Stretch marks or striae gravidarum, are the most common of all skin lesions and affect a large majority of the population, both male and female. But just what exactly are stretch marks and are they avoidable or simply inevitable? Here is some helpful information on this bothersome, but harmless condition.

Stretch marks are most commonly believed to be the result of skin that has merely been stretched beyond its normal limits. The result is apparent scarring of the skin that may initially be reddish or even purplish in color.

While stretch marks may in fact be a form of scarring, they are caused in part by a loss of collagens and elastins in the skin when it is stretched more than normal. A breakdown of the tissues and fibers then occurs resulting in the appearance of the stretch marks.

Also, an increase of glucocorticoids, which are the hormones that are secreted in excess by the adrenal glands during time such as pregnancy, weight gain or adolescence, are believed to be responsible for the formation of stretch marks. These hormones affect the skin and prevent it from forming the collagens and elastins necessary to keep it taut and healthy.

Stretch marks occur in the middle layer of the skin, commonly called the dermis, and not on the actual surface of the skin. The dermis is an elastic layer which is reinforced with fibrous tissue. These fibers, as we know, are comprised of those essential collagens and elastins, which allow the skin to be stretched and then retain its normal state.

If one were to examine a stretch mark under a microscope, he or she would discover that the dermis is considerably thinner than normal. This is because the collagen fibers have now been pulled apart from one another, causing the elastic properties to become broken down and deposited in the skin, which result as the marks we see.

Pregnancy is the most often reason for the appearance of stretch marks and they usually occur during the third-trimester or in some women, even sooner. Actually, anyone experiencing sudden weight gain may also develop the marks.

They are most often seen on the stomach area, the arms, the breasts and also the thighs, but can appear on any part of the skin. There are also rare instances where people have reported the marks on their neck or face areas as well.

It is estimated that about 85 to 90% of all pregnant women will in fact get stretch marks at some point during their pregnancy. This is a high enough percentage to give most women pause and cause them to actively seek ways of preventing them or at least lessening their appearance.

If the stretch marks have been caused as a result of giving birth, then it's worth taking into account that they will eventually disappear with time, or at least reduce dramatically in visibility(not what we want to hear but true).

While a cream such as tretinoin (also known as Retin-A) is ideal for getting rid of stretch marks, having been proven to reduce the length of stretch marks by up to 20% with just a tiny amount of cream, it's not yet been confirmed whether it affects breast milk or not, so should be avoided if you're breastfeeding.

Another method, which has proven to be reasonably effective, is one that originated in France. It's a treatment called Endermologie, and involves exfoliating the skin. This is caused by a machine that combines a gentle suction feeling with rollers moving across the area of skin with the stretch marks. Although this hasn't been proven to remove these marks completely, it will improve the appearance of the affected skin and give a far smoother feel and look.

A more intense approach to the problem is that of laser treatment. Although expensive, it's one of the more effective remedies, as the actual type of laser used can be set up specifically for the different colors that stretch marks can be. If you have a reasonably fresh set of stretch marks, or darker colored ones, there is a certain type of laser treatment for you. By doing this, it helps the skin and mark to blend into one another, giving the impression of full removal.

Yet another type of laser treatment is that which works with the natural collagen in that everyone has in his or her skin. By stimulating the actual collagen production around the area, it allows any eroded elasticity to be restored, thus working to disguise deeper stretch marks. However, like the other forms of laser treatment, it can be extremely expensive and is unlikely to be covered by any health insurance plans, so be prepared.