Don't Panic About Stretch Marks and Pregnancy - Causes, Prevention, and Treatment

Stretch marks. Striae Gravidarum. The signs of pregnancy. Call them what you will. But they are the one thing that all women worry will occur as soon as they are pregnant.

But what are stretch marks anyway? And why do they occur?

Well, the cause is in the anatomy of the skin. The skin has two layers - a thin upper layer called the epidermis, and a thicker, lower layer called the dermis. Scattered in the dermis are thin protein filaments called elastin that, like a piece of rubber band, are capable of stretching on being tugged. But just as a rubber band can extend just so far and no farther, these elastin fibres can similarly be stretched only to a certain level. 

If stretched farther, they snap. The increased weight of the uterus during pregnancy causes the skin to stretch to a large amount and the elastin fibres are ripped. The broken elastin generates scars on the skin termed Stria Gravidarum or stretch marks.

They appear on the lower abdomen of all pregnant women, right?

Well, right and wrong. They appear in most pregnant women, although not in all and not just on the lower abdomen. Stretch marks arise when the skin is stretched in a relatively short period of time, like in pregnancy or in obesity. They occur:

•  In the lower abdomen in pregnancy.
•  Along the sides of the breasts either in pregnancy or in obesity.
•  Upper thighs.
•  Occasionally even on the inner surfaces of the upper arms.

But can stretch marks be prevented?

Thankfully, the answer is yes, to a certain extent. Although some women are genetically prone to acquire stretch marks, it has been found that athletes and women used to intense, physical work obtain relatively few or no stretch marks.

 This is independent of whether their female relatives have stretch marks or not. The explanation for this is that these ladies have particularly well-developed and powerful abdominal muscles. 

These muscles can easily handle the weight of the expanding uterus and keep it from pushing forwards on the skin - almost like wearing a strong muscular belt under the skin. The skin is therefore stretched less, less elastin fibers are destroyed, and there are less stretch scars.

Again a supple, healthy, well hydrated skin is capable of extending more without any permanent injury. So if a woman can strengthen her abdominal muscles and maintain her skin healthy and supple, there is less possibility of her having stretch marks.


But how? How can I improve my muscles and keep my skin moisturized?

Gentle workouts for the abdominal muscles can be started as soon as pregnancy has been confirmed or even whilst pregnancy is being planned.

Exercise 1: Standing erect, extend both arms over the head. Bend forward carefully to touch your toes. Hold the position until a count of 100. Then gently straighten up. Do this workout at least once day.

Exercise 2: Standing straight, extend both arms over the head and clasp your hands. Now bend slowly to your left as far down as you feel comfortable. Hold for a count of 10. Straighten up gently and then bend to your right. Hold to a count of 10. Straighten up. Exhale when you are bending and inhale while straightening up. This creates one set. Do at least 3 sets once day.

Exercise 3: Stand upright with feet about 12 inches apart. Place hands on your back at the waist. Slowly bend back, as far back as you are comfortable. Hold to a count of 10. Straighten up. 

Now bend forward gently, hold the position until a count of 10. Then straighten up. Exhale when you are bending and inhale while straightening up. This creates one set. Do at least 3 sets once day.

These three exercises will strengthen the stomach and back muscles as well as gently stretch the skin. They also enhance the posture during pregnancy.

Caring for the skin: Keep the skin moisturized by using oil – olive oil, coconut oil, almond oil or any decent baby oil – thoroughly over the skin of the abdomen, hips and thighs. Massage it in with sweeping upward strokes. 

You may apply this before you exercise so that the oil is thoroughly absorbed while the skin is stretched during activity. This will make the skin supple and healthy and capable of stretching without destroying the elastin fibres.

A Good Diet: Take a good diet with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables and appropriate water. And do not forget your daily vitamins. This will promote a healthy and supple skin.

But what happens if the stretch marks have already occured? How can I get rid of them?

The beautiful thing about stretch marks is that they diminish with time. When they are first developed, they are reddish or brownish, but subsequently they become thin silvery lines that may not be seen at first look.

 The terrible part about stretch marks is that they can be erased permanently only by surgery. The elastin and collagen development can be encouraged to some extent by cocoa butter, 

Vitamin E, wheat germ oil and lanolin. But to erase the markings completely, laser surgery, blue light therapy and other surgical therapies are the sole possibilities. Many creams and lotions available on the market also claim to be able to eliminate stretch marks but have yet to be medically confirmed.