What are they?

I can hear you already saying "not stretch marks". I also know the frustration you will get at having them plus the envy you will have when your best friend says "I didn't get any" and you have what looks like a map of England all over your tummy and boobs.

If you don't know what they look like, then let me enlighten you, they look like thin, stretched tissue, and that is more or less what they are. They can appear when you either put on or lose weight rapidly. The upper layer of the skin is normal, but in the lower layer which gives the skin its strength and elasticity, becomes thinner and broken.

At first, the marks look reddish-purple and this is because the stretched skin is more transparent and the small blood vessels in the skin show through. This does get less as time goes on and the blood vessels return. The purplish colour then fades to white, which is simply fat under the skin showing through.

Who gets them?

I thought everyone got stretch marks, but they don't and when you realise that you have them it can be disappointing.

• Stretch marks can appear on the breast and tummy during pregnancy. The reason is partly hormonal. During pregnancy, hormones soften the ligaments of the pelvis, so that the tissues can stretch easily during childbirth. Unfortunately, the skin softens as well, allowing stretch marks to form easily.
• Some women have weaker collagen than others, so are more likely to get stretch marks. Apparently recent research also suggests that if you have stretch marks, your pelvic floor ligaments may be slightly weak as well, so it is very important to do your pelvic floor exercises after childbirth to prevent incontinence as well.
• People that diet inconsistently and bodybuilders can get stretch marks.
• Growing adolescents can get them on their backs.

Preventing stretch marks

• Avoid dieting inconsistently. If you are overweight, aim to lose it slowly.
• If you are pregnant, there is not much you can do except keep your fingers crossed and think, “this is a small price to pay for a beautiful baby!” Rubbing baby oil into the abdomen each night might help. However, there is no proof that anything works completely and effectively.

Curing stretch marks

In a word word you "can't" - believe me I've tried.

• Stretch marks are unfortunately permanent in the sense that the skin in these areas will never be completely normal. However, after a time they contract down into much less obvious, thin, whitish scars. Which is true and nearly 8 years on I can say that my have faded a lot and are barely visible.
• Collagen creams claim that they will improve stretch marks. There is no evidence that they do so. In fact, collagen and elastin put onto the surface of the skin can not penetrate into the deeper layers.
• Cocoa butter cream, which is available from pharmacies, is often recommended to soften scars, so might be worth a try.
• If you can afford it, lasers can be used to treat stretch marks at an early stage, when they are still red, but it is uncertain whether it will make any difference in the long run.
  It costs several hundred pounds, and can't be done on the NHS in the UK. With any cosmetic treatment, check that the clinic is reputable and discuss it with your GP first.
• For those fortunate ones surgery could be a possibility for tummy stretch marks if you also have a lot of loose skin on the tummy. A good old ‘tummy tuck’ for those brave enough to do it. It will leave scars around the belly button and across the lower stomach and it is not a minor operation. Your recovery can take several weeks, which is a long time when you have a child to look after.

So there is not a lot you can do to avoid stretch marks, but you can help yourself by keeping your weight balanced and eating ah healthy diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables and try to avoid eating high-fat foods and food with additives and preservatives which can affect fluid retention.

Plus drink plenty of want to keep your skin supple and well hydrated. You should try to drink eight glasses of water every day - which seems a lot but if is surprising how you body will absorb it and you don't run to the loo every two mins.

Complimentary Therapies

No therapies will actually treat stretch marks, but relaxing therapies such as aromatherapy, reflexology or massage, plus relaxation and exercise techniques such as yoga or swimming will enhance your general sense of wellbeing and may indirectly help you to come to terms with any stretch marks that do develop.