I think this is an achiles heel for the dermotologist. Stretch marks are tears that occur deep within the skin. They cannot really be smoothed away like a superficial scratch or dead skin.

Surgery is performed, which is not cheap and not very effective unless the stretch marks are confined to an area that can be surgically altered-such as stretch marks only on the stomach. You are really trading stretch marks for scars. Personally, I use cocoa butter and it comes in a medium sized tube for about five to six dollars and it really helps the tone of your skin; it doesn't fully dissolve the stretch marks away, but it lightens them up quite considerably--a lot of women use cocoa butter after they give birth because it lessens the stretch marks. To prevent stretch marks effectively use cocoa butter or a mixture of olive oil and herbs. You can find more cheap and natural remedies for stretch marks at the link below.