Pregnancy And Stretch Marks
Stretch marks are a form of scarring on the skin. Stretch marks often form in the later half of pregnancy when the belly is rapidly expanding to accommodate a growing baby. Stretch marks can appear anywhere on the body, but are most likely to appear in places where larger amounts of fat are stored. Most common places are the abdomen (especially near the navel), breasts, upper arms, underarms, back, thighs (both inner and outer), hips, and buttocks. They pose no health risk. Stretch marks are not painful but the stretching of the skin may cause a tingling or itchy sensation.
Between 75% and 90% of women develop stretch marks to some degree during pregnancy. Stretch marks are most commonly seen as small depressions in the skin and are caused by changes in the elastic supportive tissue that lies just beneath the skin. They start out pink, reddish brown, purple, or dark brown, depending on your skin color. They tend to be pinkish in light skinned women, and in dark skinned women they will be lighter than the surrounding skin.
They fade with time, although they never totally disappear. This makes pregnancy stretch marks one of the main concerns for women who are planning their pregnancy. Pregnancy stretch marks may look very embarrassing.
How are stretch marks caused?
Stretch marks are formed as a result of rapid stretching of the skin associated with rapid weight gain during pregnancy. Rapid gain of fat overcomes the dermis’s elasticity causing tearing of the dermis, the middle layer that helps the skin retain its shape. When the skin is stretched continually past the breakdown point, the body will try to compensate by sending more collagen to the over stretched site. The excess collagen is what causes scar like tissue and stretch marks develop. They reflect the separation of collagen of the skin.
At least half of pregnant women get stretch marks. However, there are some factors that increase your chances of getting stretch marks.
• Weight gain, weight loss and stretch marks
Slow and steady weight gain is ideal. The faster you gain weight during pregnancy, the more likely it is you will get stretch marks.Gaining weight at a steady rate within recommended weight gain range can lower your chance of having stretch marks during pregnancy. Rapid weight gain is unhealthy for you and your baby and is also a common cause of stretch marks. The more your skin has to expand during pregnancy and the more quickly it happens the more likely you are to develop stretch marks. Gaining excess weight more than what’s recommended also leads to stretch marks formation.
• Hormonal changes
Stretch marks may also be influenced by hormonal changes associated with pregnancy.
• Mechanical changes
Stretch marks usually appear during the sixth or seventh month, primarily during the 3rd trimester, as that is when skin tends to be subjected to higher levels of stretching forces.
• Genetics
Genetics plays a role. If your mother or sister got stretch marks during their pregnancy, you’re more likely to get them, too.
There are some more factors that contribute to stretch marks:
• Nutritional Status: Well hydrated and healthy skin stretches better.
• Ethnicity: African, American women get less stretch marks.
• If you’re carrying multiples your more likely to get stretch marks.
• If you’re carrying a big baby your sure to get stretch marks.
• If you have excess amniotic fluid it increases your chance of getting stretch marks .
Do stretch marks ever go away?
No, you can only minimize the appearance of stretch marks. The good news is that stretch marks usually become considerably less noticeable about six to 12 months after childbirth. The pigmentation fades and they generally become lighter than the surrounding skin, the color will vary depending on your skin color, but their texture will remain the same.
How to prevent stretch marks?
There are things that you can do to prevent stretch marks during pregnancy. After you are through with your pregnancy you’ll get busy with your new born baby so it’s better and advisable to take care and prevent stretch marks from the very beginning of your pregnancy. It’s always better to take preventive measures to prevent stretch marks than to feel embarrassed and self-conscious latter.
Even if you are prone to getting stretch marks or you already have them or women in your family have them, don’t get discouraged. You may still be able to avoid getting them to some degree by taking care of your body and skin.
Tips To Prevent Pregnancy Stretch Marks
Diet and stretch marks
Eat a healthy well balanced diet. Eating right during pregnancy can help you keep your weight gain under control. Maintain a healthy diet to nourish your skin and your baby. Diet during pregnancy has a lot to do not only for the health of mother and child but what you eat during pregnancy also helps to prevent stretch marks. A balanced diet which includes adequate amount of Vitamin A, C, and E found in fish liver oils, vegetables, fruits, eggs and beans keeps the skin healthy and supple and heals and prevents stretch marks. Eat the right amount of calories from healthy foods which provide plenty of calcium, protein, whole grains, and vitamin rich fruits and vegetables.
Take your prenatal vitamins. Your body needs extra vitamins and minerals at the time of pregnancy so taking your vitamins will supplement those needs. It will also help you develop beautiful skin and hair during your pregnancy.
Water and its magic on stretch marks
Drink plenty of water to keep your skin well hydrated and pliable. Proper hydration will maintain the elasticity of skin which will in turn help keep the collagen production at normal levels and prevent the stretch marks. Drink eight or more glasses of water and/or other fluids daily to hydrate your skin and maintain elasticity.
