The first thing you need to do is invest in some heavy-duty stretch mark creams and oils. One of ours would be ideal, combining natural ingredients known for their stretch mark fighting potential, or you might like to go back to basics with powerful moisturisers such as Shea butter or cocoa butter. You should regularly massage your chosen products into your skin, boosting moisture content and elasticity, and for added power make sure to add a few drops of stretch mark oil into your bath.

Going for prescription creams (such as Retin-A) could be a great way to prevent scarring if used early enough, but if your stretch marks don’t seem to be responding you might want to take more drastic measures. There are plenty of non-invasive as well as invasive treatments available, ranging from laser treatment and the practice of “needling” (puncturing the skin to encourage collaging production and heal scars) to tummy tucks, and whilst surgery should only ever be used as a last resort it could be an effective way of removing stretch marks for good.

If that all seems like far too much pain for minimal reward, why not keep it simple by altering your wardrobe choices? If you can’t quite face a bikini but don’t want to go for a plain old swimsuit there are plenty of other options—tankinis are a great choice, and you could even go for cut-out swimsuits for a sexy edge whilst covering up your stomach. Invest in a kaftan or sarong to cover up without being frumpy, or be on the lookout for retro-inspired solutions—high-waisted bikini bottoms and shorts would be ideal, and with the 50s/vintage look well and truly on the map you’re bound to find a whole range of flattering swimwear options to suit.

With a bit of prep work and a few sneaky purchases you’ll be ready for summer in no time, so what are you waiting for? The beach is calling!

Lily (formerly Lily Allen) gave birth to baby Ethel back in November, but just like many other new mums it seems she’s still doing battle with the dreaded scars. It’s tough getting used to a post-pregnancy body, and she revealed her stretch mark woes on Twitter when she said to her 3.5million+ followers: “Stretch marks are gross, but going to bed all greased up is not cosy. #torn”.

Well, she may not like them but she’s certainly going the right way about treating them. Greasing up with a shed load of oils or stretch mark creams is one of the best things you can do, helping to boost elasticity and collagen production so those scars heal in a flash. Follow in Lily’s footsteps by layering on the moisturiser before you go to bed at night or after you get out of the shower (ideally you should apply it as often as possible for a day-long moisture boost), and you could enhance your stretch mark-fighting power even more by adding a few drops of oil to your bath.

Stretch marks aren’t nice for anyone but it’s quite comforting to know that celebs get them too, so don’t be disheartened—revel in the knowledge that everyone gets them and join Lily in the fight against them, and with a few trusty products by your side your scars could soon be a thing of the past.

The first thing you need to do is take a look at your diet. It’s tempting to throw caution to the wind during pregnancy but that can be a big mistake—not only will eating unhealthily mean you put on far too much weight (rapid weight gain of course being the reason stretch marks develop) but unless you get the right nutrients your skin won’t thank you for it. If you want to stand the best possible chance of preventing stretch marks you need to include foods rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin E, zinc and essential fatty acids, and in doing so you’re far more likely to keep your skin happy and stretch mark-free.

Then you need to keep hydrated. Ensuring you’re properly hydrated will boost your skin’s elasticity so drinking plenty of water is essential, but you can attack the issue externally as well—keeping your skin properly moisturised should be at the top of the agenda, because the more hydrated your skin is the more easily it’ll be able to cope with such an extreme amount of stretching. Make sure to look for moisturisers that are as rich and as penetrating as possible to ensure maximum results, perhaps going for moisture-packed stretch mark creams or going back to basics with things like shea butter, cocoa butter or even olive oil.

By keeping your diet in check, watching your weight and keeping your skin properly hydrated throughout your pregnancy you could easily minimise your chances of getting stretch marks, so always remember that prevention is better than cure and you never know—you could come through your pregnancy stretch mark-free.

Frankincense was used as far back as Ancient Egyptian times, with it being a key component of many women’s beauty routines and perfect for doing battle with stretch marks. They’d concoct a mixture of various essential oils with Frankincense at its heart (in some cases even using the resin on its own) and would use it to massage the affected areas, and to this day it’s thought of as being an effective way to treat and remove scars.

