Fighting stretch marks during pregnancy

Almost all nulliparous people probably know what stretch marks are and what they look like. After all, the appearance of stretch marks is one of the most unpleasant pregnancy companions for a woman. But the worst thing is that, unlike others, they do not disappear immediately after childbirth. Therefore, along with painful toxicosis and severe swelling, the appearance of stretch marks is something that newly pregnant women fear almost more than anything else.

In fact, stretch marks are not a fatal disease, and there is no need to be so panicky about them. But it is true that they do not disappear on their own without a trace. And in order to prevent their appearance or at least reduce their appearance, you need to know a little more about stretch marks than your experienced friends tell you.

What are stretch marks?

Experts call stretch marks stretch marks. But, despite the simple and seemingly accurate popular definition, stretch marks are tears, and not just stretches. Due to the loss of elasticity and firmness by the skin, it becomes thin and easily tears under tension, which is what happens during fetal growth. Of course, the epidermis is not completely torn, but only its inner layer. And he recovers very quickly. However, scars after ruptures still remain, which we see in the form of stretch marks.

In the initial stages of recovery, the connective tissue is permeated with capillaries, so the stretch marks have a lilac, pink or violet color. But gradually they become discolored and, unfortunately, remain exactly that way forever - white pearlescent scars that cannot even be tanned under the sun (after all, there is no melanin pigment there).

Why do stretch marks occur?

Ideally, our skin is similar in its properties to rubber: it is elastic, elastic, can stretch and easily return to its previous state. But for a number of reasons, these functions can be impaired - the skin becomes thinner and very easily tears from the inside. This is how stretch marks appear.

The occurrence of stretch marks in women is directly related to pregnancy. The uterus gradually enlarges, the fetus grows rapidly, and the skin does not always keep up with them. In addition, from the very beginning, colossal changes begin to occur in the body of the expectant mother, which is simply necessary to create conditions for bearing and giving birth to a healthy child. All these processes are “guided” by hormones. It is the change in the level of the hormones estrogen and progesterone that directly leads to the appearance of stretch marks. Because with high levels of these hormones, the release of collagen (responsible for skin density) and elastin (necessary for its easy stretching) decreases. The skin loses its ability to easily stretch and return to its previous state without damage. And this process, unfortunately, cannot be regulated.

The most important reason for the appearance of stretch marks is heredity. If your mother and grandmother had stretch marks, you are almost guaranteed to have them too. And in this sense, it doesn’t matter how big your belly is. Sometimes, a woman’s small belly leaves very noticeable marks, while another woman’s huge belly leaves none. This is the trick.

However, besides genetics, there are a number of other factors that contribute to the appearance of stretch marks and their increase in number. This is the quality of nutrition of a pregnant woman, the intake of vitamins, motor mode, and the rate of weight gain. The appearance of stretch marks is influenced by smoking during pregnancy, the woman’s age (young skin is more elastic), weakness of the abdominal muscles, metabolic disorders (diabetes or obesity, for example).

In addition, do not forget that stretch marks appear not only during pregnancy, but also in the first time after childbirth. We are talking about the breast: milk comes in very quickly to provide nutrition to the baby. The skin of the breast may not keep up with its rapidly increasing volumes, and connective tissue ruptures occur.

However, many of these factors can be controlled, which can significantly reduce the risk of unwanted streaks on the skin.

How to prevent stretch marks from appearing?

If your friend who gave birth boasts of the absence of stretch marks, this is not at all because she applied the most expensive cream at the stage of planning her pregnancy. She was just lucky: she had naturally elastic skin. So it will be very wrong on your part to pin your hopes on cosmetics alone: ​​you may miss the moment. But you can’t sit idly by waiting for stretch marks to appear either. If your skin is genetically predisposed to this, you just need to try to slow down the unwanted processes. Like, in principle, any pregnant woman. But in case of predisposition, efforts need to be tripled.

Why do stretch marks appear during pregnancy?

