How to Eliminate Stretch Marks during Pregnancy
Stretch marks are marks that occur on the surface of the skin. Generally, they appear in areas where fat accumulates, such as the belly, buttocks, breasts or thighs.
It’s common for future moms to wonder how to eliminate stretch marks during pregnancy. Stretch marks frequently appear during pregnancy.
In fact, most mothers suffer from them during their first pregnancy, which is explained by the intense stretching of the skin and hormonal changes.
In general, stretch marks during pregnancy can appear in the second trimester, but are much more frequent towards the end of pregnancy.
You should know that they’re similar to scars, and it’s impossible to make them disappear completely. However, you can reduce the color and size so they’re as inconspicuous as possible.
7 Tips to Eliminate Stretch Marks during Pregnancy
Prevention is the fundamental weapon against the appearance of stretch marks. In general, you must take great care of your skin to maintain its flexibility.
This should be done especially during pregnancy, since it’s the time most prone to hormonal changes and weight gain. Also, we recommend following the tips below to eliminate stretch marks during pregnancy:
1. Hydrate Your Skin Every Day
The first tip is to use creams or oils that give you elasticity and hydration. You must apply them regularly throughout the body, particularly in areas where there are stretch marks.
We advise you to do this starting from the first months of pregnancy and even after, during breastfeeding.
The most appropriate creams are the ones that are enriched with vegetable oils. Also, we recommend using oils such as sweet almond oil, jojoba, shea butter, avocado, wheat germ and olive oil.
2. Pay Attention to Your Weight
The higher the weight, the easier it is to form stretch marks. If your skin is under tension, the more elastic fibers can break, especially in areas that increase in volume during pregnancy. Some examples of this are your stomach, hips or chest.
3. Drink Lots of Water
If you want to eliminate stretch marks during pregnancy, it is essential to keep your body hydrated. For future mothers who want to have flexible skin, the goal is to drink between 6 to 8 cups of water per day.
Of course, you can also drink teas or vegetable juices. However, avoid caffeinated tea and coffee, as well as very sweet sodas. Fruit juices can be beneficial for giving you vitamins, although you should limit the ones that contain a lot of sugar.
4. Eat Healthy
By the way, there are no anti-stretch foods. However, some can help provide the necessary vitamins to preserve the youth and elasticity of your skin.
Foods that do this are the ones rich in antioxidants, such as vitamins C and E. These are found in fruits and vegetables such as kiwi, lettuce, peppers, oranges, lemons, grapefruits, melons, pineapple, tomatoes, legumes, vegetable oils and animal proteins.
“Prevention is the fundamental weapon against the appearance of stretch marks. In general, you must take great care of your skin to maintain its flexibility.”
5. Move Around a Lot
Only do physical activity that your gynecologist or specialist approves of. In addition to the usual benefits you get from sports, you should know that physical activity also helps fight stretch marks, as it tones the muscles and provides good support for your skin.
6. Apply a Gentle Scrub
The first step to combat and prevent stretch marks is exfoliation. Therefore, we advise that you replace your shower gel with a gentle exfoliant. Exfoliating allows the regeneration of new cells, helping to strengthen your skin.
7. Avoid Sun Exposure
In general, it’s better to limit sun exposure during pregnancy. If you have stretch marks, you shouldn’t expose them to the sun, as they may become even more visible.
If you want to eliminate stretch marks during pregnancy, we recommend being patient and, above all, always being prepared to face and accept the changes that your body may go through
Don’t forget that perseverance is essential when it comes to obtaining good results. It won’t be enough to apply these treatments on your skin only once. However, the most important thing will be to prevent them before they appear.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
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- Korgavkar K, Wang F. Stretch marks during pregnancy: a review of topical prevention. Br J Dermatol. 2015 Mar;172(3):606-15.
- Oakley AM, Patel BC. Stretch Marks. 2021 Nov 2. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan–.
- Brennan M, Young G, Devane D. Topical preparations for preventing stretch marks in pregnancy. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012 Nov 14;11:CD000066.
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