Every woman who has gone through pregnancy has either experienced or at least fretfully thought about stretch marks.

Stretch marks don't just occur from pregnancy though, many women, and men as well, have suffered from stretch marks that have occurred from gaining too much weight or muscle mass too fast.

Stretch marks can also appear when the body over exerts itself. For example, weight lifters often get stretch marks on their arms and/or legs, and sometimes across their chests.

Sometimes teens will get stretch marks because they grow too fast. Take heart, those types of stretch marks often fade with time.

Typically stretch marks occur whenever we over exert ourselves. That should be a lesson; don't become too obsessed with staying fit and trim, too much is too much. In the case of pregnancy, stretch marks are like a badge of honor reflecting the flames of creation occurring inside. That said; there are many people that don't appreciate stretch marks and want them gone.

Three different ways of removing stretch marks:

Plastic Surgery Removing stretch marks permanently is no easy task. Plastic surgery has been used to successfully remove stretch marks. Typically a plastic surgeon simply removes the skin, and often also does a "tummy tuck", which of course removes the stretch marks with the skin. Always use a board certified plastic surgeon (http://www.perfectyourself.com/) for any procedures you have done.

As always, there is a down-side. Plastic surgery is expensive, and typically not covered by insurance. There are some areas that stretch marks can not be removed from which include those which extend far above the belly button. There can also be many complications involved with such extreme methods, and many don't believe in or want to endure that type of invasive procedure.

Cosmetic Laser Surgery There has been a lot of buzz about cosmetic laser surgery. It is much less invasive, with far fewer possible side effects. The claims indicate that laser surgery stimulates new collagen growth and can reduce or eliminate the visible signs of stretch marks. To find a doctor in your area, try http://www.plasticsurgery.com.

Many plastic surgeons don't believe that laser surgery is effective for removing stretch marks. They claim that lasers are good for breaking down tissue, not rebuilding it. At any rate, laser techniques are typically much less painful with a much shorter recovery time, and are typically less expensive than surgery. However, you normally have to stay out of the sun for a few days.

Creams and Lotions There are many creams and lotions available on the market and of course the all claim that they work. The truth is that some actually do, I've seen it myself. However, don't get your expectations too high. While some creams have been able to effectively remove stretch marks, more often than not, they will simply reduce stretch marks.

This isn't entirely bad because there are other techniques that you can use to reduce the visible signs of stretch marks even further.

One technique is to use sunless tanning products. Tanning beds and true sun tanning won't work because stretch marks typically don't darken from the sun. One of the types of sunless tanning that seems to work without a lot of mess is sunless tanning towels (one source is http://www.sunless-tanning-towels.com/).

The downside to creams and lotions is that many simply do not work. Some are oily and greasy, and those that do work are somewhat expensive. Of course, there is no recovery time for any of them so if they don't work you may just be out a little cash.

Typically 30 days is plenty of time to see at least some improvement, if there is going to be any. So make certain that any company whose product you try has at least a 30 day return policy. That way if it doesn't work, you can return the product and only be out a few dollars for shipping.

Two types of cream that I've seen work are Strivectin (http://www.stretchmarkrepair.com/information.asp) and Everderm (http://www.everderm.com). A company called Klein Becker manufactures Strivectin and we produce Everderm.

Those people who don't currently have stretch marks and would like to try preventing can use a moisturizer to keep the skin moist and elastic. The stretch mark creams that successfully reduce stretch marks are also great candidates for those people interested in prevention. Of course, some people will still develop stretch marks regardless of preventative measures used.

The bottom line is; the more elastic your skin is, the more you can stretch it before permanent damage occurs.

If you are one of the unlucky ones that end up developing stretch marks for whatever reason, all hope is not lost. There are ways to reduce and sometimes even eliminate stretch marks. If all else fails, go visit with a dermatologist or three, there's almost always something that can be done.

About the author:

James Kellog is a writer for Vitabase.com a whole health vitamin and supplement company whose vision is to take the confusion out of buying supplements online.