One's best defense against stretch marks is to ensure that the skin maintains its maximum elasticity throughout pregnancy. This is achieved by keeping skin well-hydrated and supple at all times.
Hormonal changes in pregnancy can affect your skin and make you more likely to get stretch marks. They happen when the middle layer of skin (dermis) becomes stretched and broken in places. Whether or not you get stretch marks depends on your skin type, as some people's skin is more elastic.
Bio-Oil Skin Care Oil
Kim Kardashian and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (aka Duchess Kate) are both fans of Bio-Oil for keeping skin soft and stretch mark-free during pregnancy.
Bio-Oil® Skincare Oil is clinically proven to improve the appearance of stretch marks. 95% of subjects saw a signifigant result after only 2 weeks of use. 100% of subjects showed an improvement after 8 weeks of use.
We recommend using anti-stretch mark oil from the 2nd trimester of pregnancy . This is when the skin begins to stretch to accommodate your growing baby. An anti-stretch mark oil will improve the elasticity and suppleness of the skin and deeply nourish it.
Flynn recommends liberally using Palmer's Cocoa Butter, while the APA recommends using Bio-Oil twice daily throughout pregnancy. According to the AAD, creams with hyaluronic acid may also help, as it was found to boost skin collagen production in a recent 2016 and 2019 study.
Kim Kardashian has publicly shared her experience with skin resurfacing lasers to help reduce stretch marks, particularly after pregnancy. These treatments work by removing damaged skin layers and triggering collagen regeneration, making stretch marks appear less visible and smoother over time.
Body creams containing hyaluronic acid are therefore recommended to be applied daily to prevent and correct stretch marks. The answer to the question can we use hyaluronic acid while pregnant is not only yes, but it has many virtues.
Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck)
The most effective way to tackle inelastic, sagging skin on the abdomen is through a tummy tuck. This popular surgery works to remove excess skin and tighten up any muscle separation caused by the expansion of the abdomen.
Products that include oils such as Sweet Almond oil, Jojoba oil, Wheatgerm oil, and Carrot oil are rich in Essential Fatty Acids and the vitamins A, C, E, B, and are able to hydrate and strengthen skin cell membranes. This makes the cells less prone to damage and improves skin elasticity.
As skin is stretched, its connecting fibres get broken, becoming thinner in appearance and structure. These signs usually develop during the 30th week of pregnancy, increasing during the third trimester with some women even experiencing the increase in stretch marks during their second trimester.
However, keeping your skin moisturized improves elasticity, which may help prevent stretch marks. Moisturization helps skin become more pliable so that it can stretch a little easier.
Hyaluronic acid
It helps keep our skin well-moisturised and hydrated from the inside. Because it's found naturally in our tissue, it's safe to use hyaluronic acid during pregnancy. You'll typically find it in cleansers, face mists, serums, oils, and moisturisers.
Ascorbic acid also stimulates collagen production in the dermis by increasing fibroblast proliferation. It therefore seems likely that ascorbic acid can improve the atrophic appearance of stretch marks.
A BMI of 25 to 29.9 is classified as overweight. A BMI of 30 or greater is classified as obese. Women with a normal weight BMI are recommended to gain 25 to 35 pounds during pregnancy, women with an overweight BMI should gain 15 to 25 pounds, and women with a BMI of 30 or greater should gain 11 to 20 pounds.
This lowers the chance of developing both excess skin and the appearance of stretch marks. Losing weight won't make stretch marks go away. Instead, time is one of the best tools you have to reduce the appearance of stretch marks (along with some of the treatments we've rounded up below).
You can't do anything that guarantees that you won't develop stretch marks. But a combination of hydration, diet and exercise can help reduce your risk.
The Kardashian Way to a Tiny Waist
One of the biggest fashion and workout trends of the past five years has been waist training, thanks in no small part to the iconic Kardashian sisters. Since 2014, they've taken turns showing off their signature hourglass curves, perfected with their “waist-snatching” waist trainers.
Sofia Richie recently sung the praises of this belly oil on TikTok, where she posted a video sharing all of her pregnancy essentials. The model, who is seven months pregnant, slathers the Hatch Belly Oil all over her body after applying a shea butter balm to lock in moisture and prevent stretch marks.
Skin Food. Collagen and elastin fibers in the skin are necessary to keep rapidly growing skin taut, and the stronger they are, the less likely they are to break and leave resulting stretch marks. It, therefore, makes sense to eat foods that are rich in Vitamin E and C, zinc and silica, which help to form collagen.
Weight gain, hormonal imbalance, dry skin, many factors come into play in the appearance of stretch marks. In order to prevent their appearance, it is important to apply daily care such as an anti-stretch mark cream from the first months of pregnancy.
Be good to your bump. Specially blended to soothe skin through the 9-month stretch of pregnancy, this rich Belly Butter will keep your growing belly soft, smooth and comfortable before and after your new arrival.