Lifestyle and Beauty

Preventing Stretch Marks

Stretch marks are scars that develop on the skin when it loses elasticity due to rapid expansion. Caused by small tears in the layers of skin tissue, stretch marks primarily have a red or purple tone, fading to more of a white or silver colour over time. 

Stretch marks are completely normal and almost all women have at least a few. In fact, approximately 50-90% of women develop stretch marks during pregnancy. These streaks are a reminder of all the amazing things your body is capable of, and you should not feel embarrassed about them. As you go through pregnancy, embrace the journey and take steps to prevent or smooth the marks out. There are many ways to avoid stretch marks and help improve the existing ones, keeping your skin in a healthy-looking state.

In this article, we explore what causes stretch marks to appear and how you can prevent them.

Why Do Stretch Marks Appear?

Stretch marks form when your skin stretches or shrinks rapidly within a short period of time, causing a rupture in the collagen and elastin fibres supporting the skin. Stretch marks mostly appear on the abdominal region, breasts, upper arms, hips, and thighs. These streaks commonly occur during puberty, sudden weight/muscle gain, and pregnancy.

Are stretch marks inevitable during body transformations associated with weight gain or weight loss? The answer is, whether you get them or not largely depends on genetics. In other words, if your mother and/or grandmother had stretch marks, you are also likely to develop them. Other contributing factors include certain medical conditions, such as Cushing’s disease; corticosteroid use; gaining more than the recommended amount of weight during pregnancy, and having a large baby or twins/triplets.

Fresh stretch marks (less than one year old) tend to be of a red or purple tone due to the blood vessels beneath the skin. Blood vessels gradually narrow, making stretch marks mature into white or silver colour. New lines typically respond well to treatments and are easier to get rid of compared to their faded white counterparts. However, as with the majority of skin concerns, prevention is always better than cure when it comes to stretch marks. 

What to Do About Stretch Marks? 

Similar to scars, stretch marks are permanent but upgrading your body skincare routine with special stretch mark products can help reduce the visibility of the streaks or prevent them in the first place.

The key to prevent or improve stretch marks is to enhance skin’s moisture levels and overall texture. Weight changes are often accompanied by hormonal fluctuations that can cause your skin to lose elasticity and firmness leading to dryness and itchiness. Therefore, it is important to keep your skin moisturised and hydrated.

Contrary to popular belief, hydrating and moisturising are not the same. Hydration is about increasing water levels in your skin, making it bouncy and radiant. Hydrators have a light-weight texture and sink deep into skin tissues. Moisturising, on the other hand, refers to retaining moisture within the skin and restoring its protective barrier. Moisturisers stay on the skin’s surface, keeping it soft and smooth while also preventing water loss.

Choosing the Right Products for Stretch Marks

How to choose the right skincare products to prevent stretch marks? First of all, it should contain ultra-hydrating emollients and soothing antioxidants such as vitamin E and olive oil. If you are pregnant, then there are even more things you should consider.

Pregnant women undergo significant skin changes – sudden hormonal levels fluctuation, dehydration along with greater skin sensitivity – all leading to reduced skin barrier functions. For this reason, it is vital to include ultra-hydrating and skin-nourishing products in your pregnancy skincare list. Additionally, you should stay away from harmful ingredients by choosing products that are safe for you and your little one.

Conclusion

Preventing or addressing stretch marks requires a consistent skincare routine. If you are an expecting mum, start hydrating and moisturising areas prone to stretch marks, such as the belly, lower back, breasts, and hips, from the early stages of pregnancy. Regular application of skincare products that provide hydration and improve skin elasticity can help support your skin’s ability to stretch without scarring. Look for products formulated with gentle, natural ingredients that are safe for use during pregnancy.