“How Do I Minimize Stretch Marks During Pregnancy?”

How Do I Minimize Stretch Marks During Pregnancy?

Do you fear stretch marks? Stretch marks are one of pregnancies long lasting side effects. While temporary side effects including morning sickness and bloating often fade in the weeks following labor and delivery, some side effects of pregnancy, including stretch marks remain for months and years following the birth of your baby.

While some women consider stretch marks with much fear and loathing, others wear their stretch marks as a triumphant reminder of their pregnancies. Whether you welcome the thought of stretch marks or dread them, keep in mind stretch marks are a common side effect of pregnancy.

Most women will experience some stretch marks or other skin changes during their pregnancy. In fact, if you manage to escape your pregnancy with nary a single stretch mark, consider yourself among the truly lucky.

Striae Gravidarum
Stretch marks, less commonly referred to as “striae gravidarum” occur when our skin stretches dramatically to accommodate our rapidly growing uterus during pregnancy. Up to 90% of women will develop stretch marks in some form or another.

Some women will escape pregnancy with small, whitish lines on their lower abdomen or thighs during pregnancy.  Others will develop serious red lines or purplish marks across their entire abdomen. Stretch marks are not confined to the abdomen during pregnancy, since most women “stretch” in other places during their pregnancy. Stretch marks can appear for example on the thighs, arms, buttocks and breasts of women during pregnancy.

Most stretch marks start off pink or red and gradually lighten in the months after pregnancy. While not painful, many women find them unappealing. They can also produce a dry or itchy sensation in the skin during pregnancy.

Can You Prevent Stretch Marks?
While you can use various lotions and creams to help reduce the appearance of stretch marks, most women cannot prevent them entirely. Most of us are genetically predisposed to stretch marks. Some women are more at risk for serious stretch marks than others. These include:

•  Women with a family history. If your mother has serious stretch marks, you are more likely to develop them.
•  Women who have them during previous pregnancies. They may or may not get worse during subsequent pregnancies.
•  Women who gain a lot of weight or excessive weight rapidly during pregnancy.
•  Women who are dehydrated. The less hydrated you are the more prone you are to stretch marks during pregnancy, because dehydration reduces our skin’s elasticity.
•  Ethnicity. Some women, including African American women, are less likely to develop stretch marks.

The good news is many women find their stretch marks fade significantly in the week following birth. You can take some steps during pregnancy to try and minimize the effects of stretch marks. For one, you need to stay properly hydrated. The more hydrated you are the more elastic your skin will be, and this will help reduce the appearance of stretch marks.

You can also use a rich cream or lotion containing cocoa butter or other soothing ingredients to help reduce itching and help improve your skin’s appearance during pregnancy. Many women continue this after their pregnancy to help reduce the appearance of their stretch marks.

If you find your stretch marks considerably unappealing many months following delivery, you might consider consulting with a dermatologist or plastic surgeon. There are more advanced ways of eliminating severe stretch marks today, including abdominal surgery (the tummy tuck) or laser surgery. Some of these methods may reduce severe stretch marks in women. Be sure you consult with your doctor before considering these options, and give yourself enough time to recover sufficiently after delivery.

You will of course, want to make sure you are done having children before considering surgery or other techniques to reduce your stretch marks. If you don’t, you may risk developing new stretch marks the next time you have a baby.