Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Stretch Mark Treatments That Really Work

By Keira Adams

When your skin gets stretched beyond its capacity, scars are formed. These are known as stretch marks. Stretch marks have the initial appearance of purple or red looking lines. Over time, they will fade until they are pale in color.

Obesity and pregnancy are the most common reasons for the development of stretch marks. Many people will get stretch marks at one time or another. Just think of all the people who have been either pregnant or overweight! It's not just women who get stretch marks, either. Few people realize that they are a common complaint of male body builders as well.

The good news is that there are several treatments for stretch marks that have been shown to be highly effective. Following is some information on the top three methods of treating this problem.

1. Dermabrasion. General anesthesia is required when you undergo this kind of stretch mark surgery. The aim of dermabrasion is to remove or lessen the appearance of scars, damage from the sun or dark spots. In this procedure, the surface of your skin is sanded off using special equipment.

Dermabrasion works best when the scar or mark being treated is above the surface of the skin. For the treatment of sunken scars, though, it's not nearly as effective. This surgery involves a fair bit of pain and it can take months to heal completely. However, the results can be truly amazing.

2. Microdermabrasion. Popularly known as microderm, this treatment is much less invasive. It's a popular, easily accessible treatment that doesn't require an anesthetic. A special tool is used to gently sand the surface layer of the skin in order to remove it. People like microdermabrasion because it has a reputation for being a safe, painless procedure.

3. Creams and lotions. The market is overflowing with stretch mark creams and lotions that promise to get rid of your problem. Creams and lotions containing Vitamin A, cocoa butter or an assortment of other ingredients are highly popular.

Some of these products have a lot of research behind them and can be quite effective at reducing the appearance of stretch marks. Some of the more effective treatments for stretch marks are Trilastin, Revitol and NuVectin. You should be aware that most of these products are best for preventing rather than eliminating stretch marks.

However, many products tend to overstate their ability to get rid of stretch marks. It's important that you read some independent customer reviews on any stretch mark product before you buy it. Do a web search for the product you're considering, and examine sites that aren't associated with the manufacturer. Be sure to investigate the manufacturer's website and research the source of their product claims if you can. - 16004

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