There are thousands of women who want to know how to avoid stretch marks during pregnancy. Why? Well, we all that pregnancy is one of the causes that make women get these unwanted lines on the skin. They also happen when a person gains weight and during puberty stage, when one's body is growing. The bad news is, there's no guarantee that you can avoid stretch marks during pregnancy because of the fact that genetics play a vital role in determining whether or not you will get them. This means that, if one of your family members had these scars before, it means that you have a great chance of having them later in life.

Aside from pregnancy, weight gain can cause individuals to get these marks. If you had them already, another bad news to know is that, you will be having them forever, since they are permanent scars with no cure. Topicals and surgical methods that claim to remove them completely only reduce their visibility, to make them less apparent.

Pregnancy is a stage where the skin stretches to a point of no return, which means that, whether you like it or not, you will have them sooner or later.

However, I've heard stories from women who have successfully avoided these scars during pregnancy, so it will not hurt to try these tips to avoid stretch marks.

1. Exercise to make the skin stretch and more elastic, to avoid getting these unsightly marks. Move the legs, thighs and abdomen when engaging in exercises, which can be as short as fifteen minutes a day.

2. Eat a lot of food rich in Vitamins A, C, E and zinc to make the skin healthier and more elastic, and to keep it full and less prone to scarring.

3. Over-the-counter products which aim to avoid stretch marks are all over the market, ranging from shea butters, to gels to lotions. These products have common ingredients which aim to make the skin more elastic, at the onset of stretch marks. Apply them everyday to ensure your skin is protected from these scars.

Here is a well-known over-the-counter product to help prevent getting permanent scars.

Clinique CX Stretch Mark Cream

This product is made prevent and minimize marks, and it is also the latest topical to hit the market. It contains palmitoyl oligopeptide, hydrolyzed collagen and ace 1000 tyl hexampeptide-2, which we all use to stimulate collagen production.

It’s got Mimosa tenuiflora bark extract in it as well which helps maintain natural collagen levels. There are sucrose, caffeine and sandalwood extract in this product to help your skin repair itself as soon as unwanted marks are formed, and it also has shea butter, muru muru butter and linoleic acid which will increase suppleness and help bolster the lipid system within the skin’s surface, helping to smooth the skin, and stop new lines from forming.

4. Massage your skin with baby oil while the skin is still wet from bathing, to make it more firm and elastic, which helps avoid stretch marks.

All in all, while genetics determine if you will suffer from these scars or not, you might have a chance of fighting back if you apply the tips above during and after pregnancy. I don't guarantee, however, that you will indeed succeed, because of your genes.

By: Juana Cruz

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Learn real tips on how to avoid stretch marks by reading more posts on Skin Problem Guide, your information source on stretch marks, other skin problems and their solutions. Read my review on the number one stretch mark product, TriLastin SR on skin-problem-guide.co.cc.

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Stretch marks are ugly dark marks that occur when the skin has been overstretched.  This may happen when there has been fast weight gain such as during pregnancy and weight building.  Small scarring that happens in the dermis layer of skin creates these marks, also known as striae.  Sometimes marks are light and can be reduced by using topical cream products.  However, large, deep or dark marks may require stretch mark removal surgery.  Surgical removal is also appropriate when there is excess skin that needs to be removed.

What is a Tummy Tuck?
Abdominoplasty, commonly called a tummy tuck, is stretch mark surgery that addresses the removal of excess skin and stretch marks.  This is a permanent solution for an unsightly problem.  The first step is to find out if you are a candidate for stretch mark surgery.  A consultation with your local surgeon will help to determine if abdominoplasty is right for you.  The doctor will review your medical history to ensure that there are no underlying medical conditions that could preclude you from having surgery to remove stretch marks.  You'll also want to check with your insurance company to find out if this type of procedure is covered.

Abdominoplasty Explained
A tummy tuck can help with stretch marks removal by actually pulling the skin taut in the affected areas.  The tummy tuck is a surgical procedure that may be done as outpatient surgery or you may need to stay in the hospital overnight.  During surgery the doctor will pull the skin areas and remove any excess skin, which will be cut away.  Then the skin layers will be attached to create a tight fit.  If your stretch marks are located below the belly button you may be able to get a mini tummy tuck which addresses issues under the belly button.  This surgery will result in fewer and less noticeable scars.  Surgery will typically take several hours to complete.

If you have medical conditions the doctor may not recommend removing stretch marks with surgery.  Healthy and otherwise fit individuals may opt to combine this surgery with other medical procedures like liposuction.  Your doctor will give you a complete physical prior to the surgery and will make certain that you are a candidate for stretch mark removal before proceeding.  The procedure will be explained fully before you make a decision.  Many surgeons provide you with videos that explain and show stretch mark surgery procedures. Before surgery the doctor will explain the surgery and recovery procedures that apply in your specific instance.

Recovery After Surgery
Recovering from stretch mark surgery will take a few days to a week and you should be able to return to normal activities in about a month to 6 weeks.  Once you remove stretch marks you'll look and feel younger and more beautiful.  This surgery will restore your body to it's pre-pregnancy look giving you back self-confidence.

Learn more about your options for stretch mark removal and discover more essential information about stretch mark surgery and the advantages of this surgical solution for stretch marks.

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