Stretch marks are well known to everyone concerned with keeping their skin clear and smooth. These marks are pronounced with different lengths and depths. They come to many different parts of the body such as the abdomen, breasts, buttocks, upper arms, and legs. Stretch marks come from a stretching of the skin caused usually by rapid growth or weight gain. The dermis is what is what we call the middle layer of our skin, and a stretch mark results after it's stretched to a point it breaks its elasticity.

This being the case, what can be done?

Fortunately, there are options to choose from.

Today's Available Stretch Mark Treatment Options

Surgery is the route to take if you are willing to take the hit on the bank account. The stomach is where stretch marks can be removed surgically in what's called abdominoplasy surgery, or the 'tummy tuck.' It improves the appearance of the stretch marks by tightening and contouring the stomach walls which removes excess fat and skin. However the surgery is invasive and expensive with a long and probable painful recovery time.

A second option for surgery would be what's called laser treatment. These cosmetic lasers shoot energy that is absorbed into the dermal layer of your skin and stimulates the production of new collagen. The collagen then thickens which leads to the plumping of the skin that fills in the stretch mark from below. However laser treatment is really only effective for new, immature stretch marks as the improvement for more mature stretch marks doctors say is reportedly small.

At best a 20 to 50% improvement using these surgical procedures is the most likely result from what would be successive trips to the doctor's office on top of shelling out a few thousand dollars.

Regarding the non-surgical route, an attractive option is microdermabrasion. There is no pain aftermath and the price tag is more down to Earth compared to surgery. One can have it done at a beauty spa or use the at home method of a microdermabrasion cream. The method is to wear down and eliminate the top layer of the skin by using abrading microcrystals. The original stretch mark covered skin is replaced by a newer and healthier skin created by the triggering of collagen and elastin production.