All About Stretch Marks 

Stretch marks are the result of the body growing much more rapidly than the skin is growing or if the skin is being stretched much farther than the skin's stretching limit. Other names for stretch marks are striae rubra, striae distensae, striae atrophicans, and striae alba.

What Causes Stretch Marks?

Other factors that can increase your risks of getting stretch marks include growth spurts, pregnancy, quick weight gain and bodybuilding. According to some reports, stretch marks can also be caused by heavy use of topical corticosteroid creams. Those with Cushing's Syndrome may develop stretch marks as a result of extra adrenal cortical processes.

The Appearance Of Stretch Marks

Stretch marks are characterized by long, narrow irregularities on the skin. They initially come out as deep red marks and then slowly fade to a light silvery color over time. In some people, the stretch marks can be about 10 millimeters wide, although they are typically thinner than that and no more than a few centimeters in length each.

If the stretch marks you have are more of the wide variety, or if they are on your face, you may either be overusing topical corticosteroids or have Cushing's Syndrome. Those stretch marks you develop during adolescence will usually fade over a long period of time.

Treating Stretch Marks

If you want to reduce stretch marks, you can use such treatments for stretch marks like chemical peel, cream, dermabrasion, laser surgery, lotions, oils, pulse dye laser therapy, and topical retinoid therapy.

Contrary to popular notion about stretch marks, children and men, as well as women, can have stretch marks. Any person who puts on weight or increases in size rapidly is likely to develop stretch marks.

Maintaining proper health care can go a long way in keeping those stretch marks at bay. Regular exercise and proper hydration are two crucial factors of good health. Good nutrition is particularly an important component of healthy, elastic skin. Avoid alcohol, caffeine and nicotine as all these have a drying effect on the skin, causing stretch marks.

Vitamin E promotes skin health, but it can also be put directly onto the stretch marks to lighten them up. Apply Vitamin E onto the stretch marks everyday for several months if you wish to reduce stretch marks. Many of the better stretch mark products, like Revitol Stretch Mark Cream, are formulated with this skin-strengthening vitamin.

Are Stretch Mark Treatments Covered By Insurance?

Health insurance policies don't commonly cover medical treatments for stretch marks unfortunately. Stretch marks are classified as a cosmetic condition, so their treatments are filed as nonessential optional treatments. Over the counter stretch marks cream products recommended by a competent pharmacist may be the best affordable treatment for stretch marks at your disposal. In general, these treatments get rid you of the dead skin cells, thereby restoring the skin cells and promoting new skin growth.

That's why a product such as TriLASTIN System 2 Stretch Mark Cream, which is formulated with a two-part system, can be your best approach to reduce stretch marks fast.  Its first component is a pre-conditioning cream which prepares the skin for the corrective second stage.  The benefit of the new TriLASTIN is that it can accelerate your results and help fade stretch marks quicker than conventional treatments.