Nobody wants to develop stretch marks, but many pregnant women will develop stretch marks during their pregnancy. Stretch marks are also known as striae gravidarum. It looks like purple or red lines, and very common at the abdomen area, breasts, thighs, hips, buttocks, and underarms. Stretch marks may be vary in color depending on the color of your skin. Lighter skinned women most likely develop pinkish stretch marks, whereas darker skinned women tend to have stretch marks that are lighter than the surrounding skin.


What causes stretch marks during pregnancy?

Stretch marks are often the result of the rapid stretching of the skin associated with rapid growth or weight gain during pregnancy.

Genetics do play a role in whether or not you will be getting stretch marks. Basically, it means that if your mother got stretch marks during pregnancy, you may be more likely to get them.

Most women develop stretch marks during the later trimesters of pregnancy, but there are women develops them in the beginning of pregnancy when their bellies start growing.

Here are pictures of stretch marks during pregnancy:

Stretch Mark Prevention:

There are many stretch mark creams available in the market which help rebuild and rejuvenate the skin. It may help moisturize your skin and reduce itching. Drinking plenty of water helps to strengthen the skin layer as it helps to retain the moisture in the skin. Hydration is important for your overall health and well-being as well as that of your growing baby, and it is critical to healthy skin. Your skin will become better able to stretch when it's well hydrated.

The best thing you can do to minimize stretch marks aside from using stretch mark cream is gaining the recommended amount of weight during pregnancy. Doctors recommend most women gain between 25 and 35 pounds. Gaining much more than this can cause you to develop more stretch marks. So, eating a healthy, balanced diet is important. You should also take vitamins for your overall health and well-being, as well as beautiful skin.