Weight gain, weight loss and stretch marks
Follow guidelines for gradual weight gain, in the recommended amount. Talk with your doctor about how much weight you should gain during your pregnancy. Watch your diet and try not to put on excessive weight during pregnancy. Follow a fitness regime during pregnancy in consultation with your physician. Moderate exercises during pregnancy keeps your muscle toned up and this will prevent stretch marks.
Continue regimen after you deliver until you’re back to your target weight, rapid weight loss can also result in stretch marks.
Well hydrated and healthy skin
Don’t allow your skin to dry out. Cold weather and hot showers or baths will dry out your skin. You may need to moisturize your skin two or three times as often as possible like you normally would during winter or if you take hot showers.
Home remedies for stretch marks
You can minimize the appearance of stretch marks with constant and regular use of creams and other applications.
• During pregnancy, massage cocoa butter twice a day on your stomach, hips and breasts. Cocoa butter is known to be an effective remedy to prevent pregnancy stretch marks. The cocoa butter will be hard and solid, so grate some with a microplane or cheese grater, then heat it in a double boiler or a glass measuring cup in the microwave. Once the melted cocoa butter has cooled to just warm, gently smooth it over your belly. This is very soothing, smells wonderful, and also helps your belly feel better.
• Aloe Vera gel is also useful to prevent stretch marks. Apply Aloe Vera gel on your stomach during pregnancy which will ensure that you don’t get stretch marks after child birth.
• Mix equal amounts of calendula oil, almond oil and wheat germ oil and apply the mixture on your stomach, breasts and hips. If you can find pure Lanolin, it works very well. This will protect you from getting stretch marks after your baby is born.
• Massage lightly with olive oil on your stretch marks until you start seeing the difference. Castor oil, avocado oil, and
vitamin E oil can also be used in place of olive oil. You will definitely feel the difference within a short period of time. Wheat germ oil, almond oil and shea butter also help.
• Use sandalwood paste on your stomach during pregnancy. Sandalwood paste is known to prevent skin from stretching a lot during pregnancy.
Moisturizers, creams and lotions
• Moisturize your breasts, belly, sides, lower back, thighs and anywhere else you think you might get stretch marks, twice in the morning and night. Your moisturizer should be safe and all natural.
• Another way to avoid stretch marks is to use creams that contain vitamin E or cocoa butter. You can make your own pregnancy stretch mark cream with cocoa butter, olive oil, and vitamin E cream. Just mix the ingredients and apply. Massage these creams onto your skin where stretch marks are forming. The massaging action itself can increase blood flow to that area and diminish visible stretch marks.
• Creams and lotions have not been medically proven to prevent stretch marks as they cannot penetrate to the deep skin layer where stretch marks occur, but they can help your skin to feel less dry and itchy. If you notice itching where your skin is being stretched, that is a sign to add more moisturizer in that area.
• A good cream for treatment of stretch marks is Zenmed’s Stretta. It contains high grade glycolic acid and medicinal botanical extracts that help to erase the marks quickly without causing any irritation or itching.
• Avoid using certain stretch mark products while pregnant, brands that say “not for use by pregnant or nursing women.”
• If you are using lotions or creams to prevent or minimize breast stretch marks, be careful when you’re nursing. You don’t want your baby to ingest the chemicals.
• Topical medications such as tretinoin (Retin-A) and glycolic acid may help. (Note: Retin-A is not safe to use during pregnancy and there’s no reliable information on the amount excreted in breast milk or its effect on a nursing infant, so it’s best avoided while breastfeeding.)
All those expensive creams, oils and ointments can do is improve the tone and appearance of your skin and make the stretch marks less noticeable. You won’t be able to banish them altogether, but if your stretch marks still bother you after your pregnancy, talk to a skin specialist, dermatologist about ways to minimize them. There are a variety of treatment options.
Removal of stretch marks
Several cosmetic surgical procedures are performed for removing stretch marks. One such procedure is called tummy tuck for removing lower abdominal stretch marks. Stretch marks occur frequently below the navel and in this treatment the skin below the navel is removed.
Another novel approach to treating stretch marks is fractional laser resurfacing. Using scattered pulses of light only a fraction of the scar is zapped by the laser over the course of several treatments. This creates microscopic wounds. The body responds to each treatment by producing new collagen and epithelium.
There’s some evidence that laser treatments can help restore the skin’s elasticity and also change the pigmentation so the stretch marks better match the rest of your skin. For some women there is no way to prevent stretch marks. However, the good news is that they do fade over time. They will take on a much lighter color depending on your skin tone. Having a healthy baby should be the most important thing. A few stretch marks are a small price to pay for a beautiful, healthy baby. But if you follow the above tips, you may be able to prevent stretch marks during pregnancy. If the stretch marks still bother you, talk to a dermatologist or plastic surgeon about the best treatment option. There are new techniques and surgeries being explored all the time.
Be aware that the appearance of stretch marks is considered a cosmetic issue, so insurance probably won’t cover the cost of dermatology appointments, medications, and procedures.