Why do stretch marks appear during pregnancy, which increases the risk of their occurrence? How to get rid of stretch marks, effective preventive measures.
Stretch marks during pregnancy are perhaps one of the most unpleasant cosmetic flaws that spoil a woman's mood in one of the brightest periods of her life. The swelling will go away, proper nutrition and sports will help cope with weight, and the pearl-whitish torn stripes on the abdomen, hips and chest will remain. But do not lose heart, in fact, in this world there are very few unsolvable problems.
What are stretch marks?
Our skin is naturally endowed with amazing elasticity. When we gain weight, it stretches; when we lose weight, it returns to its original state. But under one essential condition: both weight gain and getting rid of it should occur gradually.
If these processes are performed in large leaps, the skin does not have time to react, and problems begin:
- with a sharp weight loss - flabbiness, folds, sagging "apron" in place of the abdomen;
- with a sharp weight gain - stretch marks or, in medical terms, striae.
Stretch marks are caused by breaks in the connective fibers of the dermis, the deep layer of skin located under the epidermis. This happens almost painlessly, the injuries heal quickly, so they do not cause physical inconvenience to the expectant mother.
But how many aesthetic experiences are brought with them by the first lilac-pink scars left at the rupture site due to burst capillaries, and then whitish scars! They become especially noticeable in the summer: the affected areas are devoid of melanin, and therefore they begin to be conspicuous on the skin touched by at least a slight tan.
An unpleasant fact! According to statistics, 80 to 90% of women acquire stretch marks during pregnancy.
Reasons for the appearance of stretch marks during pregnancy
Stretch marks are insidious and unpredictable, there is no way to predict where and when they will appear on yesterday's smooth skin. Stretch marks can attack a young lady in the first months of pregnancy or not let them know about themselves until childbirth; can paint the entire belly and chest with a tiger color or limit themselves to the appearance of 2-3 short stripes; remain barely noticeable or blatantly conspicuous.
Some factors that increase your risk of stretch marks:
- Heredity … Since the characteristics of the skin, such as eye color or blood type, we get together with the parental genes, it is logical to assume that the future mother in this matter will be destined for her own mother or grandmother.
- Age … The skin of girls under 18 does not yet have the necessary elasticity and density, and in women after 30 it no longer does, therefore, women in labor of these two categories are more likely to get stretch marks on their abdomen and hips during pregnancy.
- Hormone Games … The overhaul in the body of the expectant mother is accompanied by a real riot of hormones, and the most experienced doctor will not undertake to calculate their effect. Sometimes an excess of actively produced estrogen leads to a slowdown in the rate of synthesis of collagen and elastin, without which the skin loses its elasticity.
- Weak abdominal muscles … If a woman kept her body in good shape, dense muscles will take on some of the load and help preserve the skin. But the owners of a flaccid, sagging abdomen have nothing to count on a protective corset.
- Features of the course of pregnancy … Such a dangerous condition as polyhydramnios (an abundance of amniotic fluid), not only requires closer supervision of a specialist, but also contributes to the appearance of ugly "stains" on the body.
- Fruit size … The skin stretches because the growing uterus presses on it from the inside, and the larger the baby, the stronger the pressure. If twins or triplets are expected, the chances of a woman one not the most beautiful day to find traces of rupture of the dermis on herself increase many times.
- Diseases and bad habits … When a lady's body is poisoned with nicotine, excessive libations, or weakened due to a disease that affects metabolism, say, diabetes, there is no doubt that it will not pass the stretch marks test.
Note! Stretch marks on the breasts during pregnancy begin to appear towards the end of term or after childbirth, when the body begins to produce breast milk.
How to get rid of stretch marks during pregnancy?
If the stretch marks have already settled on your body, most likely, home methods will not be able to erase them without a trace. You're not trying to remove deep scars from your skin yourself, are you? But very often striae can be made as invisible as possible, so that they cease to be striking. And the more chances you have of success, the sooner you start working with them.
Creams and lotions for stretch marks during pregnancy
The main requirement for milk or cream for stretch marks during pregnancy is “do no harm”, because no woman will agree to sacrifice the health of a future baby for the sake of smooth skin. This means that you should only purchase cosmetics from trusted manufacturers, purposefully created for use during this amazing, but difficult and extremely vulnerable period for the female body. You need to look for it in specialized stores and pharmacies.
Pay attention to the composition of the cream you like. It's good if there are:
- vitamins A and E for moisturizing;
- hyaluronic acid;
- fatty oils for softening;
- elastin, collagen, amino acids and proteins to increase firmness;
- plant extracts for greater benefit.
The predominance of natural ingredients in the cream will be a big plus. But the jar, on the label of which there is a long list of clearly chemical compounds, is better to put back on the shelf. Also, always check the expiration date of the product.
Doctors warn that an overdose of retinol (vitamin A) can be dangerous to the fetus. Some are reinsured to such an extent that they recommend that expectant mothers do not use stretch marks with this component at all during pregnancy. True, if a woman is not going to rub herself with cream every 2 hours, simultaneously swallowing vitamins and gnawing carrots with buckets, she will hardly be able to organize an overdose. But in any case, it is necessary to ask your doctor for advice.
