Stretch marks don't just affect women nor are they exclusively caused by rapid weight gain. In fact, there is a group that is neither women nor overweight people that is also highly prone to stretch marks: bodybuilders.

The reason that body builders get stretch marks is because of the sudden muscle weight they acquire as their body grows. The rapid increase in the size of their muscles, especially the muscle in their upper arms, shoulders, legs and pectorals, is what leads to their characteristic striae. If you are interested in bodybuilding or are currently trying to build muscle mass, remember that your routine should include ways of dealing with stretch mark prevention and treatment.

What You Need to Prevent Stretch Marks

There is no doubt that prevention is the best way to deal with stretch marks. If your diet lacks minerals and Vitamin E, you will be more prone to developing this type of scar tissue. Therefore, you should supplement your diet with a good multivitamin that contains the necessary minerals.

Maintain a well balanced diet along with a multivitamin. This will give your skin extra strength. Watch your diet during the off-season. A sudden increase in fat is a sure fire way of promoting stretch mark formation.

Unfortunately, in most cases it may be impossible to avoid stretch marks due to bodybuilding.

How to Remove Stretch Marks

Some reports have shown that using Vitamin E can help speed up the healing process. This is why some athletes are known to rub vitamin E on their troubled areas. There are also some natural creams for stretch marks that can safely and effectively help minimize their appearance.

Another great product is rose hip seed oil. This very complex oil has been used for centuries to treat a wide range of problems that include kidney dysfunction, stomach problems, and even aging skin. However, it is also a great stretch mark treatment.

There are several reasons why rose hip oil can help eliminate stretch marks from your skin. It helps accelerate normal cellular growth in the epidermis by stimulating a metabolic change in the skin. The antioxidants and essential lipids present in rosehip oil aids in skin rejuvenation and helps quicken healing.

Rose hip oil contains high levels of Vitamin C and Vitamin A as well as essential fatty acids. Vitamin C is considered crucial to tissue growth and repair, while Vitamin A is known to help strengthen skin.

You should avoid sun exposure if you are using rose hip oil because it tends to produce hyperpigmentation problems when it is exposed to sunlight. If you decide to use this product you can either apply it in its purest form or you can use a stretch marks cream that contains rose hip oil.