Stretch marks can appear on many parts of the body including the stomach, thighs, breasts, arms, hips and buttocks.  The reason for the stretch marks appearing can be due to weight gain, weight loss and also pregnancy.  If the middle layer of the skin (the dermis) has been torn it will result in what appears to be stretch marks.

Whenever stretch marks appear you ought to have them treated as quickly as possible because when you catch them early on you will find they disappear much easier.  If your stretch marks are red, brown, pink or purple then you will find it easier to treat than if you allow them to become white or silver.

When it comes to treating red stretch marks you will see that the products on the market vary greatly in terms of the type and the price.  More and more products seem to be entering the market place so knowing which ones to try is very tricky.  If you want an at-home treatment option then you can look for creams that contain any of the following ingredients:-

Tretinoin  - reduces the size of the stretch marks
Centella asiatica extract, alpha tocopherol (vitamin E) and collagen-elastin hydrolysates - used to prevent the stretch marks from appearing in the first place
Cocoa butter - moisturizes the skin and increases the elasticity
retinoids retinol and retinaldehyde from Vitamin A can increase cell regeneration and can lessen the marks

If you think that you may get stretch marks in the near future because of pregnancy or weight loss it’s a very good idea to try and prevent the stretch marks from appearing in the first place by using products that moisturize the skin and repairs the collagen.  Lanolin, cocoa butter and wheat germ oil are all good for this purpose.

Although there are so many products on the market they haven’t necessarily been proven to work.  If you want a proven treatment then you need to look at laser therapy.  A beam of light is utilized to remove layers of skin in the affected area is not as scary as it might appear.  The healing time is very quick however there will be some tenderness to begin with.  A single treatment can cost in the region of $200 and how many treatments you require will depend on the stretch marks you have.  A dermatologist can have a look at your skin and give you an idea of how many treatments you are likely to require.

If your red stretch marks are really a big problem to you, it’s a good idea to fully research every treatment out there.  Just because a treatment is expensive doesn’t mean it will automatically be more effective.  You might want to start out with cocoa butter with Vitamin E and see how you get on.  Of course, taking to a dermatologist means you will receive advice tailored to you.