Helpful Tips for Stretch Marks

I think every pregnant woman fears those dreadful stretch marks! I know that I did. There are some factors other than being pregnant that contribute to getting stretch marks. These things include genetics, rate of weight gain, size of baby, etc.  Here is some information about stretch marks and a few tips to help prevent them!

What is a stretch mark? It is a small, depressed streak in the skin. It usually appears in the abdomen during pregnancy. It usually comes in the later stages of pregnancy. It happens because the belly is rapidly expanding to make room for a growing baby.

How will you know if you will get them? There is no real way to predict this. If your mom or sister got them, research shows you will have a greater chance in getting them. Some research also shows that younger moms, especially teen moms, are more likely to get them. You are also more likely to get them if your skin stretches rapidly during pregnancy and if it stretches a lot. Therefore, if you gain a lot of weight and gain it quickly, you are more likely to get them. Also, if you are carrying multiples, a large baby, or have a lot of amniotic fluid, you are more likely to get them.

How can you prevent them? Research says there is not much you can do. They recommend not gaining anymore than 25-35 pounds throughout the entire pregnancy. If you do this, this will help your belly not get to large to quickly. However, if you are having multiples this is kind of hard to prevent. There is no research that creams or oils help. However, I do believe they help some. I used Queen Helene Cocoa Butter Lotion and I thought it helped! It smells good and lasted for my whole pregnancy. I actually have about 1/2 a bottle left. I also used Palmer's Cocoa Butter for Pregnancy towards the end of pregnancy and after. I used these everyday. They seemed to help me! I even used it on my legs on previous stretch marks from cheerleading in high school and college. It did help reduce those.  I do not believe lotions can eliminate stretch marks, but I do believe they can help!

Do stretch marks go away? They will probably never go away. The good news is they will probably fade 6-12 months after pregnancy! The texture will stay the same. The color may lighten as well.

Can you get rid of stretch marks? You cannot get rid of stretch marks entirely. A dermatologist can give you suggestions or a treatment plan to help them if you want to go that route. Topical medications can be prescribed to help with them. Make sure any topical medications you get and use during pregnancy or breastfeeding are safe to use. There are some that are not safe, like Retin-A. There are options like laser treatments, but that is a cost you will likely have to take upon yourself since this is a cosmetic issue.

I hope this helps you in preventing stretch marks or helps reduce any stretch marks you get. Again, I believe lotions and creams help to a degree, but other factors are involved as well. If you do get them, realize it is okay. Many women have them and you have a beautiful baby in turn for having those! You are still as beautiful as before!

Until next time!