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      FITNESS TIPS FOR 9/8/2004                  
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Stretch Marks Caused By Bodybuilding and Weight Lifting

The Low-Down on Stretch Mark Cream and Treatments: Do They 
Really Work? 

Your doctor, your friends, your mom, even movie characters all say 
the same thing: "Accept your stretch marks -- they are signs of life." 

Well, that's a nice philosophy. But if you would rather live without 
them, you need information about the wide range of stretch mark 
creams and treatments out there and which ones really work. 

First of all, you should know that nothing is guaranteed to completely 
get rid of stretch marks. But there are ways to reduce their 
appearance, some better than others. Let's look at the pros and 
cons of each:

1. Laser surgery. Once the great hope for stretch mark removal, 
laser surgery results are mixed and inconclusive. In fact, 
according to Jerome Klein, a New York City plastic surgeon, 
laser surgery can in some cases cause more scarring or 
pigment changes. Plus, it's expensive and must be performed 
by a doctor. 

2. Surgical Skin Resection. This involves surgically cutting 
out the stretch marks. Some MDs say it's the only treatment 
capable of actually removing the marks, but it's a costly and 
lengthy procedure. And, like any other surgery, there is 
discomfort and risk. It is not recommended for all patients 
and is not covered by health insurance.

3. Microdermabrasion uses fine crystals to abrade the skin 
surface and stimulate collagen production. It has been 
somewhat successful in reducing the appearance of stretch 
marks but it requires numerous treatments, must be done 
by a qualified doctor, and is expensive.

4. Stretch Mark Creams. Many products fall into this 
category, some the modern equivalent of snake oil, some 
apable of producing fast and noticeable improvements: 

a. Tretinoin, sold as Retin-A, can help reduce new, dark 
stretch marks but won't work on older, faded ones. And it 
shouldn't be used if breastfeeding, which rules it out for 
many new mothers. 

b. Cocoa butter and other over-the-counter skin creams will 
make your skin soft but can't reach deeply enough below 
the surface to repair stretch marks.

c. Stretch mark creams come in many different formulations. 
The most effective ones contain special ingredients such 
as elastin, collagen, emu oil and liposomes, which can 
penetrate the skin's layers and stimulate new cell growth 
to repair the damaged skin. Some of these creams work on 
both old and new stretch marks, with results visible from a 
few weeks to a few months after beginning treatment. They 
are safer and easier to use and far less expensive than 
most other stretch mark treatment options. The challenge 
is finding the right cream! 

Stretch Mark Removal Creams: What makes them effective?

Stretch mark removal creams are only as effective as the 
ingredients they contain combined with the delivery 
methods they utilize to carry the actives deep into the skin. 

By law, most products (including stretch mark removal 
creams) must list their ingredients in order from the most 
ingredient being first to the least ingredient being last. 
Most creams on the market contain water as the first 
ingredient. Some also have a lot of additives and fillers 
listed before the actual key or effective "active" ingredients. 
The further down the list the key ingredients are listed, the 
less of each of these ingredients the cream actually 
contains.

So basically, if a cream is going to help get rid of stretch 
marks, it must contain high amounts of the essential key
ingredients that are crucial for skin repair. Some key vital 
ingredients in a stretch mark cream include collagen and 
elastin, but the ingredients alone won't help much. They 
must be delivered 'deeply' into the skin where they can
go to work.

A good treatment for stretch marks must also have an 
effective delivery system such as emu oil or liposomes 
(or both if possible). These 'carrier' ingredients help to 
deliver the key ingredients down to the damaged area 
where they can help get rid of stretch marks.

We have three layers of skin: the epidermis (or outer layer), 
the dermis (or middle layer) and the subcutaneous stratum 
(or deepest layer). Stretch marks are also known as stria 
atrophica and striae distensae. They occur in the dermis
which is the elastic, resilient middle layer. This middle 
layer allows the skin to retain its shape.

When the dermis is constantly stretched, the skin becomes 
less elastic and the connective fibers break down leaving 
behind tiny tears in the skin known as stretch marks. 

75 to 90 percent of all pregnant women develop stretch marks 
during pregnancy, but they aren't the only ones susceptible. 
Young adults who experience growth spurts and bodybuilders 
who practice strenuous and repetitive exercise are likely to 
get stretch marks.

One thing is certain. Knowing where to turn to for help with 
stretch marks is not easy. Who do you turn to? How do you 
know which cream to try or which company to trust?

