Stretch marks are one of the most common and troublesome skin conditions. It afflicts men, women, young, old; every person, with no exception, can be a victim of these unsightly marks. Many skin care brands offer miracle solutions to take care of stretch marks, but they usually end in disappointment.

Before you start wasting money or searching for the right solutions that claim to eliminate stretch marks, it's best to read on and find out the real truth behind these so-called 'stretch mark cures.'

In recent years, many people - specially adolescents - have turned to what they see as a solution for fading stretch marks: tanning. Some claim that a couple of tanning sessions is enough to cover up the discoloration stretch marks cause, thus providing a temporary solution to the problem. The more you tan, the less you'll have to worry about a stretch mark appearance. This isn't exactly true and can produce more troubles than solutions. For evident reasons, tanning isn't completely healthy for you or your skin and if you use to tanning frequently to treat your stretch marks, you may be putting yourself at higher danger for skin ailments related to prolonged UV exposure. When using them for stretch marks, the results can not be what you expect. Due to the typical silvery/whitish color of stretch marks, tanning can really make the stretch marks stand out more. What many don't see is that stretch marks have their own distinct color that is separate from the rest of your skin's pigmentation. This means that the tanning that efficiently darkens the rest of your skin may not act at all on the stretch marks, causing them to stay the same color. These marks are usually resistant to color changes. While this method can apparently work for some, it is not the better route to go in order to treat your stretch marks.

To eliminate stretch marks, many skincare manufacturers have come out with product after product, all saying to contain fabulous ingredients and special formulas that will remove stretch marks. If something sounds too good to be true, it commonly is and these solutions are no exception. If you have fairly new stretch marks that have yet to settle into your skin, diligent use of creams, lotions or other solutions can allow you to gradually lighten and eliminate your marks but for old stretch marks that have been on your skin for years, no amount of magical stretch mark cream will solve your problem. When using any of these types of skin solutions, read the label and be sure you know what ingredients you are putting into your skin.