Pregnancy comes with its own unique joys and challenges. As you nurture life from within, your body undergoes changes, many of which will leave lasting marks on you, particularly your skin. A common problem among women who have given birth is stretch marks, those lines on the skin that resemble sand formed by waves at the bottom of the sea. They are a normal result of pregnancy but they are unsightly. Learn how to prevent stretch marks during pregnancy and avoid the time-consuming and often costly treatments you would otherwise have to undergo.
How do stretch marks form?
Although the skin is naturally elastic, it can be stretched in a way that causes it to scar. Stretch marks, as the name implies, are the result of the skin stretching at a faster rate that skin fibers do not have time to adjust to and grow. Stretch marks are known as striae and are actually a type of scarring that occurs when the skin tears. They tend to fade over time but will not completely disappear.
Some people are more prone to developing stretch marks than others because of genetics. If it runs in your family, it is best to be more conscious about how you take care of your skin as your belly grows so you can prevent lines and sagging skin in the future.
Stretch marks do not only appear on pregnant women, they can also appear on people who undergo rapid weight gain or growth and those who engage in muscle building. These lines are stubborn and are thus easier to prevent than to treat.
How to prevent stretch marks during pregnancy
Stretch marks usually appear on the 2nd and 3rd trimester but the best way to keep them at bay is to begin prepping the skin during the first trimester.
A good way to do this is to use lotions or massage oils that contain a high amount of moisturizers. Moisturizers help prevent skin dryness and retain moisture, making the skin more elastic. Look for lotions, massage oils and creams that contain Vit. A, Vitamin E, lanolin, wheat germ oil and cocoa butter.
A controlled study showed that regular application of a topical cream that contained Vit. E, collagen hydrolysates and gotu kola extracts showed promise in minimizing the appearance of stretchmarks among pregnant women. A research team in Germany also conducted a study that showed 2/3 of pregnant women who applied topical creams and massaged their bellies did not develop stretchmarks. In the same study, 2/3 of those who were untreated eventually had the marks.
Probably the most common way on how to prevent stretch marks during pregnancy is applying cocoa butter daily on the growing belly. There are many brands of good quality cocoa butter that not only provide a nourishing treatment to the skin, they also help you and your baby relax through soothing massages.
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