Here are some simple guidelines to go by when looking for 
a stretch mark cream online. 

  a.. Does the product have good ingredients? Also, does the 
product contain "high" amounts of these ingredients? (some 
creams only have enough of an ingredient to 'legally' be 
able to say that their cream contains the ingredient) 

  b.. Does the product have a good "delivery" system such 
as emu oil, liposomes or some other type of 'carrier'? 

  c.. Does the company have a professional website with 
access to their contact information? (be leery of websites 
that do not provide their contact information) 

  d.. Does the company have user testimonials about 
the cream? 

  e.. Most importantly, what kind of guarantee does the 
company offer for the cream? (be leery of companies 
that offer you the "moon" - - - especially if they do not 
have a "strong" money back guarantee) 

Stretch Mark Cream by Stretch Renew

Testimonials:

    Being a bodybuilder, I'm constantly dedicating much of my 
time and effort to rapidly gaining or losing weight - the primary 
cause of stretch marks. Because of this, I have stretch marks 
on my sides and my arms. I figured they would disappear over 
time, and if not, that they could easily be treated. Well, they 
didn't disappear - I have had them for years now. Finally I 
decided to attempt to get rid of them with creams after 
reading on the internet that there are certain ingredients that 
work to fade or prevent them. So I headed down to the local 
drugstore and picked up a $10 container of cream; needless
to say, it did absolutely nothing. 

    At this point I was pretty hopeless, and assumed that stretch 
marks were the equivalent of scars, and would never just "go 
away." That's when I stumbled your website and read about 
your "Stretch Renew" cream. I was reluctant to try another 
cream, especially considering it was nearly ten times the 
price of the drugstore cream, but with its money-back 
guarantee, I figured I had nothing to lose. I received "Stretch 
Renew" and began applying it to all my problem areas 
immediately. 

    I have to admit that I was still a skeptic until about halfway 
through the container, when, as if by magic, all my stretch 
marks started progressively fading. Now that the container 
is almost gone, I can say that this is a fantastic product! 
Many of my stretch marks are hugely faded from where 
they were before, and my confidence is growing everyday.
Now when I look in the mirror I don't have to be proud of 
my hard-earned muscles and disgusted with my stretch 
marks - I am finally happy with my body! I'm confidant that 
with one more container of "Stretch Renew" my stretch 
marks will be gone forever; if I had known that this product 
would be that successful, I would have gladly paid many 
times what I did. Thank you for creating a wonderful product 
that does exactly what it says! 
    Ben L. - New York, NY

   I have been bodybuilding for the last five years and as 
i got bigger stretch marks because a major pain. For the 
longest time i tried EVERYTHING to make them get better 
but nothing was working. At one point i was popping around 
12 gel Vitamin E capsules and rubbing that goo on my 
stretch marks 3 times a day in hopes of them getting better. 
But nothing worked. I got desperate and started searching 
the web for products. I ran your website and at first i was 
very skeptical. What made it even worse was the initial 
investment was huge compared to most "stretch mark cures". 
But let me tell you, it was worth EVERY PENNY. I am now on 
my second 2 oz container and the results are AMAZING. The 
stretch marks I have incured in the last year are almost 
invisible now, and even the dark ones that I have had for 4+ 
years are noticeably lighter. This is a truely amazing product. 
Thanks! 
    Leon J. - Santa Barbara CA

   I'm a 18 year old student.  I'm a body builder and I work 
out almost everyday.  I got so big that my skin couldn't "hold 
all of my muscles" therefore I got a lot of stretch marks.  It 
was horrible, I had at least 20 stretch marks on each arm, 
upper arms, lower biceps and on my lower back too (purple 
and pink in color).  I have only used your stretch mark cream
 for 3 and a half weeks and I have already seen amazing 
results.  I couldn't believe it, almost all of my stretch marks 
are not visible anymore. They have disappeared!  They're all 
gone!  I don't know what that cream has in it, but it is the best 
thing in the whole world.  I have already ordered my next one 
(2 ounce) jar of stretch mark cream.  I can't wait to continue 
using it to complete the excellent work it has done.  By the 
way, now I can show all of my muscles in public.  It's awesome!! 
    Rafael A. - Dominican Republic

Stretch Mark Cream by Stretch Renew

Neither trulyhuge.com nor the authors of this publication assume any liability for the information contained herein. The Information contained herein reflects only the opinion of the author and is in no way to be considered medical advice. Specific medical advice should be obtained from a licensed health care practitioner. Consult your physician before you begin any nutrition, exercise, or dietary supplement program.

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