Typically more common for women, there are many reasons why a person may gain the scarring – whether it's through weight changes or through pregnancy. Here's what you can do about them…
How can you get rid of stretch marks?
Stretch marks, also known as stria or striae, start off as usually a red or purple hue, and fade over time to become silver or white and are harder to treat at this stage.
But there are treatments you can do to reduce the visibility of the lines on your skin.
Here we round up some of the popular ways of tackling stretch marks …
Lasers
Lasers can be used to help fade stretch marks, although doesn’t get rid of them entirely.
Typically red pulse dye lasers are used in the treatment but private clinics may have their own varieties.
The pulse lasers are painless and work when the energy from the laser is absorbed by the blood vessels under your stretch marks.
This helps to collapse the blood vessels reducing the red or purple appearance and leaving the scarring white or barely visible.
According to the NHS website, laser therapy is not available on the NHS and usually has to be done privately, which can be expensive and need a number of sessions.
Massages
Many people believe that massages can help you reduce or remove stretch marks, but this method has not been proven in studies.
Surgery
The NHS website says: “Cosmetic surgery for stretch marks is expensive and rarely recommended.”
But if you have stretch marks on your abdomen and loose skin, it could be possible to have an abdominoplasty (tummy tuck).
This surgery removes excess fat and skin, and could be possible to remove stretch marks from below your belly button.
Carboxytherapy
This technique involves doctors injecting small amounts of carbon dioxide into a stretch mark using a needle, so may not be for the squeamish.
The method makes the area act as though there is a oxygen deficit, causing an increase in blood flow to the area which can lead to improving elasticity.
Although this can help with regenerating an area, it doesn’t remove marks completely.
Creams
There are many different creams, gels and lotions that claim to “cure” stretch marks.
However it is unlikely that they can achieve this goal or even help the appearance of stretch marks to fade.
If you are going to apply skin moisturisers to your body, the best time to tackle stretch marks is when they are red or purple.
Some people use cocoa butter on their skin, as it is known for its anti-aging properties.
If you do go down this route, massage it onto your skin around twice a day.
Other popular natural products include egg whites, olive oil, lemon juice and even potato slices.
Make-up
If you are desperate for a quick fix for stretch marks, applying make-up could be an immediate solution.
You can purchase cosmetic camouflage from over the counter at many pharmacies and apply it to small sections of affected skin.
Some of the make-up is waterproof and can last up to three days.
ASOS was praised for using beautiful untouched photos of models baring STRETCH MARKS on their bottoms and shoppers are thrilled.
In April 2017 Kim Kardashian came under fire from fans who felt "misled" following her posting an "un-airbrushed" picture of her bum.
What causes stretch marks?
There are three main layers of skin; the epidermis (outer layer), the dermis (middle layer) and the subcutaneous or hypodermis (the deepest layer).
Due to rapid weight gain or body growth, the dermis may be stretched beyond its elasticity.
This can cause the dermis layer to tear, allowing deeper skin layers to show through and form stretch marks.
Not only can it affect stretched areas, but parts of the body where fat is stored, such as your tummy, breasts, buttock and thighs.
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