Remember that frolicking hormones sometimes throw out amazing knees. Yesterday you happily moisturized your skin with cosmetics of a certain brand, and today you are allergic to it. Before pregnancy, they adored the scent of natural coconut oil, but now you are sick of it. Want to avoid disappointment? Before buying a large bottle of lotion or cream, try to get a sample of it to determine in a practical way if it is right for you.
The following funds received the largest number of positive reviews on the network:
- Mustela Maternity (France). The cream takes care of the skin of the expectant mother with avocado, sunflower and shea oils; Japanese sophora and larch extracts; beeswax and vitamin E. Increases the elasticity of the skin, prevents the appearance of new stretch marks and makes the existing ones invisible, relieves the feeling of tightness and dryness. Price - about 1,400 rubles. for 150 ml.
- Eco-cream Sanosan Mama (Germany). Contains natural animal wax (lanolin) and high quality beeswax, as well as wheat and milk proteins, a complex of fatty oils, vitamin E, hibiscus seed extract. The cream stimulates the production of collagen by cells, starts regeneration processes, moisturizes, nourishes and makes the skin more elastic. It is used as a prophylactic agent from 1-2 weeks of pregnancy and as a cream for correcting stretch marks that have already appeared. The cost of a 100 ml tube starts at 440 rubles.
- Avent cream (UK). Seaweed extract provides the skin with vitamins and minerals for greater elasticity, a set of fatty oils makes it softer and helps to retain moisture, citrus extracts nourish and smooth.
- Ecocream Belita-Viteks "Care and prevention of stretch marks during pregnancy" (Ukraine). 99% of the volume of the cream is occupied by the natural complex PHYTELENE, which is created on the basis of herbal ingredients and has the ability to penetrate into the deep layers of the skin. The complex strengthens connective tissue, protects cells from free radicals, makes them more active to produce their own collagen and elastin. The cost is 200 rubles. for 150 ml.
- Mama Comfort (Russia). The composition of this cream also includes a unique patented Regy-Stretch complex, which is designed to protect cells from damage and stimulate tissue repair processes. Hyaluronic acid is used here to moisturize; for saturation with vitamins and minerals - extracts of crowberry, horse chestnut, oats, chamomile, tea tree; for softening - olive, almond and castor oil. The price starts from 300 rubles for 250 ml.
Note! Fresh crimson marks on the skin are the most susceptible to external influences. Older whites hold on more stubbornly, but you can also try to cope with them.
Oils for stretch marks during pregnancy
Many lovers of home cosmetics fundamentally refuse to buy ready-made products in favor of natural oils, and their approach is fully justified. Oils moisturize the skin well, restore its elasticity, and saturate with nutrients.
But there is one "but": if you decided to take this step for reasons of economy, you are forced to disappoint. Buying a quality product will cost a pretty penny, and there is no point in looking for a cheap one in stores for your delicate purpose.
In order to safely rub the skin with oil from stretch marks during pregnancy, it should be:
- unrefined, that is, obtained by cold pressing without the use of chemicals;
- fresh - despite the rather long shelf life, it is better that the oil does not stand for months in the store before it gets into your hands;
- without additional impurities in the composition (for example, some manufacturers dilute expensive Extra Virgin olive oil with cheaper ones to reduce the price);
- produced by a trustworthy company.
If you wish, you can independently mix a natural elixir for stretch marks by combining any fatty oil with freshly squeezed aloe juice in a 1: 1 ratio and adding the contents of 1-2 Aevita capsules to the mixture. The elixir can be stored in the refrigerator for a couple of days, but it is better to use it right away and mix a new portion next time.
Do not enrich fatty oils with aromatic oils, as is often done with massage. In addition to the fact that "ethers" are strong allergens, many of them are strictly forbidden to use while waiting for the baby. And the list of dangerous oils is so wide that it's easier to completely abandon the addition of aromas than to check with it every time.
Popular oils for skin care during pregnancy:
- Bio-Oil (South Africa). The complex of nourishing and moisturizing oils is fortified with vitamins A and E, and the unique PurCellin Oil ingredient gives it a weightless consistency that increases the oil's absorption capacity. And although aromatic fragrances are present here, the product is officially recognized as completely safe for expectant mothers and their babies. Buying a 25 ml bottle will lighten your wallet by 200 rubles.
- Mustela (France). Mustela, which has already appeared in the ranking of creams, supplies the beauty market with a variety of anti-stretch marks - in particular, a nutritional blend of avocado, baobab, pomegranate, sunflower and rosehip oils, nutrient-rich lupine seed extract. Add vitamin E to this and you have an eco-friendly oil to soften, moisturize, rejuvenate, smooth and firm skin. Price - 1300 rubles. for 105 ml.
- Weleda (Germany). This product contains mixed in the right proportions wheat germ, almond and jojoba oils, which are accompanied by plant extracts and vitamins. The oil makes the skin soft and moisturized, improves its elasticity, fights stretch marks and prevents the formation of new tears. It costs 1000-1300 rubles. for 100 ml.
