Once you have a baby, everything changes. It is indeed a very beautiful feeling but your life is similar to a roller coaster post it. There are a lot of things that changes once your child is born,things like your schedule, your timings to sleep, your liberty just to list down a few of them.Apart from all this changes, there are many changes which can be seen and noticed by your physical eye. The primary one, being stretch marks which a main concern for most women is these days. Many women complain about their tummy being loose and itchy post pregnancy and how they now find it ugly.
What are stretch marks?
These are small and depressed lines that appear on your skin generally in the abdomen during the later stages of your pregnancy. This is the time when your belly is growing rapidly in order to accommodate a baby which is growing. There are a lot of women who get stretch marks on their thighs, breasts, buttocks as well as hips.These stretch marks are caused mainly by changes in the elastic supportive tissue that is found lying below the skin. These marks start out generally in a pink color and then vary to a purple,dark browning in accordance to your skin color. They fade away in time but they never disappear totally.
Can you predict if you will get stretch marks?
Well no one can actually take a guess at that. It is indeed very hard to make out. More than half of women who are pregnant get stretch marks. You can never tell as to who will get these marks and who wouldn’t.
A lot of research and studies have proven that genetics play a major role in this. For example, if your mother suffered from stretch marks during her pregnancy, you are very likely to get them too. Apart from this, there is a study which has proven that women who become moms at a very young age are more likely to get stretch marks as compared to the older ones.
Additionally, if your skin expands a lot during pregnancy you are more likely to get stretch marks. The main reasons why women get stretch marks are:
- You are carrying more than one baby
- You have gained a lot of weight recently and pretty fast
- The baby that you are carrying is big.
- There is excess of amniotic fluid inside you
How can I prevent these stretch marks?
You would be disheartened to know, that there isn’t much that you can take care of. You cannot do much to avoid the stretch marks. The only solution is to keep a check on your weight. You need to keep a check on how much you are gaining. There is a recommended amount of weight which is suggested by doctors, you need to make sure that you do not gain anything more than that. There are a lot of advertisements that brag about their products and how they help you get rid of stretch marks, but none of them is clinically proven. There is no cream or oil that would help you avoid stretch marks. It is a natural process and will occur.
Do I ever get rid of these stretch marks?
The best part is that these stretch marks become less visible after a few months post your delivery. They become considerably less noticeable. The pigmentation of these marks generally fades away and they become lighter in color. However, this varies from different skin tones. Though the color become less visible, the texture is likely to remain the same.
Dermatologists have recommended that a generous use of moisturizers around the belly helps you get rid of itchiness. Even before you can spot any stretch mark on your body, you should apply a moisturizer. Though there are no creams available in the market hat can prevent stretch marks, still those beauty creams which has the capacity to stimulate the growth of cells is proven to be effective.
There are also a few home remedies to get rid of stretch marks post pregnancy. Some of them are:
- Sugar and lavender scrub- This helps to exfoliate your skin and remove all the dead cells.All you need is a tablespoon of organic sugar, a teaspoon of some lemon juice and a few drops of lavender oil. Mix these well. You need to apply this lotion on the areas that has stretch marks and rinse it properly. Since it is a healthy scrub, it is advised to use this scrub all over your body rather than only the affected parts. Lavender acts as a natural antiseptic and helps a lot by treating your scars. It has Vitamin C which works wonders for your skin and helps fight ageing.
- Mango and coconut oil body butter- This is a treatment that anyone can vouch for.Mango butter is extremely beneficial as it contains vitamin A, vitamin D and vitamin E and when it is combined with coconut oil, it blends well and makes a moisturizer that heals damaged skin and helps restore them. You can see the results in a really short span of time. You need to use equal quantities of mango butter as well as coconut oil and make a paste. Apply it on the affected areas and see the results for yourself.
- Aloe Vera and castor- Aloe Vera and castor are both extremely soothing and relax your skin. Aloe Vera is very rich in proteins and calcium, which in turn enhances the regeneration of cells. It has a healing power which treats your scars. Castor oil on the other hand has a unique property and is responsible for your skin’s elasticity. It has vitamin E and proteins which acts as a hydration for your skin. You need to add three parts of aloe Vera oil and one part of castor oil to make lather. Apply this on the affected area for 15 minutes and then wipe it off with a damp cloth.
- Lime juice- Lemon acts as a natural astringent which evens out your skin tone. Soak a cotton ball in lemon juice and apply it generously in the affected areas. It lightens the marks and decreases the dark spots as well. Lemons are also rich in vitamin C and acidic acid which makes them an apt option to treat and heal scars and dark spots.
- Vitamin E and shea butter- Shea butter has a lot of properties which works wonder on your skin. It is a moisturizer that can work on any skin type and helps reduce ageing to a great extent. It helps in the elasticity of your skin, thus making your skin firm and wrinkle free. Melt two tablespoons of coca butter along with shea butter. Add a tablespoon of vitamin E oil to it to make a paste. Allow the mixture to cool for some time. Once the mixture has cooled down, apply the lather on your skin. It goes deep in your skin and reduces the dark spots considerably.
Apart from this, you are also advised to drink a lot of water. Water keeps your body hydrated and avoids any kind of skin blemishes. Although you take care of all these factors, another very important factor is exercising. Your body and skin needs to be toned and exercise is the only way possible. Since, stretch marks start appearing on the skin after your skin has been stretched for a prolonged period of time, it is very difficult to get rid of them totally. There is no remedy that has been scientifically proven that will cure this but yes, it will lighten the spot for sure.
In case you are greatly embarrassed about your stretch marks and think that they are ugly, you should change your outlook about it. In fact, you should take pride in having them as they are the result of something beautiful that is born. These scar marks are a result of a precious life which was inside you and which is an integral part of your life now.
Is there any way I can get rid of these marks later?
There is no chance that you can get rid of them totally, but there are a lot ways to diminish them. If your stretch marks are really bothering you, consult a dermatologist and minimize the marks.There are a lot of treatment options available these days as well.
However, you must be really careful while going for medications during these treatments. A lot of these medications have tretinoin which helps reduce spots and stretch marks but affects your pregnancy.
It has a heavy toll on your breast milk and the quantity that is produced. Hence it’s advised to avoid it during pregnancy.
Some also suggest laser treatments which further restore your skin’s elasticity and in turn changes the pigmentation so as make sure that your stretch marks matches the color of your skin.Please be aware of the fact that your stretch mark is a natural problem and hence it is not safe to play around and experiment with it unless you are absolutely sure.