Stretch Marks

Common in pregnancy, stretch marks affect 50-90% of pregnant women. They also affect non-pregnant women (and also men) such as body builders, athletes, adolescents undergoing rapid growth spurts or anyone who experiences periods of rapid growth or weight gain.

The majority of stretch marks appear on a woman's abdomen from about 6 months onward when her belly is rapidly expanding to accommodate her growing baby and her skin is stretched to it's limit. Some women also get them on their buttocks, thighs, hips, upper arms, lower back or breasts. They tend to be concentrated around the areas that store the most fat and do the most stretching.

When skin and underlying tissue pull and stretch beyond their ability to give, the collagen deposits located deep in the tissues break apart. At these times, the skin actually rips and tears. The tiny tears heal, resulting in scar tissue. Stretch marks often appear as small, red, pink, purple or dark brown depressed streaks in the skin, ranging in width from one-tenth of an inch to four inches. Stretch marks are most noticeable in the beginning, but after delivery the marks may gradually flatten out and lose their color.

Your chances of getting stretch marks can be influenced by many factors. Genetics play a major role in whether or not you will get stretch marks. If your mother or sister got them during pregnancy, you may be more likely to get them yourself. Besides genetic history, other factors include: ethnicity/skin tone (fair-skinned women tent to get them more), nutritional history (a sensible diet helps skin to stretch better), skin condition (dry skin tends to be less elastic than well nourished skin) and the amount of weight gained during pregnancy (also how rapidly it was gained). If you are carrying multiples, carrying a large baby, have excess amniotic fluid or are naturally thin or small- you may have a higher than average incidence of stretch marks.

Preventative measures will help reduce the degree of stretch marks you experience after birth. Gaining no more than the recommended amount of weight and gaining it slowly may help reduce your chances of getting them. Rapid or excessive weight gain will only compound the problem of stretch marks and likely cause you to have more in the end.

Keeping your skin well-moisturized beginning in the first trimester may help prevent stretch marks. A nourishing lotion, oil or cream applied on a daily and nightly basis will moisturize your skin (and also reduce itching!) There are many products especially for stretch mark prevention that contain ingredients such as vitamin E, vitamin A, emu oil, cocoa butter, wheat germ oil and lanolin. Certainly moisturizing helps to improve the skin's elasticity, however, the effectiveness of these products in preventing stretch marks have been shown to be rather limited.

A sensible diet containing plenty of fruits, vegetables and leafy greens is a must. Excellent nutrition is vital for your developing baby, but it also contributes to the strength and health of your skin. Eating foods such as those high in vitamins C and E, zinc and silica will help your skin to stretch better and also help your skin to bounce back quicker after giving birth. Drinking plenty of water and taking your prenatal vitamins are also critical for beautiful skin and a healthy baby.

If you already have stretch marks, there are some ways to remove them postpartum. Some studies have shown that topical ointments, such as Retin-A may help with stretch marks when applied after your baby is born. This treatment works best when applied during the first few days postpartum. 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 breast-feeding.

Postpartum laser treatments may be beneficial and are rapidly gaining in popularity. Using a laser or intense light, stretch marks are treated by flashes or beams of laser light that pass through the skin into the collagen within the second layer of skin. These treatments are quick, with little recovery time involved. Cosmetic surgery is another option, but is used as a last resort- for the most severe scarring from stretch marks. Unfortunately, these kinds of procedures are expensive and are not covered by insurance.

The bad news is stretch marks are permanent and very rarely disappear. The good news is that stretch marks usually become considerably less noticeable over time (naturally), eventually becoming a few shades lighter than your natural skin tone.

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