Stretch Marks

No one wants to get stretch marks yet half of all women get them during pregnancy What are your chances of getting these marks during pregnancy Is there anything you can do to prevent them Stretch marks are pink red or dark brown striations that appear on our bodies They occur when the connective tissue under the skin is pulled by rapid growth or stretching When skin is overstretched the production of collagen a protein that makes up connective tissue is disrupted and striations form You do not have to be pregnant to get them Many teenagers get them during the rapid growth of puberty Men can also get them its especially common for body builders to have them

On the plus side striations usually fade to a silvery color that is hard to notice about a year after you deliver

You are more likely to get them during pregnancy if ,

1. You gain a great deal of weight rapidly during your pregnancy

2. You are carrying multiples

3. You are carrying a large baby

4. You have excess amniotic fluid

You can get stretch marks anywhere on your body Popular spots for pregnant women include

1. Belly

2. Breasts

3. Hips

4. Buttocks

5. Thighs

6. Genetics

It seems as if there is a genetic predisposition for stretch marks If your mother or sister got them you are likely to get them too There is really no way to prevent stretch marks other than gaining your pregnancy weight slowly and eating nutritiously There are many stretch mark creams and other skin products that claim to prevent striations However there is no proof that these creams work On the plus side these creams do help keep your skin moisturized and relieve itching Stretch marks are not pretty especially after childbirth when you want to get your body back However there are some things you can do to reduce the appearance of stretch marks Some women find that sunless tanning treatments or cosmetic makeups cover these striations However regular tanning or tanning beds make stretch marks appear worse since these marks are less likely to tan than regular skin You can also contact a dermatologist to help with stretch marks He she may be able to eliminate or lessen the appearance of your marks using surgery microderm abrasion or laser treatments Another thing you can try is using tretinoin cream also known as RetinA A few studies that have shown applying 0 1 percent tretinoin cream may help with the appearance of striations However there is no information about whether it gets passed onto your baby in your breast milk Do not use this cream if you are breastfeeding