Stretch Marks!
Every woman dreads stretch marks, and most women have them on some part of their body, whether they have ever been pregnant or not. A woman’s thighs, hips, buttocks, and breasts are all common places that they can be found. But what are they, what causes them, and is there anything to be done to avoid them?
Stretch marks first show up during puberty, and both girls and boys get them. They are caused by rapid gain weight or growth in an area of your body. Collagen, a protein that is partly responsible for skin strength and elasticity is stretched quickly and often leaves scars that are called stretch marks. People who are obese and weight lifters often have stretch marks as well.
Pregnancy is a very common time for a woman to get stretch marks. If she doesn’t have them already on her breasts, they can often pop up because of the rapid increase of growth and fatty tissue that develops as a woman’s breasts prepare to breastfeed her baby. However, a woman’s stomach is the most common place for stretch marks to appear during pregnancy.
Stretch marks generally show up during the third trimester when a woman’s belly begins to rapidly get bigger. During the third trimester the baby is gaining most of his weight, and it is then that he grows at the fastest rate during the pregnancy.
There are several products on the market for pregnant women to use to help avoid getting stretch marks, and to help them go away after your pregnancy is over. Some women swear by them, while others claim that they don’t work. In reality, whether or not you get stretch marks is determined by how much elasticity you have in your skin. If you have a lot of elasticity, you probably will not get stretch marks, or they will at least not be severe.
Stretch marks cannot be remedied gotten rid of by a simple cream. While they may start out a pink or purplish color, they will eventually fade to match the color of your skin, like other scars do. Some people will use artificial tanning sprays and lotions to help make them less noticeable. If your stretch marks really bother you, visit a dermatologist or plastic surgeon to see what options they can make available to you.
If you are lucky you will never get a stretch mark. However, if you do, remember that you are not alone and that most women in the world are just like you and have stretch marks too.
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susan says...
I’ve been using an anti-stretch mark lotion I found at The Motherhood (store brand) and I have to say that I have no stretch marks on my belly, I’m currently reaching my 7th month and no stretch marks have shown; I started to apply this lotion since I got pregnant and I think this lotion is awesome, hope this can help
Dianna says...
Susan ~ I hope that you can stay stretch mark free.
I was using $14 Baby Bee belly butter and was “clear” at the 7th month and then they started to appear.
Jen says...
With my first pregnancy I didn’t get stretch marks until the ninth month all below the belly button. I used cocoa butter obsessively. I am now pregnant with my second child and was starting to get stretch marks in my fifth month above the belly button. I am using bio oil and cocoa butter. I think it is all about genetics if you will get them or not.
Free says...
This is my first pregnacy and I’ve been using coco butter oil since i found out i was pregnant and i yet to see a stretch mark.. Im only 20 and 7 mths now. took me for every to gain the 15 pounds I’ve gotten now. Im hoping i dont get stretch marks.. Lets hope for the best ladies..lol
abigail says...
work out belly fat turns to baby space makes for less strech marks essiy birth and quicker weight loss after the baby. the reason working out helps strech marks is as you loss waight you have the already streached skin letting you skin grow with the baby insead of being streached. I am 16 and 5 mounths pregnant my mom had 5 kid and no streach marks for eather of us.
Crystal says...
i just now got some this week i’m at week 31 and i have used co co better the whole time they came late but they did come i really dont know if there is something that could take care of all of them
cariann says...
in the first months of my pregnancy i was stretch mark free, but now im 8 months and have stretch marks everywhere. ive been using coco butter and anti-stretch cream but it seems as im to latte, its really a shame.
I guess they’re just a natural thing that all women must live with.
Amanda says...
I’m now 33 weeks with well we’re hoping I can make 4 more weeks. I’ve gone from 105 to 133 and nothing as far as stretch marks yet. Thank god, but I know they’ll probably pop up towards the end. They say though if you try to tone up well afterwards they are hardly noticeable, rather than if you stay a bit “flabby’ guess I’ll try that if it happens. Good luck!
Valeria says...
I’m 25 weeks of my second baby I don’t have any yet Thank GOD!! I have been use almonds oil this is what we use in Brasil. But my doctor says it’s genetic!! I’ll keep use the oil to see. good look for all !!
Dawn says...
I am 21 years old and this is my first pregnancy, I am 33 weeks along, and I have been using Bio Oil since the first of my pregnany (more often now though). I had a few very faint strech marks on my sides from when I hit puberty, I havent yet gotten any on my stomach, but on my sides I have a few new ones but not many, I had my belly botton peirced, I took it out when I was 15 weeks and I am scared I will get a streck mark where the hole is, but I am keeping my fingers crossed!
latrell says...
im 16 and Im 34 weeks and i`ve been using this coco butter my grandma gave me to use and its great I don’t have not one stretch mark. I don’t think they will come. I’ve had a small pregnancy, many ppl say I look 6 months instead of 8.hopefully I gain more weight.
sucks says...
I’m 31 weeks along now and now is when the stretch marks decided to appear. I did everything imaginable to prevent them. I ate great, drank 2.5L water or more every day, I was using cocoa butter twice a day since I was a month prego.
it’s so depressing. There are none of my belly just my thigs. 
hopefully they will go away.
Amanda says...
