When Adrienne Nugent of San Antonio gave birth to her third child, she was dismayed to see that the stretch marks from her earlier pregnancies -- which she had diligently tried to minimize with topical lotions and ointments -- had multiplied.

She'd heard that stretch marks were laborious to keep away from, but Nugent wasn't significantly concerned. She was wanting forward to abdominoplasty surgery.

"I still have some stretch marks, but they're very, very low on my belly," says the 38-yr-old. "Most received cut out with my tummy tuck."

Not everyone seems to be willing to go to such lengths to eliminate stretch marks, however. So it's necessary to understand first what causes stretch marks, and what steps, if any, you can take to forestall them.

What Causes Stretch Marks?

Known by docs as "striae" (usually "striae distensae" or, in the case of pregnancy, "striae gravidarum") stretch marks sometimes seem after speedy weight acquire or loss. They're commonest during pregnancy and the teen years, when development spurts and increased ranges of steroid hormones cause significant changes throughout the body. Stretch marks will also be introduced on by obesity and weight lifting.

Genetic factors -- together with inherited defects of connective tissues -- also play a role, Mohamed L. Elsaie, MD, MBA, says in the August 2008 issue of Esthetic Dermatology News. However the basic reason for stretch marks is unknown.

"Basically, if your mom had them, you're probably going to have them," says Leslie Baumann, MD, director of the University of Miami Beauty Group and writer of The Pores and skin Type Solution.

Stretch marks have an effect on as many as 90% of all women, she says, and they don't seem to be straightforward to get rid of. Once they have passed the initial stage, when they're pink or purple, to the later phases, where they turn out to be white or silver -- usually with deep indentations -- they are much more challenging to treat.

Prevention, due to this fact, is key.

"Avoiding speedy weight gain or loss is a good start. For those who are pregnant or experiencing the hormone changes of the teen years, it is essential to moisturize," Baumann says. "Pores and skin turns into extra pliant, more plasticized and higher in a position to stretch when it's nicely hydrated."

She recommends moisturizing three or four instances a day with products that contain cocoa butter or shea butter as a main ingredient. Massage the moisturizer deep into breasts, stomach, hips, and buttocks.
The right way to stretch marks

The appearance of Stretch marks remedy relies on the color of your skin; they can start out pink, reddish brown, brown, or dark brown, and fade over time to a more silvery color. As soon as stretch marks have appeared, it's essential to treat them as early as possible. Analysis has focused completely on the early stages of stretch marks, when they are still red or purple and most readily respond to treatment, Baumann explains.