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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67 Comments on "Stretch Marks!"
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My first pregnancy was 11years ago… i Smothered cocoa butter on my Stomach twice a day. I didn’t get any stretch marks Until the last week and a half of pregnancy… i was sad because i hoped to be lucky enough to not get any… if your reading this i hope your one of the lucky ones:)
At 36 weeks i realised some on both sides of my belly…i thought i wont have them as got told if its not there by the 8th month you wont get them no more. However maybe for some but not for my bump. I have been using coco butter but only once daily..maybe if id be using it three times a day id prevent it a little but i know not all of it. Its not nice and obviously unnatractive and i deffo won’t be wearing no two piece swim wear, but its my baby marks 🙂
Prevented my tummy and hips from getting stretch marks during two pregnancies. Used DermalMD Stretch Mark Cream twice a day, worked great. Recommend it!
I have some pretty nasty scar from a surgery that is unsightly and bumpy and I was personally very miserable about it. Although I didn’t expect much since I thought DermalMD Stretch Mark Cream was mostly for pregnancy stretch marks, I diligently used it anyway on that surgery scar. And the results were unexpectedly good–It did a good job of making the skin smoother and fading out the scars a bit. Not 100% like magic but still good enough, I can see the improvement with my eyes. Overall a good product that actually works.
I was skeptical about buying any stretch marks creams as they are very expensive. They also don’t work at all. Got Dermelastic Serum because of its higher ratings and popularity.
It’s also cheaper than the other creams and serums and works perfectly. I would definitely recommend it to everyone as it helped me remove the hideous stretch marks.
It’s been 5 weeks since I’m using this product and the difference is visible.
coconut oil helps incredibly much! I can only recommend to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!!!
I didn’t get a single stretch mark until I was 34 weeks pregnant and they started showing up and spreading everyday..my entire pregnancy (since 10 weeks) I applied bio oil and vitamin e oil on my sides and stomach twice a day, daily..if you’re going to get them, they are inevitable but they are treatable so don’t fret. They’re worth it in the end and the products aren’t very expensive.
Vitamin E Oil, Cocoa butter lotion, Bio Oil, Tea Tree Oil (Also referred to as TTO). They do wonders for stretch marks, scars and dry skin.
Thank you for making this site so easy to find information. good stuff. Saving this one for later.
Stretch marks is part a of our pregnancy and I was very concerned about getting stretch marks when I was pregnant with my first child. I ask my doctor how to prevent this and he gives me only a Belly Oil and I am so grateful that i did, every woman should know about it!
Im about to be seven months & just started getting stretch marks. I’ve used coco-butter & applied it daily so im just assuming that stretch marks appear & dont appear for some people .
I tried everything during my first pregnancy but still got stretch marks … however they do not bother me. They are like a war wound . I am now pregnant a second time and just going with the flow … my body is making a baby so will let my body stretch as it needs. No fussing this time.
My mom has major stretch marks along with all 7 of my aunts… I’m 34 weeks and have been applying hemp oil along with vitamin e oil and still not a stretch mark. My mom can’t even believe it. Hemp it’s natures miracle wether you want to believe it or not…
I do also drink ALOT of water.
I think it has a lot to do with genetics. With my first pregnancy I gained 40 pounds and didn’t get any stretch marks. I am 5’7″ and was120 pounds. I got up to 160. My mom had 3 children and didn’t get one stretch mark. I am pregnant with my second one and still no stretch marks. I just must have a lot of elasticity to my skin.
Hi! I’m 37 weeks pregnant and well my first months i didn’t have no stretch marks I was so happy! But then when i got to my 35 weeks I got all this stretch marks in my thighs.. Before i got pregnant i was 100lb and now I’m 145! Is my first pregnancy and I’m so scared to see how my body is going to look after pregnancy .
The stretchmark stroy is really about your skin type and genes. With my first pregnancy, i used stretch mark creams, lotions, cocoa butter, everything however in the 8th month, stretch marks appeared everywhere. Now, I am in my 7th month and no new ones yet. I use the creams now and pray, that it will not get worst…….:)
A friend told me about the olive oil just a real good brand works real good. She used it and her mom did to no strectch marks at all. I know it sounds very strange but it really works. JUST TRY IT AND SEE!!!
I use it anywhere you do not want strange marks!!
I use Olive oil the whole time during my pregnancy and I have no stretch marks at all, anywhere. I apply it at night after my shower just a thin coat goes a long way.