Women always seem to forget that lathering on cocoa butter is not the only neccessity for preventing stretchmarks. Drinking lots and lots of water is essential to keeping your skin hydrated and moist, and expandable. Take vitamins. Also exercise is key, because is can help you maintain a healthy weight during pregnancy and keep those tummy mussles strong, in return helping to reduce the chances of getting stretch marks. Yes, moisterizing helps too. My mom got stretch marks bad, but then again she gain 70 pounds during her pregnancy. I on the other hand didn’t get any.
Katherine says...
I’m 34 weeks along and I have been using Plamers coco butter and vitamin E oil and I have not gotten a Strech mark. I think if you just watch your weight you should be fine on not getting strech marks and make sure you lather the lotion on every where and not just your tummy.
Iris says...
I’m also 34 weeks and i have not gotten any stretch marks. i dont use any oil or cream on my tummy and it is pretty large but lucky me i dont have any. i just drink lots of water so that it wont dry my skin.
amber says...
well i made it 38 weeks with no stretch marks! now i just noticed a couple really low on my tummy above pubic hair! my mom has none, i thought i would be the same! i have been using almond oil at night and coco butter in the morning for months….oh well looks like i will be in for some crunches!!
Tasha says...
I am 29 weeks and I started getting stretch marks last week. They are below my belly button on the sides. I have gained 23 lbs so far. I havent used anything, I think if they were meant to be then they are there.
lizie says...
i am 20 weeks and im stretch mark free!! but i know ima get them does coco butter work?
Tran says...
I been using bio oil since 1st trimester. I think i will still get the stretch marks as I have always had dryish skin but hoping bio oil will ‘lessen’ the effects and help heal them quicker after birth.
I have a few faded stretch marks from when i put weight on a few years ago but they havent gotten any worse so crossing fingers the bio oil has some healing factors as it says it does.
Heather says...
24 years old – gained 32 lbs so far, 35 weeks preg. Well… I used a coco based lotion even before I became pregnant, and have been using Palmer’s since I was about 3 weeks preg. At around 20 weeks any weak areas started stretching (scars from appendectomy and belly button piercing). I noticed 3 small ones under my belly button while looking in the mirror about 2 weeks ago, and I showed my mother them 2 days ago. I woke up today to a road map on the underside of my belly! I was expecting them, but not all at once… What a shock!
missy says...
I am 35 years old and pregnant with my first child. I have old stretch marks on my hips and two on my belly from weight gain and puberty. I am in my 26th week and have been using Bio Oil and pure coconut oil that I bought in Fiji since the day I found out I was pregnant. I also drink plenty of water and attend cardio and weight training classes 4 times a week, along with DVDs at home and walking almost everynight. I have gained 17.5 so far. I have no “new” stretch marks, but after reading the comments I am thinking they will appear sometime in the 30+ weeks. I do believe that if you are going to get them, you will no matter what you rub on your belly, however it makes me feel good.
I will keep you posted if and when I get them!
Jemima says...
My experience was very much like Heather’s; I used a cocoa lotion everyday and stared thinking “I’m going to get through this pregnancy without one single stretch mark!”. Yeah, right! At about week 30 I looked at one of my belly photos and thought oh my….. I’m now 36 weeks and also have a road map! I don’t think that lotions and creams do anything, but we feel lovely using them, so that has to count for something!
Ashley says...
Omgawsh I so didn’t think I’d get stretchmarks. I mean my two sisters got them from their pregnancies, but my mom hardly got any…so I thought, maybe…just maybe I’ll be lucky. First pregnancy, and petite. Well, once I hit my third trimester, BAAAM! They hit me. I gained 9 lbs in one month and 9 lbs again the next, I lost so much weight in the beginning due to my terrible morning sickness, so when I finally got over it, I ate like a hungry mad person! Little did I know, those 2 months of gaining 18 lbs so quickly, would give me my stretchmarks. I use cocoa butter, but I hear bio oil is pretty good. Well I just hope when I lose my pregnancy weight, they’ll fade.
36W2D. Due Dec. 16th, 2009
jacqueline says...
yup I was free of them till 37weeks and they are still comming. First child I only got them on my breast-lots of them but none on the belly. I just hope they will stop to ge worse
Cierra says...
Well… Ladies I am 23… pregnant with my first one… and let me tell ya… It’s exciting… I got stretch marks from puberty and that was pretty much it… just where your hips are… and at 30.5 weeks pregnant… gaining only 16 lbs… I haven’t noticed any new stretch marks…. It must run in the family or something… cause they say that you get them in the ending of your 3rd trimester…. My mom got them when she was pregnant with me and my siblings…. Hopefully it’s not genetic!!!! I have been using basic CoCo Butter and it’s worked for me so far…
Traci says...
the only stretch marks that have popped up so far on me are on my breasts. i’m 25 weeks and i’ve gone up two cup sizes, so it’s to be expected… but when i noticed them a little over a month ago i started using st. ive’s collagen elastin body wash as well as the cream and tho my boobs keep growing, the marks haven’t gotten any worse. in fact, i’m convinced that they aren’t as deep as they were a month ago but that may just be my wishful thinking : )
Paula says...
I really liked the Made from Earth Aloe & Jojoba Creme Therapy. I didn’t get any strech marks until the last few weeks of my pregnancy and I chalk that up to good genes more than anything.
Regardless though the product did keep me from itching my belly as much as my skin tightened and was moisturizing without being to greasy. I am still using the product three weeks after having my baby and the stretch marks seem to be fading away. I am now buying the product for my best friend who is pregnant. I would recommend the Made from Earth Aloe & Jojoba Therapy to everyone who is pregnant!
Plus my husband loved the smell of it too!!