Any blemish on your body can bother you, but stretch marks are kind of in a class all by themselves. This may be due to the (unfair!) stigma associated with them that leaves people whispering about failed diets, lazy habits and other falsehoods. Stretch marks can certainly leave a scar on your psyche, so it's time you did something about them:

The Origins Of Stretch Marks

You've heard stretch marks can happen with weight fluctuations, such as during pregnancy, but sometimes these scars appear with a seeming randomness that defies circumstance. Ultimately, though, stretch marks aren't the result of weight gain, they're caused by the hormonal conditions a body happens to be undergoing at the time. While a person is enduring pregnancy or puberty, there's not much that can be done about the raging hormones, however, at most other times, you do have a lot of control over the situation.

Treat Them Early

Stretch marks are classified as rubra when they're first forming and alba after they've developed. The rubra are puffy and pink or rippled with reds and purples. Once the marks settle into a pale silver, they've unfortunately matured into the alba stage. Since the damage early on is less severe and the tissue involved still forming the squirmy shapes, if you can begin treatment at this stage, you're much more likely to be successful. Still, even if they've ripened, all hope is not lost.

Fit A Few Yoga Poses Into Your Life

While yoga may make you think of long, challenging stretches, it's actually more of an all-encompassing way of life that can really help you balance hormones. Since those hormones are such a major influence on stretch marks, keeping them in check means smoother skin in the long run. Glucocorticoids, the main culprit behind stretch marks, is normally a hormone used by the body to offset the feelings of chaos and danger (stress), but too much of it may mean developing stretch marks or even diabetes. Something like yoga is good for keeping your body toned and your mind in balance, thus, it could prove to be a valuable weapon in your fight against stretch marks.

 Apply A Lotion Or Gel Containing Copper Peptides

Peptides are tiny bits of proteins, the primary component of nearly all living tissue. When they bind with copper, they create an amazing building block of sorts. Dr. Loren Pickart discovered the value of copper peptides to damaged skin in a petri dish back in 1973. Today, Pickart's discoveries are still very hard at work, rebuilding skin cells for burn victims and other types of epidermal trauma. Where stretch marks are concerned, the copper peptides from companies like Apothederm minimize scars and actually rebuild the tissue to close to its original form. Copper peptides, unlike many other skin care products, are safe during pregnancy and can be (should be!) used at the earliest sign of stretch marks.

Manage Your Weight Effectively

Although weight gain or loss itself isn't the direct cause of stretch marks, the metabolic process your body goes through when weight fluctuates leaves you vulnerable to stretch marks. For numerous health reasons, as well as to minimize your stretch marks, stay within a healthy weight. A smart diet doesn't just keep you smiling when you step on the scale, either, it helps to maintain glucose levels, which when unstable, wreak total havoc on your metabolism. If your metabolism is out of whack, so is hormone production, possibly setting the stage for more stretch marks.

Laser Surgery As A Final Option

While your medical insurance probably doesn't cover treatment for stretch marks, they really can leave you feeling embarrassed, discouraged and even depressed. Therefore, if you're so inclined and have some disposable income, consider laser surgery. Hemoglobin in your blood where the stretch marks are visible will absorb the intense light of the laser, causing the marks to virtually disappear.

Some things in life you simply don't have any control over, forcing you to accept them begrudgingly; however, you do have at least some control when it comes to stretch marks, especially if you address them early in the formation process. Any amount of work you go through to be rid of them is certainly worth it, from looking better on the outside to feeling much happier and more confident on the outside.