Many people think that the larger the tummy, the risk of getting stretch marks, which is what experts call stretch marks, increases several times. This is a misconception, because expectant mothers with small bellies also often face the problem of skin deformation. The cause of stretch marks is hormonal imbalance. During pregnancy, a sharp jump in the level of progesterone and estrogen occurs in the body of the expectant mother, which leads to a decrease in the synthesis of collagen, which is responsible for the density of the skin, and elastin, due to which the skin stretches like rubber. For the same reason, stretch marks can appear not only in pregnant women, but also in adolescents during hormonal changes in the body. And even those who have already given birth may develop stretch marks, for example, during the formation of lactation. There are also a number of other factors that influence the appearance of stretch marks:

1. Heredity. If a woman has stretch marks in her family, then the likelihood of them appearing in the expectant mother is also high. To prevent the appearance of stretch marks, you should start caring for the skin of your tummy and thighs from the first weeks of pregnancy;
2. Decreased physical activity. A sedentary lifestyle leads to the deposition of excess fatty tissue, which fills skin breaks;
3. Rapid weight gain, as a result of which the skin does not have time to stretch evenly;
4. Endocrine system diseases. If the expectant mother suffers from diabetes, this causes the skin to lose elasticity.

How stretch marks appear during pregnancy

The nature of stretch marks is clear, now we need to figure out what is actually happening to the skin. The word “stretch marks” does not quite correctly describe the nature of stretch marks. In fact, the skin does not stretch, but tears. During pregnancy, stretch marks appear gradually: first, the skin becomes thinner, the tension increases, and the inner layer of the epidermis breaks. The tears begin to fill with connective (scar) tissue. Outwardly, this manifests itself in the form of dark red, sometimes purple stripes, which everyone calls stretch marks. This color of stretch marks is explained by the translucency of blood vessels through thinned skin. Over time, the stripes turn white, and the skin remains in this form forever.

How to avoid stretch marks during pregnancy

If the fabric is torn, it will never become a whole fabric again. That is why it is impossible to get rid of stretch marks that have already appeared during pregnancy or after it, but it is possible to try to prevent the appearance of stretch marks.

No one can tell you what month or week of pregnancy stretch marks occur. For some, the exciting period of waiting for a baby begins, for others, they walk around with a beautiful belly until the last days and only after giving birth discover the hated stripes. The following activities will help preserve the beauty and health of the expectant mother:

1. Organizing a proper, healthy diet is the first step in preventing stretch marks. Protein-rich foods will help replenish the balance of collagen and elastin. If the expectant mother adheres to vegetarianism, then the chance of getting stretch marks on her skin increases several times compared to “meat eaters”. To prevent your skin from losing its elasticity, you should drink plenty of water. Olive oil, bananas, legumes are all healthy foods for women, but flour will have to be limited;
2. Strong physical activity will help prevent stretch marks during pregnancy. The stronger the muscles, the less susceptible the skin is to tearing. Exercise will also help control your weight;
3. Massage and contrast shower are a way to tone and strengthen the skin. In addition to preventing stretch marks, such measures help prepare the breast skin for lactation;
4. Special underwear and a bandage will help prevent the appearance of stretch marks.

How to fight stretch marks during pregnancy with cosmetics

Creams or oils help maintain skin elasticity. Don't forget about them while carrying your baby. There is a separate series of cosmetics created to prevent stretch marks and help get rid of them in the early stages of pregnancy. Which cream or oil is best against stretch marks?

This series includes a cream for the prevention of stretch marks, cosmetic oil and a regenerating serum. They contain natural ingredients that increase skin elasticity.

1. The cream for stretch marks during pregnancy has a light texture and is well absorbed without additional effort on the skin;
2. The oil in a spray bottle is convenient to apply to the tummy and chest. Suitable for use during and after pregnancy;
3. The serum was created specifically for skin care after childbirth. It can also be used during the happy 9 months, applied to the skin as soon as stretch marks begin to appear.

Main minus All products from the Mustela Maternity series – it is impossible to apply them to the postoperative suture.

The manufacturer offers expectant mothers a light preventive gel and serum for deep skin restoration.

1. Absorbs quickly, penetrating deep into skin cells;
2. The serum helps reduce the appearance of even long-standing stretch marks;
3. The products are based on natural ingredients;
4. Light, unobtrusive herbal scent.

