Top Ten Myths About Stretch Marks

Stretch marks are a condition that a vast amount of people live with everyday.  Many people offer advice on how to prevent them, treat them, and other such matters, but they also spread myths about the scars we call stretch marks.  Below are a few of the myths we consider to be talked about the most.

Myth #1     Only pregnant women get stretch marks.

• It is true that 90% of pregnant women get stretch marks, but other people also develop stretch marks.  Anyone who gains weight rapidly is susceptible to stretch marks, and this includes children going through puberty and weight lifters.

Myth #2     Only women get stretch marks.

• Men can also develop stretch marks as well as children.  Men who do a great deal of weight lifting and build muscle quickly are particularly susceptible to developing them.  Men who gain weight quickly for other reasons are also at risk.

Myth #3     Stretch marks go away once you lose the weight.

• Some stretch marks do fade away after you lose the weight you gained, but most have a tendency to hang around.  Skin that has thinned and stretched to form stretch marks does not easily return to normal.

Myth #4     You can't prevent stretch marks.

• There are ways to minimize your chances of developing stretch marks.  Proper diet and nutrition top the prevention list.  These help keep weight gain moderate and skin in a healthy state.

Myth #5     Only plastic surgery can treat stretch marks.

• There are many ways to treat stretch marks besides resigning yourself to plastic surgery.  Chemical peels, laser therapy, and pulsed light therapy are just a few of your options.

Myth #6     Once you get stretch marks you just have to live with them.

• You can either opt to cover your stretch marks, treat them, or remove them.  Many advances in technology have given us a greater number of of options for dealing with unsightly stretch marks.

Myth #7     Stretch marks are expensive to treat.

• Yes, some treatments such as plastic surgery can be quite costly, but there are other choices you can make to treat your stretch marks.  Many lotions or creams can reduce the appearance of stretch marks.  Chemical peels are also a lower cost option.

Myth #8     Stretch marks aren't worth the time to treat.

• This is definitely a myth.  Even a slight reduction in the appearance of stretch marks is worth the time and effort to treat them.  Yes, some discipline is required, especially for some of the home remedies, but in the end, any improvement is worth the investment of time.

Myth #9     Teenagers and young children don't get stretch marks.

• It is very common for teenagers and young children to develop stretch marks.  These occur because of the rapid growth spurts that children undergo.  Luckily because they are still growing their bodies have a tendency to heal quickly.  Children's stretch marks seem to fade much faster than stretch marks developed during adulthood.

Myth #10     Insurance will pay for stretch mark treatments.

• Unfortunately, most insurance companies consider stretch marks purely a cosmetic issue and thus do not cover any treatment or removal of stretch marks.