From time to time, your body’s skin might literally be stretched to the limit. 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 popular option these days is laser surgery. It can be done as day surgery with no overnight stay required. This is an effective way to get rid of stretch marks that doesn’t require a lot of recovery time.

However, a lot of people aren’t able to handle the high cost of treatments such as plastic surgery and laser surgery. They’re not cheap. If that’s the case, creams and lotions are a much less expensive treatment choice to get rid of stretch marks.

Stretch mark creams repair elastin, a fiber in your skin that helps keep your skin taut. As well, they stimulate your body’s collagen production which results in skin that’s less stretched out. The end result is reduced visibility of your stretch marks.

Keep in mind, though, that there might be side effects. These can include swelling and reddening of the skin. Remember that it’s important that you understand and follow the product directions carefully. Otherwise you might end up with painful, irritated 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.

Keep in mind that everyone will have a different response to the available stretch mark removal treatment programs. Results are never 100 percent guaranteed with any  method.

Perhaps you’ve recently given birth, or maybe gained or lost a large amount of weight. Maybe your skin has been stretched to the limit, thereby causing unsightly stretch marks. Many will tell you that you’ll just have to learn to live with the problem, because there’s no truly effective way to get rid of stretch marks. But this isn’t the whole story.

It’s true that there are no “perfect” stretch mark treatments. However, you can find ways to dramatically improve their appearance so that they’re hardly noticeable.

Your genes will largely determine whether or not you’re likely to get stretch marks. Regrettably, science has not yet advanced to the point that you can alter your DNA. However, diet can play a critical role in preventing and even treating stretch marks. Eating specific foods isn’t too likely to actually cause stretch marks. However, substantial weight gain or loss can definitely be a factor. So if you watch what you eat and control your weight, you can prevent stretch marks from appearing in the first place.

There are numerous oils, lotions and creams available to help get rid of stretch marks. Unfortunately, many of them aren’t particularly effective. During pregnancy, many women painstakingly apply lotions and creams to their abdomens in an effort to prevent stretch marks, but find in the end that there was no stopping them.

Other creams, however, are indeed effective as a stretch mark treatment. Alpha hydroxy acids and Retin-A medications combined with topical steroid creams are one such treatment. They can reduce inflammation and prevent the hormones in the skin from creating stretch marks. Additionally, they help to restore collagen and elastin and thereby enhance the look and feel of your skin. These kinds of stretch mark treatment creams require a prescription.

Yet another common means of eliminating stretch marks is laser treatments. The outcome isn’t guaranteed, but if your stretch marks are still red and haven’t faded, the chances of success are higher. The lasers are able to lessen the redness and halt inflammation.

Microdermabrasion, plastic surgery and chemical peels are also used to help get rid of stretch marks, but the results aren’t always as anticipated. When it comes to plastic surgery for stretch marks, the scars it leaves behind might be more unsightly than the original stretch marks.

Use this information as a guide and talk to your doctor so that you can figure out which stretch mark treatment is best for you. Even though a certain stretch mark treatment may work for some, it might not have the same results for others. The only way to find out which stretch mark treatment will have the best results for you is to try them yourself.