Stretch marks are a normal part of puberty for most girls and guys. When a person grows or gains weight really quickly (like during puberty), that person may get fine lines on the body called stretch marks. Stretch marks happen when the skin is pulled by rapid growth or stretching. Although the skin is usually fairly elastic, when it's overstretched, the normal production of collagen (the major protein that makes up the connective tissue in your skin) is disrupted. As a result, scars called stretch marks may form. Many women get strech marks during pregnancy.

There are three layers of skin i.e. epidermis, dermis and subcutaneous stratum. Stretch marks occur in the dermis, the resilient middle layer that helps the skin retain its shape. When the dermis is constantly stretched over time, the skin becomes less elastic and the small connective fibres within it break. They're most likely to appear in places where fat is stored: the abdomen, breasts, upper arms, thighs and buttocks. They pose absolutely no health risk and don't compromise your body's ability to function healthily; they are purely a cosmetic issue and need to be treated accordingly.

People who are obese often have stretch marks. Bodybuilders are prone to getting stretch marks because of the rapid body changes that bodybuilding can produce. Stretch marks also may occur if a person uses steroid-containing skin creams or ointments (such as hydrocortisone) for more than a few weeks, or has to take high doses of oral corticosteroids for months or longer.

It is speculated that the way each person's skin heals is a good indicator of the depth and severity of stretch marks they may eventually see. A person whose skin heals well with minimal scarring can expect less obvious stretch marks, while skin that heals poorly (or slowly) or tends to develop raised or thickened scars can generally expect stretch marks that are more pronounced.

At first, stretch marks may show up as reddish or purplish lines that may appear indented and have a different texture from the surrounding skin. Fortunately, stretch marks often turn lighter and almost disappear over time. But the fact that stretch marks usually fade and become less noticeable over time can be little consolation if you plan to spend most of your summer in a bathing suit.

Here are some things to consider if you want to make stretch marks less noticeable:
* Take supplements in addition to your diet, that should contain vitamins A, E and C.
* Use vitamin E oil on your stretch marks. Massage it into your skin after a shower.
* Try to eat food that contains essential fatty acids, which help make cell walls. Essential fatty acids can be found in many vegetables, vegetable oils and fish oils.
* The best way to get rid of stretch marks is to apply moisturizing creams. Tretinoin, Retin-A are effective in moisturising the outer skin layer, they can't always penetrate deep into the dermis where stretch marks occur.
* Alpha hydroxy acid is a fruit acid and is very effective in stretch marks because they moisturise the outer layer of skin, making it more pliable.
* Laser surgery can be used in a aery severe condition.
* Massage cocoa butter into the stretch marks - or a cream with Cocoa butter as one of the ingredients.

There does not seem to be an ethnic tendency toward stretch marks, as people of all skin colors can be affected. People who have fair to light skin typically have pink-tinged stretch marks, while the same marks on darker skin tones tend to take on a deeper pigmentation than the skin surrounding them. Discoloration from stretch marks does fade over time, but regrettably, their striated appearance rarely returns to its original smooth appearance.

Whether you get them or not is simply a matter of genetics that is, how elastic your skin is. There is nothing you can do, so don worry about it either way!

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