Theres no way to avoid them. Its all in ur DNA im 34 weeks with my first and started getting small ones on my sides at 27weeks then when i hit 30 weeks so many just came out of nowhere on the front of my belly. Ive been using pure cocoa butter, bio oil and another lotion since i was 5weeks and that hasnt helped a bit. Some people are just lucky and dont get any and then there are those who do. Dont let it get u down though, they will fade eventually.
im 17 years old and i am 35 weeks pregnant and i have tried everything i stay putting lotion on my belly every night and morning and it wont work my belly looks like a big cat scratched it all over
I have been told by my o/b and some other people that stretch marks are hereditary and that the creams will help reduce the apperance of stretch marks but if they run in your family (mother, grandmothers, aunts) that you should get them. 🙁 Sad but true!
im 20 with my first, im 22 weeks. before i was pregnant i was 6 stone & now im nearly 9 and a half stone & ive stil got more 2 gain. i havent got any stretch marks on my belly but im starting to get pinky ones on my breast which are noticable. ive been using johnsons baby lotion all over my body, but obviously that hasnt done the trick. im going to try coconut oil creams to see if they make a difference fingers crossed, if not will hav to jus let nature take its course lol
The thing that a lot of people seldom realize is that the cream really do.nothing to prevent stretch marks. Stretch marks begin about 5 layers deep. I am pregnant with my first child and I’m almost37 weeks. I didn’t get any until. A fouple weeks ago. They are all bell the belly button so far. I spoke with my dermatologist and he said there isnt alot you can do. It’s mostly genetics ….
with both of my kids I got very few strech marks and used nothing special on my body like lotions, creams, oils, etc…… my sister in law on the other hand used everything she could and spent so much money on products to make sure she would be left with a strech mark body. But, it did not work for her and she has more strech marks than I do and they are red and visible unlike mine. I think if you are meant to get them you will get them no matter what.
I was stretch mark free throughout my pregnancy with my son. However after he was born (9lb5) I lost the weight too quickly and ended up with marks on my stomach and thighs. So I would advise people to be careful and lose the weight steadily after pregnancy.
As many other women, I did not see a single stretch mark until I reached 8 months pregnant, thinking the cream I was applying twice daily (cocao, Shea, E and elastin) was working great. Over the last 4 weeks, they spread from the bottom under the naval to the full stomach!!!
My 1st pregnancy I gained 55 lbs and went 2 weeks overdue- not one stretch mark!! lots of h20, palmers and good genes… I must have, pregnant for my 2nd son at age 43 and doing the same thing and still wearing a bakini at 25wks
19 years old very slim and petite. Was using bio-oil as soon as i found out i was pregnant. second trimester started gaining weight strechmarks appeard on my bum. changed to palmers coco butter. really seemed to work got to 3rd trimester now there on my boobs bum legs hips thighs everywhere if your gonna get them your gonna get them 🙁
I am 35 weeks pregnant and I was celebrating not having any stretch marks up until last week 🙁 I have some under my belly close to my private area now. I really thought my applying shea butter/cocoa butter on my belly religiously was working! Ha fooled me! I still apply it now even though I know it doesn’t help any. Atleast it smells good! 😉 so good luck and no celebrating until your little bambinos here. Good luck!!!
I’m 36 weeks prego and just started having stretch marks. i hate them and think my 2 piece swimsuit days will probably be non existent after the baby. This is my 1st pregnancy so i was celebrating not having stretch marks until 7 and a half months, little did i know :).
i am 34weeks pregnant i started using cocoa lotion when i was 25 weeks pregnant after i started using the lotion it seemed to me that the stretch marks started appearing, so i stopped using it and the seemed to fade away. Now im 34 weeks and now i they seemed to come back last week. I’ve been using the lotion and hoping they fade away….
Im 25 and 34 weeks pregnant with my 2ent . with my 1st pregnancy i ganed 120 pounds yes 120 pounds i went from 150 to 270 and i got strech marks everywhere my boobs , stomach, hips, thighs, calves and all under my arms . its horrable but i was young when i had my daughter and didnt know better . i think as long as you gain a reasonable amount of weight you should be fine .
Im 37 weeks n i only nw started havein strechmarks bt is only 4 so im realy luck i started off with jonsons baby losion and nw coco butter losion i feel lyk im ready too POP any day.
I would defenetly recomend massargen baby oil on wet skin n dab dry !!!!
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 : )
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
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!
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.
i am 20 weeks and im stretch mark free!! but i know ima get them does coco butter work?