How To Reduce the Appearance of Stretch Marks During Pregnancy

In every woman’s life, the time of bearing a child in the womb is very overwhelming. Nurturing a new life within one's own body gives an incomparable, immense good feeling to a woman. However, pregnancy comes with many bodily changes, both physical and mental. One of the physical changes seen at the time of pregnancy is stretch marks.
 
Mothers-to-be may have many questions in mind regarding the appearance of stretch marks on the stomach. The dermatologist in Hyderabad, Dr. Ravali Yalamanchili at Neya Dermatology & Aesthetics will share details about pregnancy stretch marks and provide you with pointers to prevent and treat them. So, let's get to know them!
 

What are pregnancy stretch marks?

Pregnancy stretch marks, medically termed ‘striae gravidarum, are tiny scars reaching the dermis and appearing on the skin’s surface as pink, red, purple, or brown streaks/striations. They are commonly seen in pregnant women, typically on their abdomen, thighs, breasts, buttocks, and upper arms.
 

When do stretch marks occur during pregnancy?

The appearance of stretch marks can occur at different times in every pregnant woman. Often, stretch marks show up late during pregnancy because of stretching of the skin with sudden, rapid weight gain to accommodate the developing foetus in the womb/uterus. Some childbearing women start to get stretch marks in their second trimester while others may not notice them until they are in their last few weeks of the third trimester. There are also some lucky women, who don’t get stretch marks.
 

How can stretch marks be avoided or their appearance be reduced during pregnancy?

Stretch marks are not completely preventable at the time of pregnancy and no miracle stretch marks removal option can eliminate stretch marks.
 
Here are some of the best stretch mark prevention tips, that can help you minimise the risk of getting stretch marks and even reduce stretch marks' appearance:
 

• Have a healthy pregnancy diet to ensure a moderate amount of weight gain (preferably 25 to 30 pounds) throughout pregnancy. A pregnancy diet must incorporate skin-nourishing foods such as antioxidant-loaded vegetables like spinach, sweet potatoes, and carrots; Vitamin E-rich seeds, nuts, avocados, and broccoli; and proteinaceous food items like yogurt and lentils.  
• Drink adequate water daily.
• Women must include Vitamin C in their diet, as it helps boost collagen production that strengthens the skin, making it more elastic. This also helps prevent the formation of wrinkles and stretch marks. Vitamin C is found in many vegetables and fruits like oranges and lemons.
• A diet rich in zinc is an important nutrient for skin health, as it helps reduce inflammation and promotes wound healing. Eating zinc-rich foods like nuts and fish may keep the skin healthy.
• Avoid frequent or over-exposure to the sun’s harmful UV rays.
• Wear a proper-fitting, supportive bra to prevent stretch marks on your breasts.
• Apply specially formulated creams and oils that can prevent dehydrated, itchy skin and the appearance of stretch marks during pregnancy. It is suggested to use nature-based stretch marks creams and oils that contain ingredients like shea butter, avocado peptides, beeswax, pomegranate, shea butter, and baobab.   
• Exfoliate stretch marks prone area once in 7 days to enjoy more benefits from the use of moisturisers and stretch mark creams/oils.
• Gently massage the stretch-marks-prone area with moisturisers and stretch marks oils/creams to improve blood circulation and make skin healthy, keep skin supple and elastic, provide better absorption of moisturisers and stretch marks cream/oils, and break up newly forming stretch marks.

Can stretch marks be eliminated after pregnancy?

For women who dislike stretch marks, it is not impossible to reduce their appearance or remove them after pregnancy. Women can achieve stretch- marks-free skin with our stretch marks treatment in Hyderabad. Here are some of the best ways to remove stretch marks:
 
Apply an ultra-targeted stretch marks serum 
 
To allow stretch marks to heal properly after pregnancy, the most cost-effective and less time-consuming treatment option is using 100% natural, specially-designed stretch marks serum. This serum can help restore skin’s elasticity and break up the scar tissue.
 
Be physically active
 
By slowly resuming routine workouts after pregnancy, stretch-marked skin can be tightened as the underlying muscles get strengthened and toned.
 
Opt for invasive treatments as a last resort
 
The best stretch mark treatment for stubborn stretch marks can be laser stretch mark removal, GFC (Growth factor concentrate) therapy, and/or microneedling. Among them, laser stretch mark removal is mostly performed as the therapy is cheaper, safer, and can help remove stretch marks by just heat-inducing fresh collagen production and revealing healthier, rejuvenated skin. These procedures can help women get rid of stretch marks.
 
One can also go for microdermabrasion, which is a non-invasive procedure that promotes safe exfoliation of the skin and helps remove dead skin cells.The approach uses a special device that removes the dead skin layer and helps rejuvenate it. The method is found to be effective in improving early stretch marks. The procedure is combined with topical plat-elet-rich pl-asma; this treatment is more effective.
 
Another procedure is microneedling or collagen induction therapy, which uses tiny needles to cause safe pricks in the skin, is used to stimulate collagen production and helps naturally heal stretch marks. It is a proven treatment for managing late stretch marks.
 
Chemical peel is also a popular skin resurfacing procedure that uses glycolic, salicylic, and trichloroacetic acid, applied to the stretch mark-affected area of the skin. The procedure removes the outer layer of the skin and promotes new skin cell formation.
 
But one must make a note that these procedures must be performed after delivery of the baby and not during pregnancy period.
 
Be patient
 
Stretch marks removal is not as easy and quick as wished for. Therefore, while a mother or pregnant women take steps to reduce stretch marks developed during pregnancy, they need to stay patient. Even the best stretch marks removal treatment cannot overnight remove pregnancy stretch marks.
 
If you have pregnancy stretch marks and are looking for effective methods to manage them, visit Neya Dermatology & Aesthetics for the best stretch marks removal treatment in Hyderabad.

Content Reviewed and Updated by Dr. Ravali Yalamanchili on 15th July 2024