Stretch marks caused by pregnancy occur naturally on the skin of the abdominal area; in fact, the epidermis widens to make sure that the belly can enlarge. At first, these are red marks that, over time, turn silver. It is possible to prevent and reduce the appearance of stretch marks by intervening from the beginning of the sweet expectation. Learn to avoid them by changing your lifestyle, starting new skincare habits and practicing good maintenance after the baby is born.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Changing Your Lifestyle
Step 1. Follow a skin nourishing diet
You probably already eat healthy, balanced dishes to make sure your child is getting enough vitamins and nutrients. Incorporating foods that are particularly beneficial to skin health can improve skin elasticity, which helps prevent the formation of stretch marks. Add the following foods to your daily diet:
- Foods rich in antioxidants, which help nourish and protect the skin. Eat lots of spinach, blueberries, strawberries, and other fresh fruits and vegetables.
- Foods containing vitamin E, which protects cell membranes. Eat nuts, seeds, avocados, broccoli, and kale.
- Foods containing vitamin A, which repair skin tissues. Eat carrots, sweet potatoes, mangoes, squash, and red peppers.
- Foods containing Omega-3s, which keep cell membranes healthy and brighten the skin. Eat fish, fish oil, nuts, eggs, and oysters.
Step 2. Maintain good hydration
Water helps flush toxins out of the body, keeps skin plump and cells healthy. As a result, the skin is healthier and more likely to recover from the stress caused by stretch marks. Drink lots of water by implementing the following habits:
- Drink eight glasses of water a day. If you find it difficult to swallow all of these liquids, bring a two-glass bottle of water with you. Refill it four times throughout the day instead of having to pour yourself a glass eight times. This way, drinking more water won't bother you.
- Drink herbal tea. Choosing caffeine-free drinks helps the body maintain good hydration, and can relieve the boredom of having to drink only water every day.
- Eat fruits and vegetables that contain a lot of water. Consuming these foods is another great way to hydrate yourself. Make large salads full of cucumbers, fresh peppers, and celery. Choose watermelon, strawberries, winter melon, and other water-rich fruits instead of eating starchy desserts.
Step 3. Exercise during pregnancy
Movement allows the skin to retain its elasticity by improving circulation. As if this were not enough, physical activity prevents excessive and immediate accumulation of weight, fighting stretch marks in the bud. Introduce sport to your daily schedule by doing the following:
- Do exercises designed to lessen the effects of pregnancy on the body. Stretching, Kegel exercises, and other simple movements can promote optimal blood circulation and make you feel better while pregnant.
- Try pregnancy-friendly yoga and other low-impact exercises. Yoga and Pilates offer you great workouts without requiring movements that would be uncomfortable with your baby bump.
Step 4. Gain weight gradually
Stretch marks appear when you gain substantial and sudden fat. If you follow your doctor's guidelines for progressively gaining weight instead of heaping it all at once, you greatly reduce the chances of finding yourself with stretch marks.
- Avoid eating for two. You should take in more calories than you did before you got pregnant, but don't double them.
- When you feel that you are going to have cravings, taste only the food you really want, like ice cream, then add a hefty dose of strawberries or another fruit. You will satisfy your palate and you will feel full.
Part 2 of 3: Acquiring New Skincare Habits
Step 1. Brush dry skin regularly
Exfoliating the skin using a dry brush improves circulation and keeps it healthy. This method is recommended for reducing the appearance of stretch marks that have already formed, and is also useful as a preventative technique.
- Use a dry brush made of natural fibers. The bristles should be stiff, but not too hard.
- Start from the lower legs and brush the skin upwards towards the heart. Focus on areas where stretch marks could become a problem, such as the buttocks and abdomen. When you're done brushing, shower to get rid of dead skin cells with water.
- Do not use the dry brush on the breasts, as the skin in this area is more sensitive and could be damaged by brushing.
Step 2. Do not use harmful chemicals on the skin
Many commercially available shower gels contain sulfates, which can only dry out the skin and reduce elasticity over time. Choose a cleanser based on natural oils that will nourish the skin instead of making it lose too much moisture.
- Coconut oil can be used as a cleanser for healthy skin. Massage it into your skin, rinse with warm water and pat it dry with a soft towel.
- You may not need to use a cleanser on your skin, especially if it is prone to drying out. Wash it with lukewarm water and pat it dry with a towel.
Step 3. Moisturize the skin
It is important to use a moisturizer to nourish the skin on the belly, hips, lower back, thighs, legs and any other places where stretch marks may appear. A regular lotion does not penetrate the skin deeply enough to keep it hydrated, so use a product specifically designed for pregnant women, or choose a natural oil.
- Bio-Oil, Cocoa Butter, Sweet Almond Oil, Shea Butter, and Wheat Germ Oil are common and effective choices for moisturizing pregnant skin. Pure lanolin, a wax secreted from sheep's skin to keep the woolly fleece soft, works just as well.
- Moisturize your skin in the morning after washing and repeat in the evening. If you notice that you are itchy where there are stretch marks, this means that you need to moisturize the area further.
Step 4. Use sunscreen
If you go swimming or sunbathe for some time, make sure you use enough cream on your stomach, hips, chest, and other areas where stretch marks may form. The sun's rays are aggressive on the skin, so it is especially important to protect yourself during pregnancy.
Part 3 of 3: Maintain a Good Postpartum Routine
Step 1. Continue to eat foods that nourish the skin
Do not stop consuming fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, fish and avocados after the baby is born. The period following childbirth is a delicate phase: you must make sure that the skin continues to receive the vitamins it needs to renew itself and heal from stretch marks.
- Don't go on a crash diet to lose weight after pregnancy. Gradually lose weight, just as you have progressively gained weight, so your skin will have time to regain tone.
- Keep hydrating by drinking plenty of water to help your skin retain elasticity.
Step 2. Get more physical activity
Now that the baby is born, you have no limits, and you can perform even those exercises that were unsafe in pregnancy. Exercise four or five times a week, focusing on the following activities:
- Strength training. Exercising the muscles to strengthen them allows the skin to tone up. Try lifting weights, and work with a trainer to figure out which exercises are right for you.
- Cardio workout. Swimming, running and cycling are sports that promote circulation and allow the skin to recover its shape.
Step 3. Treat stretch marks
If you end up with some stretch marks, which can happen even if you take all the necessary precautions, treat them from the first appearance. Apply a special ointment containing glycolic acid to the abdomen, hips and any other areas where red marks have appeared.
- Prescription creams containing retinoids, which should not be used during pregnancy and breastfeeding, have been shown to be equally beneficial for stretch marks.
- Using glycolic acid and retinoids at the same time could generate better results than using the individual products.
- If these products do not allow you to eliminate stretch marks, laser treatments designed specifically for their removal are an effective choice.
Advice
- You can make an anti-stretch mark lotion at home with cocoa butter, olive oil and vitamin E cream.
- Stretch marks are partly genetic. If your mother has any, they will likely show up to you too, but taking preventative measures can reduce their appearance.
