Tuesday, January 13, 2009

What are the Options for Getting Rid of Stretch Marks?

By Stacy Beatty

At certain times, the skin on your body will expand beyond its limits. It can be a result of rapid weight gain or loss, including that which occurs during pregnancy. At some point your skin's elasticity will reach its limits and will start to develop little rips. These will eventually become the scars known as stretch marks.

They're certainly not very easy to get rid of. However, if you've decided you want to eliminate your stretch marks, you have a few choices to look into.

A lot of people will just decide to buy an over the counter stretch mark product. Often, they won't go to the trouble of visiting a specialist to find out the various methods for treating their stretch marks. But if they did, they would realize that there are lots of options beyond a simple lotion or cream.

One means of helping you to eliminate those ugly lines is through a plastic surgery procedure. Another option is laser surgery, which can be performed without having to be admitted to a hospital or clinic. This procedure doesn't involve very much time to recover from, and it's considered to be highly effective.

Many people can't afford solutions like laser surgery and plastic surgery because they're usually very expensive. For these people, lotions and creams are a considerably less costly approach to help get rid of stretch marks.

These creams and lotions are formulated to repair a component of your skin known as elastin, which is a fiber that keeps the skin firm. As well, they stimulate your body's collagen production which results in skin that's less stretched out. In the end, your stretch marks should be much less noticeable, if not invisible.

However, you must be prepared to experience some side effects, including red and swollen skin. Read the directions thoroughly before using these products, and don't overdo the application. If you don't, it can result in stinging and irritation to your skin.

There are numerous formulations available when it comes to stretch mark creams and lotions. There are those who swear by products that list emu oil or cocoa butter in their ingredients. Vitamins C and E are also common components of these products. These might be gentler on the skin than some other products.

It's important that you be aware that each person responds differently to the various stretch mark removal treatments. Remember, there's no guarantees when it comes to any method that claims to ease the problem.

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