How to Avoid Stretch Marks during Pregnancy

The stork's visiting... (Credit: mahalie)

Women usually get stretch marks during pregnancy. Many women are curious to learn about avoiding stretch marks during pregnancy. Stretch marks are unsightly marks that are the result of the dermis stretching in a rapid weight gain. These stretch marls or striae as some dermatologists call them; start out as reddish or purplish marks and eventually end up looking like silvery white zigzag lines on the parts of the body that grew big too fast.

One of the recommendations in the quest of avoiding stretch marks during pregnancy is to moisturize the areas that are prone to stretch marks. These include the stomach, the breasts, the buttocks and possibly the arms and thighs. Doing so might be able to minimize the stretch marks. Application of cocoa butter, shea butter and other oils will have to be at least twice a day to have beneficial results.

One other way of avoiding stretch marks during pregnancy is to gain the weight that your obstetrician will allow, In other words, keep the weight gain to the allowed range. If you keep to the allowed weight gain, your stomach will be the only thing that could change in your body. All the rest will have stayed the same or changed minimally.

Pregnant women are expected to gain weight during pregnancy but if you gain it slowly, your skin will have time to adjust to the slow stretch instead of a rapid stretching that is sure to result in stretch marks.

Ultimately, almost all the tips on avoiding stretch marks during pregnancy pint to keeping your skin elastic and supple by moisturizing extensively.