What Causes Pregnancy Stretch Marks?

Let’s get real Mamas. Most of us get stretch marks at some point in our lives. Maybe it was during a growth spurt as a teenager or gained a few lbs during quarantine. Let’s focus on the ones you may have gotten during pregnancy. Some of you call them your “badge of honor” others may want to just say “bye Felicia”. Either way stretch marks are extremely common and quite frankly, totally normal. During pregnancy, our bodies are constantly changing which can result in stretch marks. These changes include decreased blood circulation, fluid retention, increased hormones, dry skin, and swelling. Somebody get me some ice, these cankles are killing me!  

 

What are the main causes of stretch marks? 

Our skin is elastic, but during pregnancy, our skin is stretched to its limit resulting in stretch marks or as we like to say “stretch happens”. This can be caused by dehydration in your skin, rapid weight gain, and the overall change in direction your skin is being pulled. These “tiger stripes” can appear in either tan, red, yellow, pink, purple, or even brown ribbons. The most commonly affected areas are the abdomen, breasts, hips, flank, booty, and thighs. At this point, you may be asking yourself “What are the best stretch mark cream for Pregnancy?!” Don’t panic! We know some great solutions that help to prevent and even fade existing stretch marks.

Can you get rid of stretch marks?

We know stretch marks are not harmful, but let’s be honest, most of us do not like the look of them. That’s why we search for treatments to prevent and fade the appearance of them. Lotions and Creams for stretch marks can be used to help fade and prevent stretchies. Most of you know the long list of things we are supposed to avoid during pregnancy, but what about the good ingredients? Drum roll please...Cocoa butter, organic tamanu oil, sea buckthorn oil, and rosehip oil! Just to name a few. The use of these ingredients reduces and fades the appearance of stretch marks with consistent use over time. And the good news is these all can be found in our favorite the Best lotion for pregnancy and body butter. 

Keep Yourself Hydrated

Your body gets dehydrated a lot faster during pregnancy because, well, you’re “drinking for two”. We cannot stress this enough. KEEP YOURSELF HYDRATED. Drinking plenty of water will help your body to flush out toxins improving the overall health of your skin, and prevent stretch marks. Dry skin = more visible stretch marks. Staying hydrated can help, but sometimes our skin needs a boost. And no, we’re not talking about caffeine, Mama. The best lotion for pregnancy and postpartum skin will help with the rest. Lotions and creams can relieve that itchiness and the appearance of dry dehydrated skin, not to mention maintain that glow you’ve been workin’ on.

Proper Diet

Now we aren’t here to tell you what to eat *pass me the doughnuts, please*. However, it is important to maintain a healthy diet for yourself and baby. Diet also plays a role in stretch mark prevention. The balance of vitamins in your body helps to make it function more efficiently. Balancing your intake of vitamin c, vitamin d, vitamin e, zinc, and protein are major factors in maintaining a healthy diet during your pregnancy. Zinc is especially important for decreasing inflammation and for your overall health. There are a few different ways you can get the proper amount of Zinc. Food sources include lean proteins, eggs, nuts, and seeds. You can find topical skincare products containing zinc, but not all of them are toxin-free, organic, and pregnancy safe skincare. We think this Tummy Butter is the best stretch marks prevention cream. 

Take care of stretch marks as soon as they appear

Get ahead of the game. If you start caring for your skin at the beginning of your pregnancy, there is a greater chance that you can minimize the appearance of stretch marks or not get them at all. The best lotions for pregnancy will keep your skin hydrated, boost collagen, and fade existing stretch marks over time. Just like most things in life, nothing is resolved overnight and unfortunately, stretch marks are one of them. The good news is with a consistent skincare routine we can say goodbye to these “baby on board” signs. Just apply tummy butter cream, the best stretch marks cream for pregnancy on your bumps and bits during and after your pregnancy so stretch marks can be a thing of the past.

At the end of the day mama, we are all human and every mama is different. Whether you love your stretch marks or want to “give them the boot” we are all mothers. And these stretch marks are little reminders of the bond you had with your baby before they were even born. Wear them proudly!