What are Stretch Marks?

To find the best stretch mark removal methods for you, it is best to ask this question: “what are stretch marks?”

What are stretch marks you ask?! Stretch marks are areas where your skin has not laid down enough collagen or elastin as the skin has been growing or stretched. This happens because your body grows faster than your skin can keep up with, such as puberty, pregnancy or sudden weight changes. As the skin stretches, the elastic fibers in the dermis (second layer of skin) break, and the collagen production or elastin production can not keep up with the rate of damage and growth.

From stretch marks on butts, to breasts, to bellies, the media has us believing that there is magic bullet stretch mark remover out there. No there is not!

In deciding what is the best stretch mark removal method, we have to determine:

1. Are the stretch marks a series of red stripes?
2. Are the stretch marks narrow streaks of fine white or wrinkly (cigarette paper) skin?
3. Is there a brownish discoloration to the stretch marks?
4. Is there excess skin fat associated with the area of the stretch mark?

Here are some treatments that can be effective for stretch marks.