Reduce The Effects of Stretch Marks

It’s an unpleasant statistic. Between 75% and 90% of women will develop stretch marks during pregnancy. Chances are you won’t be able to entirely avoid the appearance of these marks whatever you do—especially since doctors currently believe that stretch marks are a hereditary thing. Do not despair however! Just because you can’t avoid stretch marks doesn’t mean that there are not ways to cope with them, to minimize their appearance, and to reduce their effects once they’ve arrived.

Preventing Stretch Marks

Stretch marks are caused by periods of sudden growth that literally outstretch the skin’s elasticity. One of these is pregnancy. Since the issue is elasticity, you can attempt to prevent the development of some stretch marks (if not all) by focusing on keeping your skin elastic during pregnancy. The traditionally recommended pregnancy skincare products for this is to massage lotions, creams, and shea butter into the skin in areas where stretching is likely to occur. There are other steps you can take however and these include making sure that you eat right and stay hydrated. Finally, make sure that you follow recommended guidelines for weight gain during pregnancy. Gaining weight slowly and steadily will give your skin time o cope with the stress you’ve placed upon it.

Treating Stretch Marks

Since you will in all probability be unlikely to completely prevent the development of stretch marks during pregnancy, you may be looking for ways to remove them afterwards. There are several treatments on the market that are geared to different levels of expense—from covering them with self tanner or make-up to signing up for microdermabrasion and laser removal treatments. There are lotions designed to fade the look of your marks and chemical applications you can use as well. If you decide to do nothing, then just remember that they will fade and become less noticeable on their own over time.