Some women worry about getting stretch marks from being pregnant, but it is possible to avoid getting stretch marks and reduce the appearance of the marks when they first appear. Stretch marks often show up around the breasts, hips, thighs, buttocks and abdomen. You may not get stretch marks in all of those places, and some lucky women avoid getting any marks at all. Yet, luck is not the only reason why some women do not get stretch marks during pregnancy. It takes a little extra self-care for your body--even though a little luck luck doesn't hurt.
Step 1
Keep weight gain under control. Women who are pregnant with one child should gain anywhere from 25 to 35 lbs. during pregnancy. Any more weight gain will increase the chances of getting stretch marks because healthy skin can accommodate some stretching and growth without tearing the tissue under the skin. Likewise, The March of Dimes cautions against dieting during pregnancy--even if you gain too much weight while carrying a child or were overweight before you became pregnant--because dieting can harm your baby and you will not avoid getting stretch marks.
Step 2
Apply moisturizer that contains alpha tocopherol, a form of vitamin E, to the skin every day after bathing. A 2000 study in The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews found that body lotions and creams that contain the ingredient alpha tocopherol may prevent the development of stretch marks.
Step 3
Apply a body lotion containing cocoa butter and lanolin. Lanolin provides moisture and improves skin elasticity. The use of cocoa butter for the prevention of stretch marks may be a folk remedy, but many women still find cocoa butter a valuable remedy for use during pregnancy. A 2008 study published in the "British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology," found that cocoa butter does not appear to prevent the development of stretch marks. Even though one study did not find evidence that cocoa butter worked for preventing stretch marks, it does not hurt to use cocoa butter for extra skin softening during pregnancy--and many women still believe cocoa butter makes their skin look and feel better.
Step 4
Drink more than eight to 10 glasses of water a day to keep skin moist and maintain skin's elasticity. Lotions and creams can only penetrate the upper layers of the skin. To keep skin moist and able to accommodate the stretching that occurs during pregnancy, skin needs moisture. Unfortunately, the skin is the last organ in the body to get the benefits of water, as the body utilizes water for other vital organs first.
Step 5
Take a daily inventory of your body while you are carrying your child and make changes to your lifestyle and diet as needed. After bathing, look over your body in a full-length mirror and notice any small changes to your skin. Often, the first appearance of a stretch mark appears as a red scratch on the skin. If you notice one, it is an indication that skin needs moisture or that you are gaining too much weight too fast. Apply moisturizer more than once a day on problem areas if you notice a small mark, or drink more water. Small marks may heal if you catch them and treat them early. Additionally, avoid fatty foods that can cause rapid weight gain.
Tips and Warnings
- Always follow the diet recommended by your doctor. Healthy foods and snacks, such as fruits and vegetables, will give you the nutrients you need and keep weight gain moderate.
- Do not apply topical creams, especially prescription-strength applications, to your body without talking to your doctor first. Some topical applications may harm your baby, although over-the-counter products that moisturize the skin are usually safe to use.
Things You'll Need
- Vitamin E lotion
- Cocoa butter lotion
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