- La Cree (Russia). Protects the skin from the appearance of cosmetic defects with the help of a complex of oils of soy, wheat germ and sunflower. Healing chamomile soothes and relieves irritation, vitamin E rejuvenates and maintains skin firmness. There is a bottle with a volume of 200 ml about 300 rubles.
- Aromatika (Ukraine). The product is a mixture of grape seed, almond, jojoba and peach seed oils, to which Aromatika experts have added a certain amount of essential oils of mandarin, limet and neroli. With regular use, the mixture improves blood circulation and tissue nutrition, increases skin elasticity, and inhibits the formation of stretch marks. The cost is 150 rubles per 100 ml.
What is better for stretch marks during pregnancy - cream or oil? Unfortunately, there is no single answer to this question; every woman decides it for herself on her own.
The most effective natural oils in the fight against striae are olive and coconut oils, as well as argan, macadamia, cocoa and shea oils. But you can also use less expensive jojoba, almond or wheat germ oil.
Mumiyo from stretch marks during pregnancy
With the light hand of Ekaterina Mirimanova, who glorified "mountain resin" as the first remedy for stretch marks, women and girls all over the country began to anoint their skin with this black-brown odorous substance. If you want to personally test its effectiveness, dissolve 1-2 g of mumiyo in a tablespoon of water or cream (in the cream, the dissolution process will take longer), apply to the body and gently rub into the skin.
Mumiyo is considered a relatively harmless substance, but the golden rule of pregnant women says: before doing anything with your body, consult your doctor. Do not neglect it here too.
Some people advise buying mumiyo for rubbing, sold in the form of a piece of "resin", and not packaged in tablets. According to unverified data, it has a more pronounced effect on striae.
Prevention of stretch marks during pregnancy
As you know, preventing a cosmetic problem is much easier than trying to get rid of it later. And although women who already have children often claim that it is impossible to prevent the appearance of stretch marks. Of course, there is no means guaranteed to prevent white tears-scars from creeping over your body, and no one has canceled genetics … But why not try to argue with nature? Moreover, you will have a whole arsenal of different methods on your side.
What is the prevention of stretch marks during pregnancy:
- Proper nutrition … Provide your body with a sufficient amount of protein in the form of chicken and beef, eggs, dairy products; healthy fats that he will get from fish, nuts and vegetable oils; vitamins and minerals from vegetables, fruits, herbs, cereals and legumes. Eliminate butter, sugar, and coffee. Eat less salt and black tea. Drink plenty of still water, but do not get carried away so as not to provoke swelling. All of these measures will help skin cells maintain proper collagen and elastin production and resist stretch marks.
- Weight control … It goes without saying that a woman gains weight during pregnancy. But who said that you have to eat for two? Visit your doctor, formulate with him the correct diet, which will contain all the necessary substances, and try to stick to it. If the weight grows smoothly, and you do not gain more than 10-12 kg, there is a chance to do without stretch marks.
- Sport … We have already said that toned muscles take on part of the load that should have gone to the skin, so try to lead an active lifestyle - of course, in accordance with your position. There are many options for physical activity for pregnant women: yoga, swimming, water aerobics, special gymnastics, and leisurely walks. Naturally, any type of load must be agreed with the doctor.
- Comfortable clothes … Choose a new bra made of thick fabric to fit your enlarged breasts and do not neglect the abdominal brace in the last months of pregnancy.
- Massage and shower … Before an evening shower, rub your skin with a massage mitt or a towel. This will accelerate the blood and provide better tissue nutrition. The same effect will have a contrast shower, but you can resort to it only on the condition that you are not in danger of miscarriage. And even if the pregnancy is proceeding flawlessly, do not turn the tap of the mixer to the sides until it stops: you need a little warm and a little cold water, not ice cold and hot.
Since it is much easier to avoid stretch marks during pregnancy than to remove them afterwards, start using creams and oils to combat stretch marks in advance, without waiting for the white streaks on the skin to remind of themselves. Make it a habit: let your hand reach for a bottle of oil or a jar of cream every time after a shower. Apply the product with gentle massage movements, avoiding strong pressure and limiting itself to very light strokes in the abdomen and chest area.
Many women say that during pregnancy they felt like their skin itched in those places where stretch marks later formed. Take note of their experience and, if you feel itching on any part of the body, apply a double dose of cream or oil to it. Perhaps the "sabotage" can be prevented.
Note! It takes a woman's body 2 years to fully recover after carrying a baby. If you are thinking of having kids again, wait a couple of years and only then invite the stork to visit. Otherwise, your skin may not withstand a new attack and "come apart at the seams."
How to deal with stretch marks - watch the video:
Knowing how to smear the skin for stretch marks during pregnancy, what to eat and drink, what measures to take, you can declare war on the hated stretch marks, and your chances of winning will be very good. But most importantly, don't get hung up on stretching. At the moment, you are doing a real miracle with your body - you are hatching a new life. Feel this! And don't let some stretch marks ruin your mood. In the end, they can always be dealt with by salon methods.
