Putting it simply, stretch marks are scars.
However not a traditional scar where you've cut yourself, healed and have a mark to show where the cut once was.
Instead they are the left over scar from possibly gaining a lot of weight quickly (pregnancy), a fast growth spurt as a teenager along with several other potential causes.
Generally marks appear on the abdomen, thighs, hips and buttocks.
What occurs in the skin is a loss of collagen and elastin which results in skin reducing some of it's elasticity and strength.
Skin separates from the inside out which appears as a red welt which can eventually transition to a white stretch mark on the surface.
Potential Treatments While there are no treatments that will entirely get rid of stretch marks, many will do a fantastic job at reducing the visual appearance so you feel less self conscious about them.
Laser Treatment Really the most effective treatment for both red and white stretch marks is laser treatment.
Like all treatments they can not entirely make your skin look the way it once did, but this procedure can drastically improve how your skin looks.
The entire treatment takes place on the surface and is non evasive, although there can be some discomfort.
It's a treatment program that is done during a few sessions and will continue to improve how your marks look for a period of several weeks after having it done.
The cost is one down side to this treatment and many men and women cannot afford the big up front fees to explore this procedure as would like.
Other Surgical Options While some doctor's may perform surgery to reduce stretch marks there is a risk of just replacing them with a surgical scars.
The better cosmetic surgeons will not suggest you go through a surgery to reduce your marks.
Why Topical Creams Could Be Best? A more cost effective treatment to reduce the appearance is by using a topical cream or lotion consistently to reduce the visual appearance of the marks on your body.
There is a great variety of products to choose from on the market, so it can be difficult to exactly choose which one is best for you, however using review sites and customer testimonials you can begin to get a good idea of which products are worth trying and which are a waste of money.
Be sure to look for products that contain ingredients which have been studied closely and have a proven track record of producing results.
Also pay close attention to the guarantee that particular creams offer.
Some topical products will work better than others so it's important that you have a guarantee to support you if you don't achieve the optimal visual results you expect.