Pregnancy: What Causes Stretch Marks and How to Get Rid of Them

Stretch marks are very common issue among pregnant women. It usually appears as pinkish streaks around belly, breast, thigh and hips during the sixth or seventh month of pregnancy.

Stretch marks appear when your body grows faster than your skin can keep up with. The elastic fibres of the skin break, which results in stretch marks.

Some women are okay with the stretch marks as the love marks of their baby and it is always good to embrace your natural body. However, if you are looking forward to get rid of these, here’s what you can do:

Control your weight

Eating a proper, healthy diet and exercising is one of the best way to manage weight. Managing your body weight from changing too fast will help you reduce the stretch marks as they tend to appear when the body gain weight rapidly.

Stay Hydrated

Drinking good amount of water will keep your skin hydrated and soft. Soft skin has less tendency to develop stretch marks then dry skin. Drink lots of fluids to keep your body hydrated throughout the day.

Balanced Diet

Stretch marks may happen due to lack of required nutrients in the body, especially skin-boosting foods. Eat colourful meal to make sure you don’t miss out the required nutrients during pregnancy. Include foods with vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, zinc and protein in your diet plan.

Vitamin C

Collagen plays an important role in keeping your skin’s elasticity, which helps in reducing the appearance of wrinkles. But more importantly, it helps in preventing stretch marks. Vitamin C is found in many fruits and vegetables, especially in citrus fruits, such as oranges and lemons.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is also one of the main components of making your skin stronger and healthier. The proper amount of vitamin D can help reduce the appearance of stretch marks. It can be excessed through direct exposure to sunlight or food items like milk, yoghurt etc.

Moisturise

Moisturizing daily can help with the dryness and itchy skin during pregnancy. Shea butter or Cocoa buttercream might help to keep your skin moisturize and hydrated throughout the day.