A lot of scars in the body are almost always avoidable. By using proper safety gear or taking precaution, wounds and scars can be avoided. Stretch marks on the other hand, are very hard to prevent. You cannot control how fast you grow during puberty or the size of your tummy when you become pregnant. When the skin stretches to quickly, the underlying dermal layer will tear thus resulting in stretch marks.

When the body undergoes rapid growth, the skin is forced to stretch and sometimes, it goes beyond its limits which cause the dermal layer to break. This is because the collagen supports of the skin might not be enough to make the skin elastic enough to be able to withstand the stretching. When this happens, the breaking of the dermis results in the formation of reddish brown lines on the skin called striae, or more commonly called stretch marks. Itchiness of these stretch marks may also be a problem as the skin becomes more sensitive due to the damage.

One way of removing these stretch marks is by using creams that can lighten the scars left by the tearing of the skin. The creams work by stimulating the production of collagen to increase the skin's elasticity. It also stimulates the regeneration of new cells so that the old cells may be replaced. Lastly, creams also moisturize the skin making it supple and younger looking as well.

Other more expensive means are by dermabrasion and laser surgery. Dermabrasion is a procedure that involves the removal of the uppermost layer of the skin through mechanical methods. it removes most marks on the skin, including other scars and dark areas. After the procedure, the skin will appear red and be sensitive due to the thinner skin. It will take several months before the skin fully recovers from the procedure.

A third method of removing scars is by laser surgery. This costs the most amount of money but it is also the most effective procedure as well. It burns away the scars left by old wounds and the disintegrated tissue is replaced by newer cells.

For those who are expecting new stretch marks due to pregnancy, it is always better to use creams to help prevent the formation of new ones. Just be sure that these will be safe for your baby. For older scars, you have a variety of choices to choose from which are all helpful in reducing or eliminating them completely.