– Abdomen
– Arms
– Breasts
– Buttocks
– Hips
– Lower back
– Thighs
You probably already know about stretch marks occurring during pregnancy, but they can also occur during other phases of life or for different reasons. You may already have stretch marks and just never really noticed them before.

You can get stretch marks any time you experience a change in weight or during a period of growth. The most frequent times to see stretch marks include:

– During puberty
– When you are pregnant
– During periods of significant weight gain
Stretch marks may cause distress because of how they look, but they are not harmful or painful.

Preventing Stretch Marks
Certainly, there is a lot of talk about preventing stretch marks in pregnancy. While there are absolutely steps you can take to try to minimize stretch marks in pregnancy, true prevention is technically not possible for every mother. Some of what will determine whether or not you get stretch marks is genetic.

Do you have a family history of really awful stretch marks? If yes, you may be fighting a really hard battle, but there are things that you can do that may help you avoid severe stretch marks.

Watch the weight gain. Try to gain weight slowly and steadily. You should also avoid excess weight gain.
Eat well. Healthy skin has fewer stretch marks. Good nutrition is a part of that process.
Use creams and lotions. This is partly old wives tale and partly comfort measure, but keeping your belly lathered up is never a bad idea.
If you’re pregnant, always check with your doctor before using any products that claim to treat or prevent stretch marks.

Lasers for Stretch Marks
As with many things, the more effective the treatment, the more costly. Laser stretch mark removal falls into this category. It is the most effective, but the most costly. This should be reserved for when you are done having children. There are different types of lasers that can be used, this is determined by the type of stretch marks you have: rubra or alba.

Another option is microneedling, which uses radiofrequencies to help reduce the appearance of skin problems like acne and stretch marks. Compared to laser therapy, microneedling typically has a shorter period of recovery and may be less likely to lead to hyperpigmentation of the skin.