Good Grapevine
My grapes are bursting with info and flavour for you to devour!

Stretch marks are a form of scarring that can occur when a person’s skin is overstretched. When they first appear, stretch marks are red or purple streaks on your skin. 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. Stretch marks are a very common condition. 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. Here’s a look at three of the most common ways to deal with this condition.

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. But the final result can be very impressive.

2. Microdermabrasion. Often referred to as microderm, this is a far less invasive procedure. 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. There are hundreds of products marketed these days that claim to prevent or eliminate stretch marks. Some people swear by remedies such as Vitamin A cream, cocoa butter or various specially formulated creams.

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.

Use caution, though, because some of these products don’t get rid of stretch marks as effectively as they claim to. Before using any product that claims to eliminate stretch marks, try to find some unbiased customer reviews. Search the internet, and look for sites that aren’t tied to the product being sold. Also, check out the company’s website and try to follow through on any of their claims.