How to Prevent Stretch Marks during Pregnancy

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Lot of things change when a baby comes in the family, but the changes could start even before the baby arrives. As early as the pregnancy, when you are about 14 weeks to 21 weeks pregnant, the physical alterations in a mother’s body becomes more evident. Nothing can be done about the ever-growing bulge in the belly as the baby gains size inside, but the red marks of motherhood, where many pregnant women suffered from, is something that you can deal with. Knowing the answers on how to prevent stretch marks during pregnancy is a trivial matter through the help of natural remedies and products that are available in the market.

Know What Stretch Marks Are

While some women proudly wear it as their medal of pregnancy, most are irritated and even ashamed to show them off. Why suffer from those marks when you can avoid it? First, you need to understand it to know the proper steps that you should take to prevent it from appearing on your skin.

To put it simply, stretch marks are scars in the dermis. The skin is made of three major layers: the epidermis, the outer layer; dermis, the middle layer; and the subcutaneous layer, the fat layer. Ligaments are present in the dermis but it can be damaged when sudden changes like rapid weight growth and weight gain happens. Also, cortisol level becomes higher in the case of pregnancy and it lowers the presence of collagen. Collagen is the protein responsible for skin’s elasticity. When sudden stretching of the skin happens, like getting big of your tummy because of pregnancy, the tissues in the dermis are damaged and appears as stretch marks on the epidermis. Keeping the skin supple is the key in avoiding in having the scars because of stretching.

Take Care of the Skin from The Outside

Knowing how to prevent stretch marks during pregnancy is easy now that you know how it happens. The unsightly stretch marks mostly appear on thighs, breasts, arms, buttocks, and lower backs. Knowing this is important because you can take special care of the said areas to prevent the tissues in the dermis layer from scarring.

Keeping your skin moisturized will greatly help in maintaining the stretch ability of the tissues therefore preventing it from breaking even if rapid weight changes happen. Your house could be teeming with natural remedies that you can use to moisturize your skin. Different oils are effective skin moisturizer as they contain amino acids and nutrients needed by the skin. Some of them are coconut oil, olive oil, and castor oil. Aside from the oils, you can also apply a thick layer of egg whites on the areas where stretch marks mostly appear. In addition to this, you may also rub on your skin any of the following: aloe vera, potato juice, lemon, and sugar. If you find the said stuff a hassle, you may opt for products like creams, lotions, and oils that are manufactured specifically for the prevention and treatment of stretch marks.

Take Care of the Skin from The Inside

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During pregnancy, not only the outside appearance of a woman’s body is affected. More than that, there are changes that happen on the inside making pregnant women more prone to having dermis scars. Take care of your skin from the outside while simultaneously taking care of it from the inside. How do you this? Eat foods and take vitamins that are rich in components that help in the production of collagen. Look for foods that have Vitamins E, C and A, zinc, and silica. For example, include gelatin in your diet as it is rich in collagen. Also, do not forget to keep your skin hydrated by drinking plenty of water every day. How to prevent stretch marks during pregnancy becomes an easy task with all the options available.