Stretch marks appear when your skin is stretched rapidly and beyond its normal limit. Men and women are both susceptible to stretch marks, however, it seems that women are more likely to suffer from them than are men. Pregnancy is one of the leading causes of stretch marks in women.

During this period, stretch marks appear around the breasts, abdomen, and hip area. Because stretch marks are also caused by rapid weight loss, some women may develop them even after having given birth. It is actually believed that more than half of the women that have stretch marks have developed them because of pregnancy.

Let's have a look at what you can do to prevent and treat stretch marks during and after pregnancy. Don't forget, that stretch marks isn't exclusive to women so the products used for pregnancy stretch marks can also be used to treat men and teenagers.

How you can Prevent Stretch Marks

Fortunately, there are certain products that your doctor can prescribe and may help prevent the dreaded appearance of stretch marks. These products can be used to maintain your skin flexible which will also help prevent possible breaking when skin is pushed too far.

Other than worrying about the right creams for stretch marks you should also worry about gaining weight slowly, as suggested by your doctor. This will help you prevent stretch marks and hasten weight loss after the birth. Also, gaining too much weight gain during pregnancy can be dangerous to your health and to the baby's healthy.

Don't forget that maintaining a healthy diet can help control your weight gain. You will only need about 300 extra calories per day which means one extra meal a day should be enough.

Stay away from overly processed foods and junk foods. These are high in sodium and contain empty calories which will rapidly increase your weight.

Find out How to Remove Stretch Marks

If after pregnancy you've noticed that your body is covered in stretch marks, then surgery may be a valid option for you. Plastic surgery removes the stretch marks and leaves behind a small scar that can be treated with a special scar cream.

This type of surgery is usually performed solely on the abdominal area and not the rest of the skin. If you want to treat stretch marks that have appeared on your arms, breast, hips or legs you will need another type of treatment. In this case, you can use stretch marks creams to treat the affected area.

This form of treatment is less invasive than surgery, but it does take longer. Look for products that contain rose hip seed oil, snail serum or emu oil. These products can help dissolve connective tissue and promote the production of healthy skin cells.