What Are Stretch Marks
Stretch marks, known as striae gravidarum in pregnancy, are basically a type of scar.
They look like indented streaks on your skin. They can be pink, red, black, blue, or purple. It all depends on:
- how theyre caused
- where they are on your body
- how old they are
Sometimes, when stretch marks first appear, they can feel slightly raised, but eventually theyll just feel like slight depressions in your skin.
When they first show up, they might also be itchy.
How Can You Prevent Stretch Marks
Standing in the mirror, many women inspect old or new stretch marks that may have formed throughout their pregnancy. While some women may feel they are alone in their struggle with stretch marks, its essential to understand that this is a common problem many individuals experience.
However, by better understanding the causes of stretch marks, you can do your best to prevent them with the right lifestyle choices and health practices.
The key to preventing pregnancy stretch marks lies in keeping your skin elastic and well-hydrated. This way, your skin stays supple during pregnancy as your body changes rapidly. To do this, a woman must eat nourishing and well-balanced meals that keep her healthy. These habits will support her health and her babys health throughout the pregnancy.
Foods that naturally help boost your bodys collagen production are bestâ such as:
You May Like: Can I Use Vagisil Wipes While Pregnant
How To Prevent Pregnancy Stretch Marks 10 Easy Steps That Work
Stretch marks are long red, purple or pink lines that appear on your skin. A stretch mark is actually a scar, initially happening as a tearing in the dermis due to overstretching. In other words, streas usually appear when the connective tissue of the skin is stretched beyond the possible limits of elasticity.
Stretch marks develop when the underlying tissues grow faster than the dermis, causing the dermis to tear. These tears leave linear striations on the upper layer of skin where the tissue has visibly thinned.
Women are more prone to developing stretch marks than men do, yet it is only true to a certain point, since the factors are the same for both genders, expect probably the one with pregnancy and breastfeeding.
The most common symptom before stretch marks occur is itchy, red and irritated skin. The color of the lines will eventually fade and become less prominent leaving nothing more than a cosmetic defect on your skin but it usually takes a couple of years.
Recommended Reading: How Pregnant Can You Be To Get An Abortion
Who Is Most Likely To Get Stretch Marks
Some people are at higher risk of developing stretch marks than the general population. If you happen to have the following risk factors, be more careful of your lifestyle choices. The vulnerable group involves:
- People with a family history of having stretch marks
- People who are overweight
- People who gain or lose weight quickly
- People using corticosteroids
- People with hormonal disorders, such as Cushings syndrome or Marfan syndrome
How Much Is Best Lotion To Prevent Stretch Marks During Pregnancy
Best Lotion To Prevent Stretch Marks During Pregnancy come in a variety of designs and pricing ranges. Itâs difficult to predict product costs nowadays.Because the price range is so wide, you don’t know how much something costs. For example, a pair of pants can range from $20 to $200 depending on where you buy them. Similarly, additional goods like as best lotion to prevent stretch marks during pregnancy.
Read Also: Can Pregnant Women Get Laser Hair Removal
How To Get Rid Of Stretch Marks With Laser Removal
Laser treatments are considered the most effective for stretch mark removal, and theres a good reason why: They force healing. Doctors use a microfine laser to reach deep into the skins sublayers. This kick-starts the bodys natural healing process, removing damaged tissue and rebuilding it using fresh collagenand revealing fresh, smooth skin in the process. That collagen will improve both skin texture and skin color, making stretch marks slowly disappear.
While laser treatments are the best way to get rid of stretch marksor more accurately, to help them fadeneither doctor relies on laser removal treatment alone. Fractional resurfacing lasers with microneedling can build collagen and improve the texture of skin, making it a little thicker, MacGregor says. Stretch marks will never resolve , but they will be less noticeable if the color and texture are blended to look more similar to the surrounding skin.
Imber adds: The most effective treatment we use is the use of platelet-rich plasma with microneedling or just injecting PRP directly into the area. As Imber explains, PRP is a high concentration of cellular elements from your own blood that promote cell growth, tissue repair and collagen production.