1. The gel is only suitable for prevention, so if you need comprehensive care, it is better to choose serum.

This oil against stretch marks during pregnancy is popular among many expectant mothers.

1. Can be used from the first days of pregnancy;
2. Suitable for the skin of the abdomen, chest, thighs;
3. Well absorbed;
4. Composition: a complex of natural oils.

1. Rich citrus aroma;
2. Inconvenient dispenser: if oil accidentally gets on clothes, it leaves yellow stains.

A light anti-stretch mark cream that can be used even in early pregnancy.

1. Natural composition: this cream can be used to treat stretch marks during pregnancy or to reduce the appearance of stretch marks after childbirth and during breastfeeding;
2. Stimulates elastin production and prevents collagen destruction;
3. Light aroma.

1. For the cream to be completely absorbed, it must be rubbed into the skin. The cream should be used with caution in case of increased tone.

This series includes cream, balm and oil against stretch marks. It is based on natural ingredients: it contains hyaluronic acid and the Regu-Stretch complex, which maintains the level of collagen and elastin.

1. All products are quickly absorbed, do not leave a sticky film and do not stain clothes;
2. The oil is sold in a convenient spray bottle;
3. Moisturizes the skin well;
4. They do not cause allergies even on sensitive skin.

1. Presence of fragrances: a specific smell can cause discomfort in expectant mothers.

It is impossible to get rid of stretch marks during and after pregnancy, but you can prevent them and make the scars on the skin less noticeable. Proper nutrition, a healthy lifestyle and well-chosen cosmetics are your helpers in the fight for perfect skin.​

Carrying a child is quite a serious challenge. Over the course of 9 months, the female body is affected by both internal and external changes. Constantly growing body weight, enlarged breasts and abdomen do not have the best effect on the condition of the skin and muscles. If you do not take any action, stretch marks will appear during pregnancy, and the skin will remain loose.

How to prevent stretch marks

All these troubles can be avoided if you take care of your figure throughout your pregnancy. You just need to follow some rules, do simple procedures and exercise. By the way, if you do this for the first 2-3 months, most likely such self-care will become a habit. Give yourself 20 minutes a day, and the consequences of pregnancy and childbirth will not affect your skin.

The condition of the skin depends on nutrition. To avoid the appearance of stretch marks during pregnancy, exclude flour and sweets from your diet. Train yourself to dress your salads not with mayonnaise, but with vegetable oil. Eat nuts, feta cheese, hard cheese, beef, chicken, olives, more vegetables and fruits (except citrus fruits).

How to remove stretch marks during pregnancy

The fight against stretch marks is best done comprehensively, by eating right, using creams, doing massages, etc. The most effective results in the fight against stretch marks are shown by all kinds of cosmetic and pharmaceutical products - scrubs, lotions, ointments. Starting from 3-4 months of pregnancy, rub the stretch mark cream into problem areas (thighs, buttocks, stomach). Cosmetologists and pharmacists from various companies have developed many products to combat stretch marks. When choosing a cream, pay attention to its composition. The best way to combat stretch marks is with products containing extracts and essential oils of plants, seaweed, panthenol, vitamins A, E. Before use, apply a little cream to the inside of your arm for 20 minutes. See if you have an allergic reaction to the product. Despite the fact that all creams must undergo dermatological control, the components of the drug may be individually intolerable. Such cases are rare, but you still need to protect yourself.

Preparing creams for stretch marks

If you wish, you can make your own anti-stretch mark cream. Homemade cream will be natural, without dyes and flavors, which are often the causes of allergic reactions.

1. Cream for stretching scars with mumiyo

Mumiyo is a mountain resin, a mixture of organic and inorganic elements. It is mined mainly in the mountains of Asia. This homogeneous, dark-colored mass has a specific odor and a bitter taste. Mumiyo has a lot of healing properties. It is used for wound healing, for the regeneration of tissues, bones and joints, in the treatment of ulcers, all kinds of cosmetic and dermatological problems, etc.

