Stretch Marks During Pregnancy

Many women develop stretch marks during pregnancy owing to the rapid stretching of the skin, particularly in the third trimester. Although the stretching itself does not cause stretch marks it can result in tearing in the dermis. The dermis is the middle layer of the skin and is responsible for maintaining the shape of the skin. Stretch marks will not occur so long as the dermis continues to support the skin. However one tears appear in this layer stretch marks will result from it.

Another contrtibuting factor is the hormonal changes which happen during pregnancy. These changes can affect skin and contribute to the development of stretch marks.

Stretch marks most commonly appear in areas of the body where there are large fat stores, for example the stomach, thighs, upper arms and breasts. However they can appear anywhere.

When stretch marks first occur they normally appear as red or purple lines which tend to fade to a lighter color. A feature of stretch marks is that unlike most scarring the affected area feels 'empty' and may also be soft to the touch.

Although stretch marks are in no way harmful they can cause a great deal of distress to women following childbirth. At a time when many women lose confidence in their appearance and feel that they will never look good again, stretch marks simply make things much worse.

Getting Rid Of Stretch Marks

It is estimated that somewhere between 75% and 90% of women will develop stretch marks during pregnancy. Given that this equates to a very large number of women worldwide it is not surprising that there is considerable demand for ways in which to improve the appearance of stretch marks.

Stretch Mark Cream

There are numerous stretch mark creams on the market which make varying claims about the effect they can have on the appearance of stretch marks. As you might expect these vary widely in quality and actual results. However there does seem to be a reasonable amount of evidence that the better products do make a difference, based on reviews that they get from women who have tried them.

You can find some of the most well regarded products listed on our page about stretch mark creams.