Stretch marks: 7 facts every Latina needs to know

I've always known that pregnancy wasn't the only factor behind stretch marks because I developed mines on my knees at a pretty young age. Thirteen, to be exact, and I have a feeling that drastically going from 5-feet to 5'4 had a lot to do with it. "Rapid stretching of the skin can cause tears in the dermal layer, damaging collagen," Vega says. "They are essentially a type of scar. This can happen to women during pregnancy where the belly grows rapidly and during puberty where breasts and hips are developing."

If you thought that these irritating zebra stripes were just exclusive to us, then you thought wrong. "Men can also get stretch marks. They are most common on the lower backs in boys having a growth spurt or body builders on their upper arms," she says. "Both men and women can get them during sudden weight gain."

"There are ways to improve the appearance with both creams and lasers, but it's nearly impossible to clear them 100%," Vega says. "When I explain to patients how we can improve their stretch marks, I tell them that they will look airbrushed, but it will never look 100% perfect."

What about all those stretch mark moisturizers out there? Do any of them actually work? "I think it depends," says Vega. "There are studies that prove that topical retinol creams (also available in prescription strength) can improve the appearance of stretch marks that are already there. This particular medication can induce new collagen to form, which is what has been damaged during stretch mark formation. This works particularly well when the stretch marks are still pink/red."

Vegas recommends applying at least twice a day for noticeable improvements. "Retinols should be applied at night as they are deactivated by the sun. These should not be used during pregnancy, but is safe to use after pregnancy as long as you are not breastfeeding," she adds.

So what if you're pregnant, are there ways to prevent stretch marks from developing in the first place? Vega says it all depends. "I think a slow and steady weight gain is best (if possible) to avoid sudden trauma to the skin. Secondly, I would make sure to use moisturizers which can help in terms of prevention because the better the condition the skin is in, the less likely that it will respond to the stress of stretching and form a stretch mark," she says. "I would recommend, Lubriderm Daily Moisture Lotion ($8), which is enriched with nutrients and will make sure the skin is optimally hydrated. Another treatment you can use is the Neutrogena Body Oil ($11), which for pregnant women may provide extra moisture because of the sesame oil base."

"It's difficult to say because there are not a lot of studies on home remedies, but in general, keeping the skin well hydrated will help with the tendency to develop stretch marks," she says. So don't be so quick to put away that vitamin E oil or cocoa butter. The moisture can help a lot!

"One of the treatments that I have been using a lot in my practice is the eMatrix," Vega says. "This is a fractional resurfacing device, however it is radiofrequency based. What that means is that the main target is heating the skin to produce new collagen, and at the same time it helps to blend out the surface marks … I like to explain it to my patients as airbrushing the surface of the skin. And the best part is that it is safe for all skin types." You hear that chica, that means Latina skin too!