks are common during adolescence because of growth spurts, wherein, these scars will usually appear on the back of the legs, hips and breasts. Another factor, such as excessive weight gain during puberty can also produce stretch marks.

Pregnancy is another stage in life when stretch marks can appear. They will more frequently appear around the abdomen and breasts. After having given birth take care to gradually lose weight, rapid weight lose will cause more stretch marks to appear.

If you thought stretch marks only affected teenagers and pregnant women, think again. Bodybuilders are also susceptible to stretch marks due to rapid weight gain. Thighs, biceps, and even hips can show definite signs of stretch marks in some athletes.

How to Prevent Stretch Marks

So far, so good. You're thinking you are safe from being affected by stretch marks because you're not a teenager, woman, or bodybuilder, but you're wrong again. You see, stretch marks have a genetic component which means that if your parents have stretch marks, then the chances of you getting them is pretty high. Nevertheless, there are a couple of things you can do to prevent their formation.

First of all, follow a sensible diet to keep from gaining too much weight. If you a planning to bulk up, make sure that you do it as gradually as possible. Your skin will be able to handle the increase more easily, therefore, avoiding stretch mark formation.

This is also applicable to pregnancy. Slow and steady weight gain can limit your chances of developing stretch marks. You can even get some added support by using special stretch marks lotions that can also make your skin more resistant to striae.

Find out How to Get Rid of Stretch Marks

If you are determined to remove 100% of your stretch marks, surgery is your only option. But, before handing yourself over to a surgeon, keep in mind that there are certain areas that are very difficult to treat, such as the underarm area. For this type of problem you should look into using more viable alternatives.

Microdermabrasion can help deal with stretch marks. In this case, you will need several sessions to minimize their appearance. You can also follow up with a stretch marks cream for additional help.

If you are using creams to treat stretch marks then you will need to patient in order to benefit from the treatment. However, there are natural creams that can help reduce the size and appearance of stretch marks. Look for products containing rose hip (seed) oil or use rose hip oil itself.

If you've tried everything and nothing works, you can still try covering them up. In fact, body make up can cover larger areas, especially those that cannot be covered by clothing.