Stretch marks in pregnancy: why they appear and how to avoid them
The stretch marks They consist of irregular areas of skin that resemble lines or stripes that are easily visible, appearing in the form of parallel lines of reddish color, are usually thin and bright when they arise, and then go over time. whitish color with appearance similar to that of a scar. In general, they tend to have a completely different texture to that of normal skin, and sometimes they can also be slightly deeper.
Although depending on the cause that has caused the appearance of stretch marks, when it disappears also tend to disappear marks, the fact is that often it is very common to end up staying on the skin, due mainly to the excessive stretching that produced at first its formation and appearance.
Between the stages or the moments in which stretch marks usually appear with greater assiduity, we can mention mainly the overweight and excess weight, and especially the pregnancy. Why? Mainly because as we will know below, the main cause is an increase in weight -which can be very fast and can affect both men and women alike-, or the enlargement of the abdomen itself and characteristic of pregnancy.
Why stretch marks appear during pregnancy
From the beginning of pregnancy the skin begins to stretch gradually as a result, on the one hand, the enlargement of the abdomen as they grow and develop both the placenta and the baby, and on the other by the normal weight gain during this important stage.
Both circumstances cause the stretching of the skin, at which time the fibers that have a lower elasticity tend to break and leave a sunken line similar to a small scar, which at the beginning are usually pink, purple or dark brown. Although over time they can become less noticeable and fade a little, the truth is that they never disappear completely.
The appearance of stretch marks is much more common in the last trimester of pregnancy, when the abdomen expands very quickly in order to accommodate the growing baby. However, depending on whether the weight gain has been rapid during the first months of pregnancy, it is also common for them to appear throughout pregnancy and not only at the end.
In any case, the reality is that you can not prevent it if you get pregnant or you will get stretch marks. In fact, we still do not really know why some women do have stretch marks during pregnancy, and still others do not have a single one. Apparently genetics would be closely related, so If your mother had stretch marks during pregnancy it is more than likely that you also have them.
How to avoid stretch marks of pregnancy
Although it is not always possible and can appear even if you have followed some useful habits for prevention, there are some tips that could help you win the game to stretch marks during pregnancy. They are the following:
- Gain weight little by little: Rapid weight gain during pregnancy is a common and common cause of stretch marks. Therefore, it is advisable to try to gain weight slowly. On the other hand, the most advisable thing is to try not to increase more than the recommended weight, usually between 11 to 16 kg.
- Hydrate your skin: in order to preserve the natural elasticity of the skin and prepare it to resist the distension caused by the weight gain and volume so characteristic during pregnancy, it is essential to keep your skin continuously hydrated, between two to three times a day. You can choose body oil or natural oils such as almond oil.
- Coconut oil: natural coconut oil is one of the most suitable natural products when it comes to preventing the appearance of stretch marks during pregnancy. To use it you must warm it a bit in the water bath, since it is usual to solidify. Then apply it on your abdomen, breasts and legs, preferably twice a day.
- Use anti-stretch cream: they are useful to moisturize and nourish the skin, helping to prevent the appearance of stretch marks during pregnancy. On the other hand, it is advisable not only to use it during pregnancy but also until two or three months after delivery. When you apply this cream try to do it by means of circular massages, ideal to stimulate circulation.
- Pinch yourself: in addition to circular massages in areas such as the abdomen, chest, hips and thighs you can choose to give you gentle pinches on the skin, also useful to stimulate circulation.
- Practice physical exercise: if you practice physical exercise during pregnancy on a regular basis you will get a good muscle tone, which in turn will result in avoiding micro-burns of the skin that can cause the appearance of stretch marks.
As you can see, although stretch marks are very common during pregnancy following a series of habits and natural tips can get them not appear. Try to keep these tricks throughout pregnancy, especially during the last months. Oh! And that you are very, very happy with your baby.
Bibliography:
- Miriam Brennan, Mike Clarke, Declan Devane. The use of anti stretch marks' products by women in pregnancy: a descriptive, cross-sectional survey. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2016; 16: 276. doi: 10.1186 / s12884-016-1075-9. Available at: //www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5031338/
- Rita V. Vora, Rajat Gupta, Malay J. Mehta, Arvind H. Chaudhari, Abhishek P. Pilani, Nidhi Patel. Pregnancy and Skin. J Family Med Prim Care. 2014 Oct-Dec; 3 (4): 318-324. doi: 10.4103 / 2249-4863.148099. Available at: //www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4311336/
- Sumit Kar, Ajay Krishnan, Poonam Varma Shivkumar. Pregnancy and Skin. J Obstet Gynaecol India. 2012 Jun; 62 (3): 268-275. doi: 10.1007 / s13224-012-0179-z. Available at: //www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3444563/