The easiest way to ensure stretch marks are minimal is to prepare the skin before any activity is going to take place where stretch marks may occur, for example an increase in muscle, or pregnancy.  Stretch marks occur because the skin has to stretch to house what is underneath it, but as it is not in the best condition, once the skin has become stretched or returns to normal, prominent stretch marks are often visible.  First of all, drinking water regularly is the easiest way to aid with maintaining a non-stretch mark body.  It is recommended that 8 glasses of water are drunk each day to maintain a healthy body, which includes the person’s skin.  Furthermore, a well balanced diet, full of natural ingredients, vitamins and minerals will aid with a healthy body and healthy skin, therefore reducing the appearance of stretch marks.

If stretch marks have occurred on a part of the body with skin that is easily stretched (such as the thighs or stomach), exercises may be the most beneficial remedy.  Stretch mark removal exercises can form part of any exercise regime and are very simple, often consisting of simple stretching exercises such as inner thigh stretches, or muscle tightening exercises, for example abdominal crunches.

If stretch marks are a major concern, a visit to a GP could prove beneficial.  Many people suffer from very prominent stretch marks which can cause severe self -confidence issues and are more than simply an annoyance.  In some cases, a GP may simply prescribe a healthy diet.   However, they can also provide prescription creams and lotions, specific exercises for the affected area of the body, or in the most extreme cases, surgery.  Not a preferred method of stretch mark removal, surgery is available – most commonly laser surgery – which whilst generally removing any stretch marks, can be a painful and lengthy process and may leave an area of scarred tissue on the skin.

Stretch marks can cause unnecessary self-confidence issues in many; however with the correct amounts of exercise and diets, they can easily be removed within a matter of weeks, or prevented if the correct planning has been carried out.

Use natural ingredients – using a lotion made up of natural ingredients is one of the best stretch mark removal methods available.  The properties of cocoa butter and vitamin C, when mixed together and applied to the skin, not only help to make the skin feel softer but also encourage and promote the growth of natural collagen – protein within the body that helps to tighten the skin, therefore effectively reducing the appearance of even the deepest stretch marks.

Laser surgery – whilst it isn’t recommended and is often used as a last resort, laser surgery is available to try and remove stretch marks.  A simple form of cosmetic surgery, laser surgery aims to reduce the visibility of stretch marks by aiming a laser at the affected skin area, hopefully promoting the skin to produce new cells.  A costly process, it can take around 5 individual surgical procedures until any noticeable difference is seen.

Eat properly – eating the correct diet has a larger part to play in stretch mark removal than most people would believe.  The first point to consider is the amount of water that is be drunk.  The recommended daily amount of water that the body needs to be in its healthiest state is 8 glasses, however a large amount of people do not even meet half this much.  By drinking 8 glasses a day, the skin becomes extremely soft and supple, allowing it to stretch and return to its normal state – the cause of stretch marks – extremely easy.  Furthermore, products such as coffee, soda and alcohol should all be avoided when trying to remove stretch marks, as these only dehydrate the skin further.  In addition to regular water intake and a reduction in dehydration products, a diet high in zinc and protein, as well as vitamin A, C and D rich will help tremendously with the removal of stretch marks anywhere on the body.

Exercise – although many think that they should leave the skin to remove the stretch marks itself naturally, actually carrying out exercises on the affected body area can help considerably.  Using tightening exercises, such as abdominal crunches for the stomach area, can speed up the process of stretch mark removal as they help to tighten the skin – which is simply the reverse of how the stretch marks were initially caused.

StriVectin-SD – clinically proven to reduce the appearance of stretch marks (93% of people tested saw a noticeable difference in their treated stretch marks), StriVectin-SD is a lotion that features a variety of ingredients aimed at maintaining a healthy skin, such as hydrators and firming agents.  The lotion is to be applied three times a day for two months and is reported to shorten the length of stretch marks, smooth out the affected skin and encourage the production of natural collagen in the body.

Ultra Stretch Away – one of the more natural lotions on the market, Ultra Stretch Away is aimed at reducing the risk of stretch marks occurring.  Containing aloe, avocado oil and a range of vitamins, Ultra Stretch Away aims to hydrate and firm the skin to such an extent that when stretch marks are expected (for example, through pregnancy), the skin is in a good enough condition to cope with the change.

Retin-A – not available publicly and has to be prescribed by a Doctor, Retin-A has been developed and is known for its treatment for the skin disease acne.  However, many tests have now been carried out after reports that Retin-A has had results on a certain degree of stretch marks.  Not as effective as StriVectin-SD when used on deep or dark stretch marks, Retin-A has been seen to have some proven results on lighter stretch marks and is often a much cheaper option.

Cellex-C – similar to Retin-A, Cellex-C has fantastic results on light or early signs of stretch marks.  Rich in vitamin C, Cellex-C aims to promote the growth of collagen which helps tighten the affected skin, in effect reducing the appearance of stretch marks.  Although it has seen results on more mature stretch marks, Cellex-C is used primarily on skin with the early stages of stretch marks.

Cocoa Butter with Vitamin E – whilst it hasn’t been clinically proven that either cocoa butter or vitamin E helps to reduce stretch marks, it has for many years been a home remedy used by many pregnant ladies around the world.  Most stores with a pharmaceutical or beauty department will have at least one cream or lotion featuring cocoa butter with vitamin E as the primary ingredients and if it does not remove the stretch marks completely, it will help to make the affected area of the skin more supple and hydrated.

