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If you have stretch marks, you are likely haunted by how they look. When you first got them they were light pink or purple lines along your skin, then the color faded and they changed to a different color of flesh, becoming classic stretch lines.

These marks are caused by the extensive stretching of skin. Those lines are actually small tears in the top 2 layers of the skin. It is the scars from that damage to the skin that you refer to as stretch marks. If you have stretch marks you likely already know the result; the discolorations are embarrassing, and are something that you would love to get rid of.

There are a number of items on the market that have been created to do just this job. For the most part they are oils or creams that need to be massaged into the affected areas and are supposed to help firm up the skin, make it suppler, and also diminish or get rid of the stretch marks altogether. The ingredients that do the trick are Vitamin E oil and cocoa butter. For the best results, use of these creams should begin as soon as you realize stretch marks are forming. The sooner you begin using them, the better the results.

There are also some prescription products that are known to help reduce the look of stretch marks. A commonly heard of item is Retin-A. This medicine can only be acquired with a doctor's note, but for those who have relatively new stretch marks, this can be a great healer. It is known to remove the redness in those new scars and make the resulting lines much less pronounced. Unfortunately it can only be used on stretch marks that are less than a year old.

By far, the most successful stretch mark treatment is going for full out cosmetic laser security. While it is very costly, many people who have thousands of dollars at their disposal will use this method of stretch mark removal because of the success rate. Many of those who have taken this route to try and have their marks removed have done so because they have had the scars for a number of years, and no other methods worked. The way laser treatment works is to actually break down the tissue in the skin to change the appearance to be more like the surrounding skin. But it will not be perfect the first time. It could take a half dozen or more laser treatments to notice real results, and it will not work on all people.

The best solution to deal with stretch marks is not to get them in the first place. Since stretch marks are actual damage to the skin and it's tissue, many times, they cannot be repaired. So, the better option is to stay healthy and keep close tabs on weight gain and muscle building. Also, make sure to keep up with a vitamin and mineral rich healthy diet, as well as drinking a lot of water.