Mumiyo promotes the resorption of scars and scars, tightens the skin. Mountain resin cream is the most popular product used to remove or prevent stretch marks during pregnancy. You can buy mumiyo at a pharmacy. Preparing the cream is very simple: mix 3-4 grams of mumiyo with 1 teaspoon of water, add a tube (80-100 grams) of baby or anti-cellulite cream. Apply to stretch marks once a day. The result of using the cream is determined strictly individually. Usually the effect is visible within a week.

For large stretch marks, it is necessary to apply the cream for about 3 weeks. Mumiyo is contraindicated during breastfeeding, but despite this, many women use cream containing this component. If you are breastfeeding, be sure to consult your doctor.

1. Cream with aloe and vitamin E

Grind the aloe in a meat grinder or finely chop it and squeeze the juice through cheesecloth. To 0.5 cups of aloe juice, add 0.5 cups of olive oil, 15 drops of vitamin E, 5 drops of vitamin A, stir until smooth. Apply with massage movements to problem areas once a day. It is best to store this cream in the refrigerator.

To prepare a sugar-salt scrub, take 1 heaping glass of salt, 1 glass of sugar. Kitchen salt is also suitable, but for this procedure it is better to take sea salt with extracts of algae, chamomile or calendula. Mix salt and sugar in a deep container, add 50 grams of olive oil, stir. Apply the scrub to your body during your evening shower on your thighs, buttocks and abdomen. After this product, be sure to apply moisturizer or baby oil to your skin. The first result will become visible in about 3 weeks, and in a month or two you can completely get rid of stretch marks. Watch the condition of your skin, this scrub is very effective, but can dry it out.

Beauty salons offer peeling, a procedure to get rid of stretch marks. You can make fruit peeling at home. To do this you will need 1 jar of fruit yoghurt, 1 lemon or 2 limes, almond or olive oil. Mix the zest of one lemon with yogurt, add 1 tablespoon of oil, stir until smooth. Apply 3 times. per week on problem areas for 20 minutes, massage, rinse with warm water, then moisturize with lotion. This skin-friendly method of getting rid of stretch marks will make them less noticeable in just 3 weeks. Most importantly, do not forget to moisturize your body if lemon has dried out your skin too much.

When fighting stretch marks, you can use fermented milk products. Mix 0.5 cups of kefir with 1 tbsp. spoon of vegetable oil, add 10-20 g of baby cream, 1 g of mumiyo. Apply the cream with very light massage movements for 3 minutes, without rubbing. Leave the cream on for 15 minutes, then rinse with warm water.

White clay is an excellent cosmetic skin care product. This is why peeling with white clay is effective in combating stretch marks after childbirth. Take the pulp of 1 avocado, 3 tbsp. spoons of white clay, 1 tbsp. a spoonful of oatmeal, wheat germ oil. You can add chopped sprouted wheat sprouts and 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Beat the avocado pulp and wheat germ oil with a blender, mix with white clay and flour, and bring to a homogeneous mass. Apply the cream to the body for 10-15 minutes. Rinse off with warm water. Do compresses 2-3 times a week for a month. After 2-3 weeks the effect of this procedure will be visible. Store the cream in the refrigerator.

You can use essential oils from plants for stretch marks. Jojoba oil makes the skin elastic and helps remove stretch marks during pregnancy and after childbirth. Rosewood essential oil resolves scars and tightens the skin. Almond oil is useful for caring for skin that has lost its elasticity. Grape seed oil has regenerating properties and significantly increases skin elasticity. The use of peach oil will be useful for sagging skin, as it has rejuvenating and softening properties.

You can use several components at once. Before using the oil, check your skin for allergic reactions. Apply a few drops of cream for 15 minutes.

Massage and exercise

It is much easier to prevent stretch marks during pregnancy than to deal with existing skin problems. Massage is one of the most effective procedures that will help keep your skin in perfect condition. It is best to combine a massage with applying cream or olive oil to the body.

Daily massage with a shower improves blood circulation and makes the skin more elastic. Train yourself while taking a morning or evening shower to direct the stream to problem areas of the skin and move in a circular motion. This regular, simple procedure will improve the condition of the skin and prevent the further appearance of stretch marks.