Breakfast – the most important meal of the day, a bowl of fresh fruit, including mango, oranges, kiwi fruit and apricots, with a glass of water should be had.  Mango and apricots are rich in vitamin A, whist oranges and kiwi fruits possess high levels of vitamin C, both of which are vital to stretch mark removal.

Lunch – a liver stir fry or salad, featuring cabbage, spinach, peppers and broccoli would be ideal, as these foods all contain high amounts of vitamin A or vitamin D.  Two glasses of water should accompany the lunch meal.

Dinner – one of the easier meals to prepare for, an oily fish should take prime place on the plate here.  Accompanied by a range of vegetables and chips made from sweet potatoes, the dinner could finish with a desert of homemade meringue, filled with strawberries and washed down with a glass of fresh water.

Snacks – generally, assuming they are healthy and are not made up of high levels of saturated fats and sugars, snacks can be anything the person wishes.  Healthy options are pieces of fruit, carrot sticks (often accompanied by a small dish of humus) or other cold cooked vegetables.  Although crisps and chocolate may not seem overly healthy, as long as they are low salt (or preferably no salt), the chocolate is dark chocolate and only a minimal amount is eaten, they shouldn’t be completely disregarded.  In addition, the remaining four glasses of water should be drunk at sporadic periods throughout the day.

Exercises – depending on where the stretch marks are on the body reflects which exercise should be carried out.  As the most common areas are the stomach, thighs and arms, exercise round these areas should be a priority.  For the stomach, simple abdominal crunches (‘sit ups’) should be carried out in three sets of ten.  In regards to the thighs, leg raises – laying on the floor on the side of the body, slowly lifting the leg upwards and holding it there for five seconds – should be carried out in five sets of five, whilst easy, low level weightlifting should be carried out to reduce the appearance of stretch marks on the arms.

The above is a simple, basic guide to how a diet could help remove stretch marks.  However, as everyone’s body is different, consultation with a GP, dietician or physio should be carried out prior to undertaking a change in diet or exercise.

A popular option, but also a costly one, skin surgery is the process of either removing the stretch mark affected skin completely, or grafting a piece of skin from another part of the body onto the affected area.  The first option, complete removal, is usually used as part of a larger surgical procedure, such as the removal of excess tissue from the thighs, which then requires removal of any excess skin.

The second option of skin surgery is a skin graft.  These operations are widely used to help people with skin abnormalities or deformities, such as those who have been badly burned.

Both skin surgery options have the major benefit of a very high success rate, with most people who are operated on seeing a complete removal of the stretch marks.  However, there are some negative points associated with both types, mainly the fact that there may some discoloration or scarring that remains permanent.  A lot of cases do have some form of discoloration or scarring, how it is usually only minimal and not noticeable unless people are made aware.  Furthermore, both operations have a much longer recovery times than other forms of stretch mark removal.

Laser surgery is a laser that is directed to the affected area.  The top layer of skin is removed, taking with it any newly formed stretch marks.  However, this method generally only works on new stretch marks as any that are deeper have penetrated the second of three layers of skin, making it much more difficult to remove.  Furthermore, it will take several sessions and can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars each.   In addition, as with skin surgery, there can be some permanent scarring in the area and the skin will appear burnt until the skin grows back fully, in the same way sun burnt skin does.

Surgery is only used as a last resort for the removal of stretch marks.  Other options should be considered, such as lotions or a determined change in diet.  Most people who have surgery have already gone through these processes, as well as a lot of other ones and have been referred for surgery by a GP due to stretch marks having a detrimental affect on their life, such as a considerable loss of confidence.

A prime example is a simple exfoliation technique.  Using a mixture of cocoa butter, vitamin E and a general moisturising solution, the lotion should be massaged into the affected area of the skin for approximately 3 or 4 times a day until the stretch marks are removed.  Olive oil and tea tree oil are also fantastic in the reduction of stretch marks, especially when used with vitamin C.  All of these ingredients will aid with the removal of stretch marks as they actively promote the growth of collagen in the body and skin, which is a natural ingredient that tightens skin in areas that are affected.  Furthermore, these said ingredients also plump up the skin, building up any obvious delves that have been made or left by stretch marks.

With regular exfoliation of cocoa butter and vitamin C, plenty of water should be drunk to hydrate the skin properly.  It is recommended that 8 glasses of water are drunk each day; however this may need to be increased throughout the summer months when the body perspires more.  The reason water is paramount to removing stretch marks is because if the skin is hydrated properly, it will be at its healthiest possible level and can therefore react effectively to changing skin, often being able to actually protect the skin from stretch marks before they have appeared.

Although it wasn’t seen as a removal method for many years, carrying out daily exercises including walking and stretching is one of the best ways to remove stretch marks.  As stretch marks are caused by the skin stretching and returning to normal, if the skin is tightened, the stretch marks should effectively be removed.  Depending on where the stretch marks are depends on the exercise that needs to take place.  However, as they generally appear on the thighs, stomach and underarm areas, simply walking briskly for 30 minutes each day, followed by leg stretches and basic weight lifting (taking care not to over exert oneself), should encourage the affected skin to contract, removing any visible stretch marks in only a matter of weeks.