How to treat stretchmarks – motherhood’s badge of honour 

Up to 90% of all expecting women will get stretch marks. Most women start to notice stretch marks on their stomachs (and elsewhere) around the end of their second trimester. They can appear as pink, red, brown or sometimes purplish streaks. They can adorn a woman’s belly, butt, thighs, hips and breasts.

What causes stretch marks during pregnancy?

Stretch marks are caused by tiny tears in the supporting layers of tissue under your skin as it’s pulled tight during pregnancy to make room for your growing bundle of joy. Whether or not you get stretch marks has a lot to do with your skin’s elasticity. You can mostly thank genetics. If your mother had stretch marks, chances are greater that you probably will too. Lifestyle habits, including eating well and exercising regularly, also promote skin health and elasticity.

Another important factor affecting the likelihood of stretch marks is how much weight you gain during pregnancy and how quickly. Rapid weight gain makes you more prone to this badge of pregnancy. The faster your skin stretches, the more likely it is to leave a mark.

What can I do during pregnancy to treat stretch marks?

Stretch marks are something to be proud of, but if you’d prefer to try to minimise their appearance, here’s what you need to know:

• Massage and moisturise. Massaging a stretch mark oil or cream on your belly, hips and thighs certainly won’t hurt. Some research suggests that formulations with hyaluronic acid (already present in the skin) may help prevent stretch marks.
• Try and keep your weight gain slow and steady. Rapid weight gain is one of the culprits behind stretch marks. Slowly and steadily putting on pounds during pregnancy is one of the most effective ways to help prevent them.
• Nourish your skin from the inside. Eating plenty of vitamin C-rich foods like fruits and vegetables may make your skin less subject to stretch marks. Vitamin C promotes collagen and tissue production, which helps keep skin firm and elastic. Load up on fatty fish, dairy or dairy substitutes, and eggs, which are packed full of vitamin D, plus other pregnancy-friendly vitamins and nutrients (like omega-3 fatty acids).

What can I do post-partum to treat stretch marks?

Stretch marks gradually lighten and fade on their own. But if you’re still concerned once you deliver your baby, there are options that can make stretch marks less noticeable.

Laser therapy is effective for minimising the appearance of white stretch marks. Radiofrequency microneedling is most suited to darker skin tones by targeting the middle layer of the skin.

DOT CO2 Laser is a great way to improve the appearance of stretch marks. DOT CO2 is a fractionated laser. Fractionated lasers create thousands of microscopic holes (DOTs) in the skin, vaporising columns of the outer and middle layers of the skin to generate a measured injury, which promotes an immediate healing effect and stimulates new collagen growth.

Radiofrequency microneedling is one of the most effective treatments for reducing the appearance of stretch marks. Microscopic needles penetrate your skin and deliver RF energy, triggering a natural healing reaction that stimulates your skin, increasing collagen growth, smoothing your skin and reducing the appearance of stretch marks with each treatment.

Other options include topical treatments, which can reduce the appearance of the marks, and in more extreme cases, cosmetic surgery is the only way to remove white stretch marks permanently.

Can I prevent stretch marks?

There’s no proven way to prevent stretch marks during pregnancy. It’s probably best to save your hard-earned cash for effective post-delivery treatments instead of spending money on unproven therapies.

When can I expect my stretch marks to go away?

Any stretch marks that appear while you’re expecting will likely hang around for a while. Fortunately, they won’t stay so prominent forever. Pregnancy stretch marks usually lighten to a less noticeable (and more easily concealable) silvery grey or pale glistening colour within about six months of birth.

In the meantime – try to wear them with pride! And come and see us after delivery to see what’s possible to reduce the appearance of stretch marks.