If you don't know what we're talking about then count yourself among the lucky few that will never have to deal with this dreaded skin problem. Stretch marks are a quite simply marks that appear on your skin when it has been stretched beyond its normal limits. They can affect both men and women but are most often seen in pregnant women.

During this time in a woman's life, stretch marks can appear around the breasts, the abdomen, and the hips. Stretch marks can also appear after having given birth because of the rapid weight loss. It is thought that more than 50% of women with stretch marks have developed them during pregnancy.

Let's have a look at what you can do to prevent and treat stretch marks during and after pregnancy. Keep in mind that the products used for pregnancy stretch marks can also be used by men and teenagers.

Learn How to Prevent Stretch Marks Your doctor may prescribe creams for stretch marks to help your skin adapt to the stretching that occurs during pregnancy. When used properly they should be able to help your skin stretch without breaking.

Along with these creams it is important to maintain a steady weight gain. Remember, gaining weight too quickly will increase your probabilities of developing stretch marks not to mention make it harder to lose the baby fat and possibly create health issues that can affect your baby.

Don't forget that maintaining a healthy diet can help control your weight gain. You should only increase your caloric intake by 300 calories per day, which is a normal meal.

Stay away from junk food and overly processed foods. Both of these types of food are high in sodium and empty calories. They will make you gain extra pounds quickly.

Eliminating Stretch Marks

If after pregnancy you've noticed that your body is covered in stretch marks, then surgery may be a valid option for you. Plastic surgery removes excess skin as well as stretch marks. The resulting scar is hidden in the skin's natural folds.

Surgical removal of stretch marks is usually done on the abdomen and nowhere else. To remove stretch marks found on other areas, you will need another form of treatment. Stretch marks creams are a good option in this case.

Stretch mark creams are a slow treatment that require patience and consistency, however, if you want a highly effective stretch mark cream, then you need to find products that contain rose hip oil, snail serum, or emu oil. These ingredients are well known for their ability to dissolve damaged and abnormal tissue and boosting the generation of new, healthy cells to take its place.