How to get rid of stretch marks after pregnancy: Can you prevent pregnancy stretch marks?

Most women develop pregnancy stretch marks, as a part of their motherhood journey. They are embraced by some mothers, while in some, it causes low body image and confidence. If you are going to conceive soon, then you can try and avoid these marks as it is not impossible.

These pregnancy stretch marks are not harmful and tend to appear on the stomach, thighs, and breasts mostly. Once you get these marks, there is no special treatment for it. However, after childbirth, you will see that these marks will slowly fade away and become less prominent. Instead of hiding these marks, you should wear them with pride, because being a mother is a responsibility, and not everyone can take this responsibility.

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What are pregnancy stretch marks?

Pregnancy stretch marks on the belly (Image by jcomp on Freepik)

These marks are lines that show up on the abdomen and other areas of the body and are a common thing to happen during pregnancy. Once these lines appear, women start becoming concerned about their appearances, which might lead to depression and low self-esteem.

Sometimes stretch marks itch and can be a reason for discomfort for women. However, some women do not get these marks because their skin is more stretchable or springy.

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Causes of stretch marks during pregnancy

The marks go away with time (Image by freepik)

When women get pregnant, they go through a lot of hormonal changes, which affect their skin and stretch it. There is also the extra added weight that they put on every month, as the baby grows bigger. Because of all these changes, the middle layer of the skin breaks down and causes these marks.

Even if you are not pregnant, but your body is going through severe changes like putting on extra weight or cutting down weight, you can get these marks.

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Can you prevent pregnancy stretch marks?

Hydrate your skin to prevent pregnancy stretch marks (Image by freepik)

Yes, you can try to avoid them, but not in all cases. It mostly depends on your skin type and all women do not have the same kind of skin. Here are a few ways to prevent pregnancy stretch marks.

1. Maintaining a healthy weight by exercising regularly, eating the right meals, and staying away from junk, and liquor, is the key. It is natural to gain weight when a woman is pregnant, but you can slow down weight gain if you want to, just by staying healthy.

2. When you are eating your food, make sure to consume a mineral-rich diet with minerals C, D, zinc, and protein to avoid getting these marks. Adding these to the diet will keep your baby healthy and help with their growth.

3. Use natural remedies like aloe vera or coconut oil to moisturize the skin and reduce inflammation as both of these remedies can repair your damaged skin cells and layers, which will prevent you from getting stretch marks in the first place.

Other than these, you can also drink plenty of water, as water will keep you and your skin hydrated. Also, use over-the-counter lotions that are available to prevent scars and stretch marks.

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Getting rid of stretch marks after pregnancy

Pregnancy stretch marks heal on their own with proper skin care (Image by gpointstudio on freepik )

Usually, these marks go away with time and transform into small and unnoticeable scars, so you have to give it time. Don’t stress yourself or think too much about them, as stress can lower your healing process, and therefore take more time to heal these marks.

You can exercise to improve your muscles, which will help to tighten the skin that is loose and is caused by stretch marks. This will help with better healing. Also working out will improve your blood flow, which again can help you heal faster.

You can also try several oil massages, stretch mark removal creams, and skin moisturizers to remove these marks caused by pregnancy. However, do not forget to stay hydrated always, as water is above all healing products, and proper skin hydration is the key.

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You should not be ashamed of scars or stretch marks but rather be proud, as they will remind you of all the pain you went through, which was a wonderful part of your motherhood journey, and how well you embraced the pain. You’re a fighter and a fighter has scars that take time to heal.