There’s no reason why modern day women can’t experience the same kind of results. Plenty of products utilise Frankincense in their formulas, or if you want to go really natural it’s worth going back to basics. Create a blend of sweet almond oil and two drops of Frankincense, lavender and neroli essential oils and rub into the affected areas, or you could even add a couple of drops of Frankincense to your bathwater, massage oil or body lotion. You could soon notice the difference, but always remember that essential oils are very potent so don’t overdo it—a couple of drops will be all you need.

Frankincense is packed full of healing properties and can be the perfect way to get rid of stretch marks, and don’t wait until Christmas! This oil can be used throughout the year, and if you’re suffering from the dreaded scars make sure to try it out and see if it can work for you.

Moisturisers. Keeping skin properly hydrated is vital if you want to reduce the possibility of stretch marks appearing, and that means you need to thoroughly moisturise your skin throughout your pregnancy. Doing so will increase its elasticity to help it stretch as your bump grows, so make sure to be on the lookout for super-hydrating moisturisers that can give your skin the moisture boost it needs.

Home remedies. Of course, you don’t always need to go for more expensive treatments—home remedies can often work just as well as their manufactured counterparts, so think about raiding the kitchen cupboard for olive oil (a great moisturiser) or be on the lookout for things like pure cocoa butter for optimum moisturising benefit. If stretch marks have already taken hold you could even whip up a scrub of coffee grounds and olive oil, combining the moisturising properties of the oil with the stretch mark-busting benefit of caffeine for an added boost.

Retinol-A. Usually only available via prescription, retinol-A is a powerful cream that’s actually been found to reverse the scarring of stretch marks. But, you need to use it early—it will have the most benefit if applied when the marks are still red, but make sure to avoid if you’re breastfeeding.

Surgery. Surgery should always be considered a last resort, but it could be an effective means of treatment nonetheless. You could go for laser surgery or even a tummy tuck to completely cut the stretch marks out, but make sure to discuss your needs with your doctor first.

As you can see there are plenty of different options, and whilst prevention will always be better than cure it doesn’t mean that everything’s lost. Whether you go the natural route or something more on the extreme end there could well be a solution, so always consider the possibilities and you could soon say so long to stretch marks for good.

Camellia nut oil, otherwise known as tea seed oil, is packed full of antioxidants, vitamin E and oleic acid which means it can be a great way to nourish, soften and moisturise your whole body. It boosts the moisture content of the skin, and as we all know, hydrated skin equals fewer stretch marks—the better hydrated you are the more elastic your skin will be, and that means it’ll be able to stretch far more easily to keep tearing to a minimum.

Apply it topically to the affected areas and you could soon notice the difference, and if you use it throughout your pregnancy you might even find you’ve got stretch mark-free skin at the end of it. It’s quickly absorbed and penetrates the deeper layers of skin for added stretch mark fighting potential, with its supreme moisturising properties meaning it could be the ideal solution.

But, it doesn’t just need to be used on your stretch marks—invest in camellia nut oil and you’ll have an all-round body saviour, with it being great for dry skin and hair and being the ultimate barrier against environmental damage. It can keep skin soft and line-free whilst helping keep those stretch marks at bay, and because it’s a wholly natural product you needn’t worry about adding to your chemical count. So, make sure to see what camellia nut oil is all about and you could soon boost your stretch mark fighting power the natural way.

Yarrow is known to be an astringent and anti-inflammatory and has been part of herbal medicine for centuries, with it being used in a whole range of formats to treat any number of different ailments. Chewing it is said to relieve toothache whilst the leaves can be made into herbal tea or a tincture to help with anything from colds and flu to digestion problems and menstrual cramps, and it can also be used externally by creating a compress for chronic pain and stubborn wounds or by adding steeped yarrow to a hot bath.