As for anything more serious, like surgery? While Imber isnt against the idea entirely, he does note that surgery will inevitably lead to additional scars, small as they may be. So keep that in mind while deciding which stretch mark removal route is best for you.
Use Invasive Treatments Only As A Last Resort
For stubborn stretch marks, you might want to consider invasive treatments like microdermabrasion and laser therapy. But try everything else first and use these treatments only as a last resort.Microdermabrasion is essentially a super powerful exfoliant. It uses a spray of microcrystals to remove the outermost layer of dry, dead skin cells. Laser treatments also use small bursts of light directed into the middle layers of skin.
Both treatments, while uncomfortable, will reduce the appearance of stretch marks by revealing younger, healthier skin.
You May Like: How To Bounce Back After Pregnancy
How To Get Rid Of Stretch Marks With Products
The best way to both get rid of stretch marks ? Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. Moms-to-be often turn to cocoa butter to keep the skin on their blossoming bumps smooth.
Still, as much as moisturizing can help keep your skin supple, over-the-counter products can take you only so far. Retinoids may slightly improve striae alba by building collagen and thickening the skin, but most topical treatments do not, MacGregor says. Laser is the best option.
Shes not alone in that opinion. Imber supports the same treatment for stretch mark removal. As for noninvasive treatments, he recommends topical formulas with alpha hydroxy acids, like Advanced Clinicalss AHA Cream and Gold Bond Ultimate Rough & Bumpy Skin .
Apply A Stretch Marks Cream Or Oil
The best way to prevent stretch marks during pregnancy is to use a specially formulated Stretch Marks Cream or Stretch Marks Oil. These products feel great when applied and they go a long way toward keeping your skin soft, supple, and stretch mark-free during pregnancy.We suggest a product with natural ingredients like avocado peptides, beeswax, shea butter, pomegranate, and baobab. Bao-what? Yes, some of these ingredients sound sort of strange.
But though you may have never heard of them before, they are outstanding at helping your skin withstand stretching, improving its elasticity, and keeping it feeling soft, smooth, and silky.
Also Check: How Many Ways To Get Pregnant
How Common Are Pregnancy Stretch Marks
As mentioned above, more than half of pregnant people develop stretch marks, meaning there’s a decent chance of having no pregnancy stretch marks. Likewise, itâs also possible to experience minimal pregnancy stretch marks on your stomach, breasts, thighs, or other parts of your body. Regardless, there are a few risk factors concerning pregnancy stretch marks:
-
Being pregnant at a younger age
-
Rapidly gaining weight during pregnancy
-
Using corticosteroids during pregnancy
-
Having certain genetic disorders .
If you fall into any of the categories above, you have a higher risk of developing pregnancy stretch marks.
How To Reduce Stretch Marks After Pregnancy
No matter how early you start your stretch mark reduction journey, it is still important to support your skin postpartum. Your hormones will have gone from the highest they have ever been, down to the lowest they have ever been in a very short amount of time. This can wreak havoc on your skins condition. Here are a couple of things you can do to reduce stretch marks and support your skin after pregnancy
Don’t Miss: How To Tell If You Re Pregnant With Twins
What Are The Possible Treatments For Stretch Marks During Pregnancy
Although there is no proven cure for stretch marks, some treatments can lighten and reduce their intensity considerably. These include:
- Topical medication: Prescribed medications containing hyaluronic acid, trofolastin, and tretinoin might work for stretch marks. Topical application has shown significant improvement in discoloration of the stretch marks, making them faint in appearance . Massaging the skin with the above creams for around six months could work .
Image: Shutterstock
- Lotions and oils: Creams or oils containing vitamin E can treat pregnancy stretch marks. Moisturizing the skin with cocoa butter, bio-oil, and olive oil eventually fades the marks or reduces their occurrence .
