Stretch marks during pregnancy can occur in various places throughout the body and are not just limited to the belly area. They develop in areas where the skin has little elasticity and has stretched quickly over a short period of time. These reddish purple lines can also appear on the thighs, buttocks, arms and back areas. Stretch marks cannot always be avoided since everyone has varying skin types, textures and elasticity, but there are some things that can be done to greatly reduce and in some cases eliminate the chance of getting stretch marks.
Drink Plenty of Water
There isn't a real recommendation as far as how much water to drink, but it's a much better way to quench a thirst than drinking sugary drinks such as juice or pop. Water also helps the skin's elasticity which can help avoid stretch marks during pregnancy.
Massage Olive Oil Into The Skin
Since stretch marks can occur in areas like the stomach, thighs, buttocks and arms, be sure all of those areas are massaged with olive oil at least once per day starting prior to pregnancy if possible and continuing until postpartum. Olive oil is a great moisturizer and can really help in making the skin more elastic. If skin is dry and weight is gained quickly, stretch marks are much more likely to make themselves apparent.
Do Not Overeat
Although pregnant women are eating for two, it isn't for two adults so it's important to not overeat because a lot more excess weight will be gained. It's recommended that pregnant women only increase their daily caloric intake by 300 calories throughout their pregnancy.
Eat a healthy diet
Healthy foods are an important part of pregnancy and eating a healthy diet will give the body all of the vitamins and minerals that it needs, making the skin healthy from the inside out. Concentrate most on fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and protein.
Use a Stretch Mark Cream
If stretch marks begin to appear, immediately begin using a stretch mark cream in addition to a regular moisturizing routine. They can help to reduce the depth of the lines and even make them disappear all together over time.
Stretch marks during pregnancy cannot always be avoided. The best way to prevent them from forming is to moisturize the skin very regularly. This includes prior to pregnancy, often during the pregnancy and continuing on post pregnancy. The more elastic the skin is, the less likely the chance that stretch marks will appear, so moisturizing as often as possible is the best fight against those angry lines.
Melinda Friedland - Melinda Friedland was recently married in the summer of 2009 and has 4 young children so she knows what it's like to be busy. She has been ...
