Ah, stretch marks, one of the many joys of pregnancy. There are many ways to prevent and treat them once you have them. However be cautious, stretch marks are basically a scar from the inside out, no treatment can make them disappear completely. Here are our tips on how to prevent stretch marks.

When stretch marks start showing up, it’s best to treat them as early as possible.

Research has focused on the early stages of stretch marks, when they are still red or purple and most readily respond to treatment, said Leslie Baumann, MD, director of the University of Miami Cosmetic Center and author of The Skin Type Solution.. Once stretch marks pass the initial stage, when they are red or purple, to the later stages, where they become white or silver — often with deep indentations — they are much more challenging to treat.

“It is crucial to moisturize,” Baumann says. “Skin becomes more pliant, more plasticized, and better able to stretch when it’s well hydrated.”

Items like wheat germ oil, glycolic acid and Vitamin C are known for helping prevent permanent stretch mark. Additionally, according to Web MD, retinoids have been shown to be fairly effective in increasing collagen and elastic production during the early stages. But you should avoid them if you’re pregnant or nursing.

When you got them, it may a little more challenging to get rid of them. The degree of success with any treatment will be impacted by your age, your skin and other factors. Laser treatment is a popular option by many dermatologists.

Discovery Health mentions that other methods like microdermabrasion resurfaces your skin by gently blasting it with tiny crystals while simultaneously vacuuming them back up. This only affects the outermost layer of skin, and promotes new surface skin growth.