But, in terms of stretch marks it’s the oil that has the most effect. Yarrow essential oil is extracted from the plant and can be used topically by rubbing several drops into the affected areas each day, and it’s been shown to be highly effective. You can easily buy yarrow oil at your local chemist or health store (but make sure not to use it when you’re still pregnant) or, if you want to go for something a bit different, you’ll often be able to find stretch mark creams and oils with yarrow extract as a key ingredient (you might want to look for its alternative name, achillea millefolium).

Whether you use it traditionally or with the aid of modern science you really can’t go wrong, and there’s a reason that this root is so popular. To this day it’s regularly used by Aboriginal women to treat their stretch marks, and in many cases yarrow extract has been shown to reduce or even completely eliminate them. So, isn’t it time you gave yarrow a go?

Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners (as well as herbalists) swear by a combination of essential oils and intensive massage treatments in order to heal the dreaded scars. Oils that are thought to be particularly beneficial include lavender, mandarin and neroli, and whilst these will work great on their own you might like to make a blend of all three together with almond oil and wheat germ oil for maximum stretch mark fighting potential. All of these oils have been shown to promote cell activity and skin regeneration, helping to heal scars at their source.

Another option could be the traditional Chinese medicine treatment of cupping. Cupping involves (as you might expect) cups, which are placed onto the skin to create a suction effect. It activates the underlying tissues so blood stasis is formed and localised healing takes place as a result, and it can be a great way to release toxins, activate the lymphatic system and even clear stretch marks, being a great form of deep tissue massage that can activate the skin and produce great results.

These traditional remedies could well be worth trying out (there’s a reason they’ve been around so long after all), and if you combine them with healthy eating, exercise and even a stretch mark cream or two you could soon notice the difference to your skin to help you say goodbye to stretch marks for good.

Hydration is key to the whole thing, because if your skin is supple it’ll be more pliable and stretch marks will be less likely to take hold. You should moisturise from the outside but make sure to drink plenty of water as well, because that will have all-round body and skin benefits. Then it’s time to start looking at more specific home remedies you could use, and trying a few oils would be a great place to start. Wheat germ oil, coconut oil and even good old olive oil have all been shown to have stretch mark-fighting properties, with topical application helping to regenerate the skin and heal your scars.

Then you need to look at your diet. Eating healthily is a must, because if you’re putting good things into your body it’ll soon have an effect on your skin. Make sure you’re getting all the vital vitamins and minerals, paying particular attention to Vitamins C, E and A, and make sure to get plenty of zinc and essential fatty acids into your diet too. Ideally you’ll be able to get sufficient quantities from the food you eat, but if you think you’ll need a bit of help it’s worth trying a supplement or two.

Of course, going natural doesn’t mean you can’t get a bit of help from ready-made skincare solutions—our range of stretchmark creams and oils includes those that are packed full of natural and organic ingredients, ensuring you can get the results you want without having to increase your chemical count. Make sure to try a few natural solutions and you could soon be well on your way to fighting stretch marks, giving you the body you want just in time for summer.

Medical needling, also known as micro-needling or collagen induction therapy, has been developed in the US to help treat a whole range of different skin conditions. In the treatment a roller about 2 inches wide and covered with hundreds of tiny needles is rolled over the skin, with the tiny puncture wounds it creates being thought to help boost collagen production by stimulating growth factors. Collagen is a key ingredient for healthy, youthful and supple skin which makes it particularly popular for people who are fighting the signs of ageing, but it’s just as good for stretch marks as you’ll be able to boost collagen growth to fill in all those scars.

It looks like it could be the newest weapon in the fight against stretch marks, but if the thought of all those needles scares you, fear not—they’ll actually be more like pin pricks but as it’ll be done under local anaesthetic anyway you won’t feel a thing. As an added bonus it can be used from head to toe, and in some cases patients take this literally—there have been occasions where patients have used the treatment over their whole body, but you of course won’t need to go quite that far. Use it to target your stretch marks and you could be on your way to being rid of them forever, so see what research you can uncover and you might decide it’s the right way to go.