Stretch Marks during Pregnancy – How to Prevent Them

Among the greatest concerns of most pregnant woman are stretch marks. These are unsightly lines that develop on the hips and abdomen during the latter part of pregnancy. You see, the abdomen has to normally stretch in order to accommodate the baby; unfortunately, the skin’s lower layers are not elastic enough, so they break easily, the reason why you have stretch marks.

Fortunately, there are things one can do to prevent the occurrence of stretch marks. Considering that the reason why stretch marks develop is because of the lack of elasticity of the skin, treatment options are targeted towards increasing the skin’s elasticity. The first thing you will have to do then is to make wise food choices. Go for foods that are rich in Vitamins E, C, B2 and B3, zinc and silica as these improve the skin’s elasticity, making it more able to withstand the growing baby without braking.

You also need to drink lots of water. As you must know, your skin becomes dry and itchy and more easily irritated because of stretch marks, so it’s only appropriate that you nourish your skin with pure water, vegetable juice and herbal teas; as much as possible, stay away from drinks that contain lots of sugar because they will only increase cellulite.

Keeping the stretch mark-prone area of your body moisturized at least twice daily also helps to prevent stretch marks. Make sure to use lotions, oils, creams, and gels that have all the essential vitamins and enzymes that promote the production off elastin and collagen.

Engaging in low-impact aerobic exercises is also highly recommended, so is sleeping the recommended number of hours each day. These activities not only prepare you well for the big day, but they also improve the health of your skin, thereby helping to prevent stretch marks.

When choosing a certain skin care product or activity to prevent stretch marks, see to it that they have the seal of approval of your attending physician. This should give you the confidence that you are not endangering the life of your baby anyhow.