When your skin gets stretched beyond its capacity, scars are formed. These are known as stretch marks. Stretch marks have the initial appearance of purple or red looking lines. Over time, they will fade until they are pale in color.

Obesity and pregnancy are the most common reasons for the development of stretch marks. Stretch marks are a very common condition. A large percentage of the population has been overweight or pregnant at some time in their lives! It’s not just women who get stretch marks, either. It might surprise you to know that male body builders suffer from this condition also.

The good news is that there are several treatments for stretch marks that have been shown to be highly effective. Here’s a look at three of the most common ways to deal with this condition.

1. Dermabrasion. General anesthesia is required when you undergo this kind of stretch mark surgery. Dermabrasion is useful for reducing the visibility of abnormalities on your skin such as sun damage, dark spots and scars. In this procedure, the surface of your skin is sanded off using special equipment.

Dermabrasion works best when the scar or mark being treated is above the surface of the skin. For the treatment of sunken scars, though, it’s not nearly as effective. This surgery involves a fair bit of pain and it can take months to heal completely. But the final result can be very impressive.

2. Microdermabrasion. Popularly known as microderm, this treatment is much less invasive. You can easily undergo this procedure at any number of convenient providers, and you won’t need an anesthetic to dull the pain. A special tool is used to gently sand the surface layer of the skin in order to remove it. Microdermabrasion enjoys a reputation as a painless treatment that is perfectly safe.

3. Skin treatment creams. The market is overflowing with stretch mark creams and lotions that promise to get rid of your problem. Some people swear by remedies such as Vitamin A cream, cocoa butter or various specially formulated creams.

There are several of these treatments that have scientific evidence showing that they can minimize the look of stretch marks. Revitol, NuVectin and Trilastin are stretch mark treatments that many people have had good results with. Keep in mind that these products are generally more effective at preventing stretch marks than eliminating them.

However, many products tend to overstate their ability to get rid of stretch marks. It’s important that you read some independent customer reviews on any stretch mark product before you buy it. Do a web search for the product you’re considering, and examine sites that aren’t associated with the manufacturer. Also, check out the company’s website and try to follow through on any of their claims.

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