First, let me tell you that the title is a little misleading. This is because removing stretch marks completely is something that can't be done, as of this writing. What topical lotions, creams and other stretch mark remedies do is that, they only make the scars less apparent and make the skin finer in texture.

There you have it. So by this time that you are looking for a great stretch mark cream that will hopefully eliminate stretch marks, don't be fooled. Even the photos of before and after cases only reduce the visibility of the scars - making you think that they are completely gone, when the fact is, they are still there - just invisible from our sight.

But it's much better than showing them off red and purple or white, right?

Blame it on your genes and hormones. Genetics play a role in determining whether you will have stretch marks or not. If you have a family member who had these lines before, you have a great chance of getting them yourself - be it because of pregnancy, puberty or weight gain.

So, now that the issue of "removing stretch marks" had been settled, let's head on now to the real topic of this article - which is how to actually reduce their appearance and make them less noticeable.

There are various ways to do that. Here are five.

1. Stretch mark creams - Choosing the best stretch mark "remover" is sure a hard job for a consumer, especially if he had tried countless of products before. When choosing a stretch mark cream, do note of its ingredients. You have likely heard them being all natural and all, but research as to what each of them can do in stretch mark repair. Also find out if they are FDA-approved and cannot cause an allergic reaction on you. This is a wise step to take, since a lot of consumers would report complaints later only after finding out that they have experienced allergies, or have experienced various side effects, which they could have avoided had they read the label and done some researching.

2. Shea Butter - A large number of shea butters from various companies have been manufactured and made available - some worked, others don't. Some shea butters are best for preventing stretch marks, while others claim to reduce their appearance.

3. Chemical peels - Apparently, this procedure aims to peel off the layers of skin that have been damaged, to make way for the fresh ones for an even surface and skin color. Superficial pees are conducted by a nurse or, while deeper ones are conducted by a dermatologist or plastic surgeon.

4. Laser surgery - Studies show that it can reduce their appearance significantly. It lasts for about six sessions before they are reduced, however.

Studies have shown that the appearance of stretch marks continues to improve up to six months after the first laser treatment. In this procedure, a surgeon makes use of a narrow beam of light which permeates right through the skin to stimulate the cells in the dermis for a new tissue.

5. Stretch mark gels - This kind of product is usually made of various materials like butcher's broom, calendula, centella, chickweed, ginseng, green tea, hibiscus, horsetail, ivy, lady's mantle and marshmallow to help prevent and reduce stretch marks.

Removing stretch marks completely and making your skin go back to normal cannot be done, but you have stretch mark creams, lotions and surgical methods to make them less noticeable.

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