We have high expectations for having a perfect body, from having six-pack abs to flawless skin. Whose fault is it? Many will say the media, which portrays young women with airbrushed bodies. I say it's our own fault. We know no one is perfect, yet we still strive to get a flawless body. It is encouraging when you see celebrities who have lost weight. It makes us think that hey, I can do that, too! However, we somehow conveniently forget that they work out for hours daily with personal trainers and work with nutritionists to help them lose weight. And let's not forget the possible nip and tuck.

Still, we ignore those facts and obsess with our bodies. Take stretch marks for example. Raise your hand if you don't have one single stretch mark on your body ... yeah, I don't believe you. I'm lucky that I don't have many stretch marks -- I think slathering myself with moisturizer helps, or maybe it's genetic. Who knows? Either way, I can't complain.

People go out of their way to prevent and get rid of stretch marks. The least expensive way is using stretch mark creams, although some creams cost over $100 for a 6-ounce bottle. Some also try laser treatments, dermabrasion and chemical peel. I've read that drinking a lot of water helps you develop fewer stretch marks since it makes your skin soft, therefore more elastic. It may also help if you eat foods high in zinc, like nuts and fish, and rich in vitamins A and C, like carrots and citrus. However, if stretch marks run in your family, then you'll probably still get them anyway.

I guess no one knows for sure if any of the stretch mark treatments really work, but people just love to try! Check out the top searched stretch mark creams on AOL Search below. Have you tried any of them? If so, did they work for you?

For more information on stretch marks, go to AOL Body and search for stretch marks on AOL Search.

This month's top searched stretch mark creams on AOL Search:
1. Hydroderm
2. Strivectin-SD
3. Mederma
4. Revitol Stretch Mark
5. Zenmed
6. Trilastin-SR
7. StriPeptin
8. Palmer's Cocoa Butter
9. Tummy Honey
10. Vita-k Solution

See sponsored links for: stretch marks treatment, stretch marks creams, laser treatments.

Diet can be a negative word. If you ask an average woman how many diets she's been on, I'm guessing she'll say at least three. Many probably say that diets just don't work or that they only worked for a short period of time.

I myself have been on, hmmm ... maybe at least two diets that I can think of. One when I was in high school and I lost so much weight in two weeks that it scared me, so I stopped (OK, that wasn't a diet, that was starving myself by eating carrots for lunch and dinner). And the other one was about two years ago. I haven't been on a diet since then, although the way I've been downing ice cream sundaes lately, I think I'll need to!

The last one that I did was the South Beach Diet and I'm pleased to say that it worked for me. I lost 15 pounds in 2 months. Woohoo! Plus my grocery bill was lower since I stopped buying cookies and desserts. I thought Phase I was the easiest phase, contrary to what others may say. It was easier for me because I knew exactly what I could and could not eat. I did get sick of having boiled eggs and skim milk everyday for breakfast, though, instead of my usual cereal with skim milk and orange juice.

When Phase II came around, I thought I was about to fail my new regime. I found that it was hard to control the portion of carbs and sugar that I could introduce back into my diet. Somehow I stuck with it -- I think logging in my information on the South Beach Diet Web site really helped me since I can track my food intake and my progress. Also, I did have a cheat day once a week where I allowed myself to eat anything as much as I want, so I didn't feel as deprived.

So now, I'm thinking about going back on the South Beach Diet. Although I just heard about the 3-hour diet, where you eat every three hours, and the cookie diet ... no joke! With the cookie diet, you eat one dinner and six hunger-suppressing cookies a day. That one is definitely interesting, but I don't think that will work for me since I need variety in my food.

I decided to use summer as an excuse to not go on a diet. What 's a girl to do when it's 95 degrees outside and you just need to have an ice cream cone? So maybe in the fall, I'll revisit this whole dieting thing again. Until then, you can share some dieting tips with me. Which diet plan has worked for you?

For more information dieting, check out AOL Body and search for diet plans on AOL Search.

Top searched diets on AOL Search:
1. Weight Watchers
2. Jenny Craig
3. NutriSystem
4. South Beach Diet
5. LA Weight Loss
6. Atkins diet
7. Cabbage soup diet
8. Slim Fast
9. Body for Life
10. Low carb diet

See sponsored links for: diet plans, diet centers, healthy diet.

Is 2007 the year of the recall? First, the pet food fiasco. Then, the beef recall. Now, Mattel recalls more than 18 million toys, only two weeks after 1.5 million Chinese-made Fisher Price toys were recalled.

Parents are definitely concerned. The recalled toys include popular items such as Barbie dolls, Polly Pocket play sets and Batman action figures. According to a parents' guide to toy recalls on Time.com, the toys have been recalled because of lead paint and loose magnets. The small, loose magnets glued onto the toys may be accidentally swallowed by children. If toys that contain excessive amount of lead ingested, children may face developmental and health problems, such as hyperactivity, low IQ and kidney damage.

It's not just parents who feel the pain. A co-owner of a Chinese toy company that makes many of the recalled Fisher-Price toys committed suicide in his company's warehouse. This happened only days after Chinese officials temporarily banned the company from exporting products. His co-workers described his act as "unbearable losses" from the toy recall.

So what should parents do? The U.S. Public Interest Research Group advises parents to stick to common sense, such as keeping toys with small parts away from children. And what is Mattel's plan to keep children safe? According to the press release on their Web site, Mattel is working with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, other regulatory agencies and retailers worldwide to identify and remove affected products.

For more information on Mattel toy recalls, go to AOL News and search for Mattel recall on AOL Search.

Hot Searches from August 14, 2007:
1. Phil Rizzuto -- Yankees Hall of Famer dies at 89.
2. Giada De Laurentiis -- Food Network star joins the cast of 'Today' show.
3. Craig Carton -- Former co-host of the 'The Jersey Guys' replaces Don Imus.
4. Ferris wheel -- 5 family members die from an overturned Ferris wheel car in Korea.
5. 'America's Got Talent' -- Final four contestants are selected.
6. Mattel -- More than 18 million toys recalled.
7. Tropical storm Dean -- The first Atlantic hurricane of the 2007 season?
8. Toy recall -- More recalls increase concerns among parents.
9. Brian "Crush" Adams -- Wrestler dies after he was found unconscious at home.
10. 'Live with Regis and Kelly' -- Celebrates 20th anniversary with Kathie Lee Gifford.
11. Mary Louise Parker -- Poses nude for 'Weeds' a publicity photo.
12. Robin Roberts -- 'Good Morning America' co-host returns after cancer surgery.
13. Imus -- Settles with CBS and faces first lawsuit by a basketball team player.
14. Dog the Bounty Hunter -- Shares a common past with a hunted one.
15. 'Today' show -- Fourth hour starts next month.
16. Fisher-Price -- Co-owner of a Chinese toy manufacturer commits suicide.
17. Kat Von D -- 'LA Ink' premiere is the most-watched series debut on TLC.
18. 'Dancing with the Stars' -- Returns in September.
19. Avril Lavigne -- Hangs out with gal pals in California.
20. 'Hell's Kitchen' -- Rock is Head Chef for the Green Valley Ranch Resort and Spa.

See sponsored links for: toys, online toy stores, children's toys.