Pregnancy doesn't only bring a joyous glow to an expectant mother, it can often bring stretch marks as well. According to What To Expect.com, 90 percent of pregnant women develop stretch marks, most often on the belly, breasts, buttocks and hips. While you may find these long wrinkly lines unsightly--and sometimes itchy--be assured that they pose no risk to mother or baby. Moreover, once the pregnancy is over, most stretch marks fade and become much less conspicuous.
What They Are
Stretch marks (striae gravidarum) are caused by tiny tears in the dermis layer of the skin. The dermis is tissue lying just beneath the outer layer of skin. It is composed of collagen and elastin fibers, both of which help the outer skin to stretch.
Sometimes the fibers of the dermis are stretched to breaking point and tears in the dermis result. These tears appear on the top layer of skin as stretch marks.
Appearance
Stretch marks appear on the skin as irregularly shaped streaks or lines. On fair-skinned women they are usually pinkish-red in color, while on women with darker skin tones, they can be brown or purple. According to MayoClinic.com, after pregnancy is over, they usually fade to a pink, white or silvery color.
When to Expect Them
The American Pregnancy Association (APA) reports that stretch marks usually become visible in the sixth or seventh month of pregnancy, although the marks begin to form much earlier, often as soon as the belly starts swelling.
These early stretch marks don't resemble the long, wrinkled lines that develop later in pregnancy. According to the APA, newly formed stretch marks merely look like "flattened" and "thin" skin.
Prevention/Solution
Stretch marks are frequently determined by genetics. If your mother or sister had stretch marks during pregnancy, chances are high that you will get stretch marks too. The best way of minimizing your chances of developing them is by keeping your weight gain under control.
The Expectant Mother's Guide.com advises to follow the recommended guidelines of gaining 25 to 30 pounds for a single baby. A healthy, balanced diet can help you gain weight in a controlled manner, thus avoiding the rapid weight gain that burdens your skin's elasticity and causes stretch marks.
Treatment
There is no treatment that will definitively prevent or eliminate stretch marks. Nevertheless, the Expectant Mother's Guide.com recommends staying well-hydrated and keeping your skin well moisturized in order to reduce the risk of developing the marks.
Pregnant women often use natural products such as cocoa butter, vitamin E or olive oil to moisturize the skin. If you wish to use an anti-stretch mark cream during pregnancy, make sure it is recommended for use during pregnancy and does not contain Retin-A, which can cause birth defects. Inform your obstetrician when using any product for the treatment of stretch marks.