Exercises for stretch marks during pregnancy

Physical exercises, exercises, exercise will make the skin elastic. A specially designed set of exercises (stretching) will help get rid of lower back pain, relieve physical and emotional stress, and strengthen the abdominal muscles. Try to perform a simple set of exercises 4-5 times a week to prepare your body for childbirth.

Buy a gymnastic rubber ball - fitball. In the last months of pregnancy it is very comfortable to sit on, it neutralizes discomfort in the abdomen and pelvic area, and then you can rock the baby to sleep on such a ball and do exercises with it. Well, now the fitball will be indispensable in the fight against stretch marks.

Lie on the floor, on your back, bend your knees, place it on the ball. Make smooth rolls with your legs left, right, forward and backward. 5-10 minutes of such exercises are enough for the leg and abdominal muscles to be in good shape.

Sit on a fitball, swing your pelvis from side to side. Movements should be smooth, without jerking. After this, rotate your hips on the ball clockwise and counterclockwise. You need to do the exercise for 2 minutes in each direction.

1. Exercise for the abdominal muscles.

Lie on the floor, place your knees bent on an exercise ball. Smoothly lift your torso, reaching your knees with your palms. Perform this exercise at 3-5 months of pregnancy, when the belly is just beginning to grow. If the abdominal muscles remain toned, then the stretch marks will not be so large and noticeable.

Don't forget to exercise after giving birth. If during pregnancy exercise helps maintain muscles in the necessary tone, then after childbirth physical activity will help restore the previous condition of muscles and skin. Do 30 squats a day, this exercise tightens the muscles in your legs, thighs and buttocks. Do your abs 40 times a day. Moreover, it is advisable to pump up the lateral abdominal muscles, because it was they that bore the main load during pregnancy. Gradually increase the number of repetitions. Of course, it is almost impossible to restore the ideal state of your figure with physical activity alone, but daily exercise will speed up the process of getting rid of stretch marks. Usually the first result can be felt after 20-25 days. Agree, this is not so much. Don’t be lazy to give yourself 7-10 minutes a day, because all the time spent is good for you.

Prenatal bandage for pregnant women

A prenatal bandage is a good way to prevent stretch marks. It helps support the stomach, relieves stress from the back, and prevents the abdominal muscles from becoming too stretched. When wearing a bandage, the skin remains at rest and there is no additional impact on it.

Doctors recommend wearing a bandage starting from 6-7 months of pregnancy. If you have a large fetus and a large belly, or this is not your first pregnancy, you can put on a bandage earlier. Before purchasing a bandage, it is advisable to consult a doctor. Under no circumstances should the bandage put pressure on the abdomen; its main function is support. If you feel any discomfort, then choose a different model or size.

Laser and abdominoplasty

If you cannot get rid of stretch marks with ointments and massage, you can use medical methods, such as laser resurfacing or mesotherapy. Similar procedures are performed in beauty salons and medical institutions.

The laser removes old cell layers and stimulates the growth of smooth and clean epidermis. Penetrating 1-20 microns, it renews the skin. Typically, rehabilitation after this procedure lasts 7-10 days. The procedure is painless and lasts 20-30 minutes, depending on the number of stretch marks. The patient feels warmth or heat, this sensation lasts from 2 to 6 hours. When grinding stretch marks, two types of rays are used - erbium and carbon dioxide. Only a specialist can prescribe the type of laser after examining the stretch marks. Carbon dioxide laser radiation penetrates up to 20 microns. Erbium laser is suitable for a thin layer of skin, because... its radiation penetrates only 1 micron. It is safer, acts more gently, but in the fight against old, large stretch marks, carbon dioxide is usually prescribed. Laser resurfacing is contraindicated during breastfeeding. For six months after the procedure, you cannot visit the solarium or stay in the sun for a long time.

Abdominoplasty is a surgical procedure that will help get rid of deep stretch marks and help tighten the skin. Not everyone dares to go under the surgeon's knife. The operation looks something like this: a small incision is made to the patient along the pubic hairline, the damaged skin is cut off through it, and then stretched. The incision is sutured. Abdominoplasty lasts approximately 2 hours, resulting in a flat stomach and the disappearance of stretch marks.