The changing body shape, rapidly expanding bump and the hormones raging around conspire to ensure that loads of women get stretch marks during pregnancy. They seem to appear overnight; you may feel a little itchy, your skin can look thin and the next minute you’re covered in red stripes.
When your skin is stretched harder and faster than it can deal with, your tissues can tear, leaving a little linear wound and the purple or red streak of a stretch mark. They classically appear across the lower abdomen but can also affect your breasts, thighs and back.
They look red, angry and frankly alarming at the beginning, but with time they will fade to fine silvery lines that are barely noticeable.
Why me?
Stretch marks or striae gravidarum to use their scientific name, are common. In fact, by the end of pregnancy most women are affected. You’re more likely to get them if they run in your family, so ask your mum if she was affected. They’re also more common in darker skins, in people who gain lots of weight during pregnancy or if you’re having a multiple birth.
The trouble is, once you’ve got them, there’s little that can be done to blitz them. Although they shrink and fade with time, they don’t disappear. Laser treatment or resurfacing treatments are used to help fade the colour and improve the appearance, but the elastin in the skin remains damaged and the wound is still there. Prevention is better than cure, but what can you do?
Nourish your skin
Avoid excess rapid weight gain by maintaining a healthy balanced diet and make sure you get plenty of zinc, vitamin C and vitamin E to keep your skin healthy.
Keep your skin supple:
"I got terrible stretch marks in puberty. They’re all over my boobs, my thighs, my bum and even my calves. I’ve kind of learned to live with them, but I was paranoid about getting them in pregnancy too—it seemed like my tummy and my face were the only places without the damned things!—Elizabeth, Wetherby
I was OBSESSIVE. Seriously, I rubbed oils in religiously twice a day. Some were expensive but actually, with a body oil a little goes a long way so it didn’t break the bank. Anyway, I didn’t get any new ones at all. I don’t know if it was the oils, but I do know that my skin is prone to them and that something made a difference."
Some early studies suggested that ANY cream regularly massaged into the abdomen, thighs and breasts could help to prevent stretch marks appearing. The extra moisture and the process of massage may help the skin to stretch and adapt to your changing shape. More recent research shows that anointing your bump in cocoa butter or olive oil doesn’t seem to make a blind bit of difference when it comes to stretch marks. However, regular moisturising will help make your skin soft, supple and smooth - so it’s worth a try. There’s no need to invest in pricey products; choose something that you like the smell and texture of and that doesn’t irritate your skin. Try to make moisturising your bump and breasts part of your morning and evening routine.
Follow the evidence: I’ve been through the research on stretchmark treatments and I’m not going to lie, it’s a little disappointing. However, the British Journal of Dermatology reported that there was some suggestion that certain lotions and potions may help prevent them appearing, so look out for these ingredients:
Centella (gotu kola or Indian pennywort) and vitamin E: Creams containing this herbal remedy together with vitamin E, appeared to protect women who developed stretch marks in puberty from getting more during pregnancy. Gotu kola is an active herb and should not be taken orally during pregnancy. Its safety topically is less clear, so it’s sensible to chat to me about it at your next appointment before you start using it.
One mum, who was also a complementary therapist told me that she found vitamin E cream helped her stretch marks fade quicker, so it may offer some benefit.
Bitter almond oil: Massage with this oil may prevent stretch marks appearing or reduce their severity.
Hyaluronic acid: The evidence for this working is a little weak, but hey, that’s better than nothing.
After they’ve appeared
At the moment, there’s no proven way of totally getting rid of stretch marks, and lots of mums find they can really affect their body image and sense of self-worth after the birth. While you’re waiting for them to fade, if your skin is pale, a good fake tan can even out your skin colour, camouflage the stripes and boost your confidence. Pulsed dye laser therapy can be used in private clinics to fade discolouration and make the marks less conspicuous. I was also interested to read about a new treatment developed by a team from the University of Manchester harnessing the calming properties of green tea. You don’t drink it or bathe in it. Instead, it’s formulated into a lotion, which has recently been launched. It is designed to tackle the marks as they appear and research is still in the early days, so watch this space.
Your body is doing something remarkable
Stretch marks are one small part of a much bigger story - and if any of it is worrying you, from how your skin is changing to how you're feeling about your changing shape, you don't have to keep it to yourself. If you'd like to talk it through, get in touch with my secretary, Colette, to arrange an appointment, you don't have to be on a package with me for a one-off appointment, and no question is too small.
Frequently Asked Questions
There's no guaranteed way, I'm afraid - the research on prevention is honestly a little disappointing. Recent studies show that rubbing cocoa butter or olive oil into your bump doesn't make a measurable difference. That said, avoiding rapid excess weight gain through a healthy balanced diet helps, as does getting plenty of zinc, vitamin C and vitamin E to keep your skin healthy. And while regular moisturising isn't proven to prevent stretch marks, it will keep your skin soft and supple - so it's worth making it part of your morning and evening routine. There's no need for pricey products; choose something you like the smell and texture of that doesn't irritate your skin.
Mostly, it comes down to factors outside your control. Stretch marks - striae gravidarum, to use their scientific name - affect most women by the end of pregnancy. You're more likely to get them if they run in your family (ask your mum if she was affected), if you have darker skin, if you've gained a lot of weight during pregnancy, or if you're expecting twins or more. They happen when your skin is stretched harder and faster than it can cope with, so the tissue tears slightly, leaving that red or purple streak.
They won't disappear completely, but they will fade - those red, angry-looking stripes shrink over time into fine silvery lines that are barely noticeable. There's currently no proven way to remove them entirely, because the elastin in the skin remains damaged. If they're affecting your confidence in the meantime, a good fake tan can camouflage the marks on paler skin, and pulsed dye laser therapy at private clinics can fade the discolouration. There's also a newly launched green tea-based lotion, developed by researchers at the University of Manchester, designed to tackle marks as they appear - the research is early, but it's one to watch.
This post is adapted from Dr Duncan's new book, Anything Pregnancy. If you've enjoyed reading it, the full book is available to purchase on Amazon.