Though pregnancy is a beautiful thing, most women hate the stretch marks that may form on their abdomen. Stretch marks are the result of your skin being stretched beyond its natural elasticity and are a form of scarring. This stretching causes a disruption of the body's collagen production. Collagen is a special protein that helps keep the skin elastic and, therefore, able to stretch when we gain weight. When this collagen production is disrupted, however, the skin loses its elasticity, which makes it more prone to stretch marks.

Stretch marks are usually found in a series as small, indented streaks. They are generally rough and uneven. In women with light skin, they are usually a pink or reddish-brown color. They might sometimes almost look purple. For darker skinned women, stretch marks are usually brown.

Genetics plays a larger role in whether or not you will develop stretch marks. So, if your family members, particularly your mom or sister, have stretch marks, you are more likely to get them as well.

To help avoid getting stretch marks, it is important to monitor weight gain closely. Pregnant women need to put on weight as a natural part of the childbearing process. You should, however, be careful not to gain more weight than what is recommended by your doctor. Pregnant women should not, of course, starve themselves in order to avoid stretch marks. You should, however, take care to watch your diet and put pregnancy weight on slowly. This gives the skin more time to gradually stretch to accommodate for the growing baby inside.

The last trimester of a pregnancy is when you generally put on the most weight. This is because this is when the baby is doing most of its growing. To help avoid stretch marks during this time of the pregnancy, and at any other time, be sure to regularly apply lotion to the skin. Make sure to consult with your doctor, first, however, because some lotions can be harmful to unborn babies.

Lotion helps decrease the likelihood of developing stretch marks because it helps keep the skin flexible. Likewise, drinking plenty of fluids helps maintain your skin's elasticity. Therefore, if you are pregnant woman, you should be sure to drink plenty of fluids.

Fortunately, stretch marks generally fade after your extra weight is lost. For women who gain stretch marks during pregnancy, stretch marks usually fade to a slightly lighter color than the surrounding skin, though the etching will always remain.

If you are bodybuilders, it is important to put on muscle mass slowly. Quickly adding on muscle mass will force the skin to stretch beyond its ability. Therefore, a bodybuilding program should be designed to slowly add on bulk.

If you are not pregnant and are not a bodybuilder, the best way to avoid stretch marks is to simply monitor your diet and maintain a healthy body weight. Drinking plenty of water is still recommended, as it helps keep the skin more pliable.

If you still develop stretch marks, which many women do during puberty as their bodies rapidly grow, there is little that can be done to get rid of them. Although there are many lotions and creams on the market claiming to be able to get rid of stretch marks, there is no proof that they work. There are also surgeries available to help with lessening the visibility of stretch marks, but they can't get rid of stretch marks completely.

Instead, the best option is to cover up the stretch marks. Many women use over-the-counter sunless tanning lotions to do this, or they get a sunless tanning treatment from a salon. These lotions help even out the skin color, since the pigmentation of stretch marks is lighter than the rest of the skin. Getting a real tan, however, does not have the same effect because stretch marks are scarred tissue and scarred tissue does not tan the same as healthy tissue.

Through precautions and a healthy lifestyle, you can avoid getting stretch marks. Some of life's big changes, such as puberty and childbirth, however, can make avoiding stretch marks nearly impossible. Therefore, it is important to apply lotions and drink plenty of fluids to keep the skin elastic and, if all else fails, cover up those stretch marks and chalk it up as just another part of being a woman.

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