Centella asiatica
- Medical procedure: Post-pregnancy treatments such as laser therapy, microneedling, radiofrequency, and energy-based devices may be recommended by your healthcare provider. Laser therapy and microneedling enhance collagen production and reduce the blood flow to the stretch mark lesions .
- Early treatment: Most doctors recommend treating the stretch marks when they appear. You can consult with your healthcare provider about the possible treatment options .
Exfoliate Once Per Week
Your skin does a great job of repairing and rejuvenating all by itself. You can help the process, though, by exfoliating stretch-marked skin once per week. Exfoliating helps remove the top layer of dead skin cells and promotes growth and healing in the deeper layers of skin where stretch marks form.
We suggest a natural product like baking soda or witch hazel. Both products are gentle on your skin, so they wont cause dryness, irritation, or inflammation. The best time to exfoliate is in the morning after your skin has had time to complete its natural reparative process. Pick one day each week to help heal pregnancy stretch marks by exfoliating the skin on your belly, hips, thighs, and bust.
Don’t Miss: What Are Good Vitamins To Take To Get Pregnant
Natural Skin Care During Pregnancy
Weve given you several tips for treating stretch marks. But these pesky lines are just one of the changes your skin undergoes during pregnancy. And skin care is much more than only taking care of stretch marks!
You may notice that your skin is drier than its ever been. You can blame pregnancy hormones for this.
In addition to protecting and moisturizing your skin with Soothing Moisturizing Balm, treat dry skin by washing your face and showering with lukewarm water, avoiding rough fabrics, and exfoliating no more than once per week.
The other thing youll notice about your pregnancy skin is that its especially sensitive to the sun. That doesnt mean you cant enjoy the great outdoors or a day at the beach just take extra protective measures.
Armor up: wear sunscreen and a hat, stay in the shade, up your moisturizing game, and drink extra water.
Finally, when considering what products to use to care for your skin, make sure youre treating your skin with natural ingredients and not chemicals. This will also be important when it comes to the products you put on your babys delicate skin. Avocado oil is one natural ingredient that is great for both you and your baby!
Mustela is committed to skin health, and we use safe, effective, and natural ingredients in our products. Check out what we put in our products here.
What Can Get Rid Of Stretch Marks
Like any scar, stretch marks are permanent, but treatment may make them less noticeable. Treatment can also help alleviate the itch.
If youre pregnant or breastfeeding, check with your doctor before treating stretch marks. Some products contain ingredients, such as retinol, that can harm your baby.
Its important to understand that no single treatment works for everyone and many products dont seem to work at all. Heres what researchers have discovered about the many treatments for stretch marks.
Stretch mark creams, lotions, and gels: Researchers have studied many of the creams, lotions, and gels sold to treat stretch marks. While no one product seems to help all of the time and some dont seem to help at all researchers have discovered some helpful hacks.
If you want to try one of these creams, lotions, or gels to fade stretch marks, be sure to:
-
Use the product on early stretch marks. Treatment seems to have little effect on mature stretch marks.
-
Massage the product into your stretch marks.Taking time to massage the product gently into your skin may make it more effective.
-
Apply the product every day for weeks.If you see results, they take weeks to appear.
Home remedies: In studies, popular home remedies have not worked. Researchers found that none of the stretch marks faded when people massaged almond oil, cocoa butter, olive oil, or vitamin E into their stretch marks.
-
Hyaluronic acid
Recommended Reading: How Likely Is It To Get Pregnant With Mirena
Are Some People More Likely To Have Stretch Marks During Pregnancy Than Others
Its often the case that if your mother or grandmother had stretch marks during pregnancy that youll also be susceptible, but it doesnt always work that way. Dr. Mack says, Individuals who gain weight very rapidly in the first trimester of pregnancy are at a higher risk for developing stretch marks than those who gain their weight steadily over the full three trimesters. This is because a gradual weight gain puts less stress on the skin and allows it to stretch less abruptly.
Nourish Your Skin From The Inside
Keep taking your prenatal vitamin, which helps ensure youre getting enough of a variety of nutrients that support both your babys development and your skin health.
