Being pregnant is one of the most fun, exciting and exhilarating times in any woman’s life. The changes that the body goes through to protect and prepare for the baby are truly amazing. While these changes are wonderful, they are not always pretty. Most women deal will be forced to deal with stretch marks at some point during their pregnancy. Unfortunately, these stretch marks can sometimes leave life long reminders of the pregnancy. These marks can be thick, large and deep in color. These marks cause many women to feel self conscious about their bodies. The best way to deal with stretch marks is to prevent them from happening.

While the body is morphing to prepare for childbirth, the skin stretches to expand enough to cover the growing area. While every woman will deal with these tears and stretches in the skin to some extent, some women have end up with far worse stretch marks than others. Like many different characteristics of women, heredity plays a big part in stretch marks. Discuss with your mother how bad her stretch marks were during and after child birth. Knowing how bad hers were will help you realize what to expect and steps that needed to be taken to prevent it from happening to you. A woman’s ethnicity and skin coloring also plays a large part in the appearance of stretch marks. The darker the skin is the less likely stretch marks are to appear.

Prevention
Hydration plays a very important role in keeping skin elasticity up. Keeping your water and fluid intake high can help to prevent stretch marks from occurring. Woman who do not focus on keeping their bodies hydrated are more likely to experience other problems with their skin as well. Keeping active before, during and after pregnancy can also help mothers keep their chances of stretch marks low. Exercise can help to boost the elasticity of a woman’s skin. Exercising regularly also tones skin, which helps to lower the chance of stretch marks. Another cause of stretch marks is weight gain. Keeping your weight as low as possible throughout the pregnancy plays a huge role in keeping skin looking tight and healthy. Controlling your diet and eating well will not only help prevent stretch marks, but also help in getting your post baby body back.

There are many creams and oils on the market that are specifically targeted to keep stretch marks at bay. Some of the most popular creams for stretch marks are cocoa butter, lanolin and wheat germ oil. These products can all be found at your local drug store. Applying them generously throughout your pregnancy can be helpful in reducing the look of stretch marks. There are many natural oils available that can help to repair torn, stretched skin throughout the pregnancy. While many are available at stores all over the country, some may require a prescription.
Focusing daily on your skin and overall health will help you reach your best look and health after pregnancy.