Stretch marks?

Question

I'm 26, and thinking about having kids when I'm done with school. My niece just had a baby, and her tummy looks horrible. Why don't celebrities have those nasty stretch marks? Does your belly EVER go back to what it looks like pre-pregancy? I don't want my nice tight belly to look yucky! LOL So what do you do to get rid or prevent them?

Answer 1

Stretch marks during pregnancy
Overview: Why do women get stretch marks when pregnant?
Most women do not get through pregnancy without experiencing stretch marks. 'Striae gravidarum', commonly known as stretch marks, affect about 90 per cent of pregnant women, with varying degrees of severity. They generally develop in the last three months of pregnancy, often suddenly. You may make it to eight months then there they are!

The distinctive purple-red lines appear when the middle layer of the skin, the dermis, is stretched, putting the collagen and elastin fibres that give the skin it?s elasticity under strain. Although stretch marks can strike during any period of rapid weight gain, including adolescent growth spurts, women are particularly prone to them during pregnancy, especially on the lower abdomen and breasts.

Hormones are partly to blame. Whilst softening the collagen ligaments in your pelvis to allow the tissues to stretch more easily during birth, oestrogen also, less helpfully, softens the collagen in your skin, making you more susceptible to stretch marks.

So how do you prevent stretch marks? Women who have escaped unscathed offer various explanations, including rubbing baby oil, shea butter or vitamin E cream into susceptible areas. Others swear by cocoa butter. The fact is, there is no guaranteed way of preventing stretch marks. Most experts believe it all comes down to genetics, specifically, the make-up of your connective tissue. Moisturisers may keep your skin soft and supple but generally don't penetrate as far as the dermis. If you are genetically predisposed to stretch marks, you can expect to get stretch marks regardless. All you can do is try to avoid excessive or overly rapid weight gain during pregnancy, which is often easier said than done.

Treating stretch marks is also difficult, although there are no shortage of miracle solutions on offer, dermatologists agree that most won't have any effect. Experts agree nothing will ever totally work. Sometimes, the most graceful thing is simply to accept that your skin, like your life, has changed since having a baby. Although the marks may look red and angry at first, in time they will fade to an inconspicuous silvery-white.

Answer 2

There's an old product we've used in my family for generations, even the men know what to do now! It's called Mother's Friend. The key is to start early. "An ounce of prevention beats a pound of cure." The second you find out you're pregnant, start moisturizing your tummy at least three times a day. Not only does the moisturizing help, but the rubbing motion stimulates your circulation and helps increase blood flow to the area. It helps keep the skin elastic and allows it to stretch and return more readily. Stretch marks occur (generally) when the skin is forced to strectch beyond its elasticity. Increased elasticity=decrease possibility of stretch marks.

I've taken this a step farther, I use the TimeWise Miracle Set on my face for improving elasticity and softness, with great results. When I found out I was pregnant, I immediately started using it on my belly as well! Never can be to careful! :-)

Answer 3

If you say you have a nice tight belly now, I wouldn't be worried. Before I got pregnant I was swimming for my university, working out like crazy, and running all the time. I am 5'9'' and was a size 4. I am not 41 weeks (being induced tomorrow) and do not have one stretch mark on me. Doc told me its about skin elasticity (so if you stay hydrated, have a history of fitness, and eat a healthy diet) and genetics (my mom and grandmother have a few, but not a whole lot). If it helps give you an idea of how big I am, when I was 35 weeks I measured myself around, and I was 49inches around. I look like I have a basketball in my shirt. With that being said, I have only gained 20lbs, and my baby currently is almost 9lbs of that. Apparently this is "unheard of". I do have stretch marks on my chest; I went from a 34B to a 36DD. I use Palmer's Lotion for stretch marks, and even though I am still pregnant, my marks are EXTREMELY light colored, not nasty purplish-red like everyone else's I've seen. I used that on my belly every morning and night from the day I found out I was pregnant. During your pregnancy, drinking raspberry leaf tea helps strengthen your uterus, which helps it return to its normal size much much faster. I think you will be fine. Plus, god invented plastic surgeons for a reason, right?lol

Answer 4

I despise my belly. I scar very easily, so I knew going into it that I would have horrific stretch marks. There are tons of products on the market for preventing and correcting stretch marks, but if you have a propensity for them, nothing is going to keep it from happening.

I suspect that celebs have the stretch marks airbrushed off in their photographs. It's the only thing that makes sense! LOL

What you can do is keep your belly as moisturized as possible. Like I said, if you're going to get them, there's no stopping it, but keeping the skin moisturized will help a little.

Even though I hate my belly, it's a worthwhile trade-off for the precious three-year-old I now have!

Answer 5

Cocoa butter is used for both preventing stretch marks and treating them. If the weight gain is due to pregnancy, the cocoa butter should be rubbed daily on the affected area. Cocoa butter should be applied to the skin soon after a warm water bath, when the pores are open and the cocoa butter is easily absorbed. Shea butter may also be used instead of cocoa butter. You can find more cheap and natural remedies for stretch marks at http://arzi.org/

Answer 6

hhmmm u sound a lot younger than 26!!! maybe u should hang on till u have a long term relationship, good job etc before considering it. There is no room for vanity in childbirth and parenting I'm afraid

Answer 7

Using cocoa butter on your stomach during pregnancy does help out a lot and afterwards you can use it to and do abdominal exercises.

Answer 8

some r not preventable, using lotion with vitamin e can help to a point, celebs probably just get it fixed by palstic surgeons before showing it back of

Answer 9

Am dying to know that cuz the thot scares me