Eating plenty of vitamin C-rich foods like peppers, citrus and strawberries may also make your skin less subject to stretch marks. Vitamin C promotes collagen and tissue production, which helps keep skin strong and elastic.
While its far from proven to work, getting enough vitamin D in your diet may also help with stretch marks, and it certainly cant hurt. Load up on fatty fish, fortified dairy or dairy substitutes, and eggs, all of which are chock full of vitamin D, plus other pregnancy-friendly vitamins and nutrients .
Don’t Miss: Can Pregnant Women Take Tylenol
What Are Stretch Marks And How Do They Form
Stretch marks are basically small scars located in the middle layer of your skin that are visible in the top layer of skin . They form when rapid weight gain or hormonal changes stretch the skin beyond its ability to repair itself. Thats why theyre called stretch marks.Your skin has an amazing ability to stretch and adapt thanks to its collagen and elastin fibers. But when your skin stretches too fast or too far, it can tear slightly. When this happens, your body will immediately start working to heal the new scars. Despite our bodys natural defense mechanisms, small scars can still show up once everything is healed.
Any sort of quick weight gain or rapid growth spurt can lead to stretch marks, which means stretch marks arent just for pregnant womenStretch marks are most often associated with pregnancy because pregnancy hormones, like cortisol and estrogen, reduce the activity and effectiveness of the fibroblasts in your skin. This, in turn, reduces the collagen and elastin that give your skin its stretchiness. Couple that with your growing belly, thighs, and chest, and conditions are just right for stretch marks to form.
Every womans body and every pregnancy is different, but if you do develop stretch marks, youll probably start noticing them at the end of the second trimester or sometime during the third trimester. They usually form on a pregnant moms stomach, thighs, bottom, hips, and chest.
Pay Attention To Weight Gain
Pregnancy isnt a free-for-all when it comes to eating. Though you can expect to gain weight as your baby develops, Dr. Fozouni can determine a healthy weight range in which you should stay as your pregnancy progresses.
Gaining too much weight may not be safe for you or your baby and will likely increase your risk for noticeable stretch marks. Stick with a healthy diet and appropriate exercises to stay fit and firm throughout your pregnancy.
Read Also: Can You Be Pregnant And Spotting
Heres How To Prevent Stretch Marks During Pregnancy
Your body undergoes many changes during pregnancy, and the formation of stretch marks is one change that most pregnant women have to deal with.
Stretch marks may look like red, purple or white indents in your skin and often appear on your stomach, hips, bottom, thighs and chest. If your family members have stretch marks, you may have an increased risk of getting stretch marks yourself.
In this article, we share the causes of stretch marks during pregnancy and what you can do to prevent stretch marks from forming.
Stretch Mark Products To Keep Your Skin Hydrated
What to Expect selects products based on real-life testing conducted by staff, contributors and members our user community, as well as independent research and expert feedback learn more about our review process. Prices and details are accurate as of the published date. We may earn commissions from shopping links.
Also Check: How Many Weeks Does It Take To Show Pregnancy
What Is The Best Treatment For Stretch Marks
Like any other scar, stretch marks may never disappear completely, but they often fade over time and become less noticeable without any treatment. They affect how our skin looks, disfigure its natural appearance, damage our self-image, and causes cosmetic concerns which even may lead to anxiety. So, some people want to get rid of stretch marks, hide them or make them least noticeable.
Treating stretch marks with products found at a store or online might be expensive yet ineffective. So, if you are looking for a way to get rid of stretch marks and do not want to waste your time and money, consulting a specialist, plastic surgeon, or dermatologist can be helpful. According to the scars situation and the creation time, they offer one or a combination of treatments that suits your conditions best.
Generally, in-office procedures have shown better results compared to others methods, and surgery is the only way to get rid of them permanently. But there are other temporary ways to cover them, as well.
Read Also: What Exercises Help Tone Your Stomach
