The Ultimate Guide To Pregnancy Stretch Marks
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Time to read 8 min
Do you still remember your first year of being a mum? The ups and downs, smiles and tears, the lessons and drama.
It feels like just yesterday that your little one was kicking in your ribs ready to make a first appearance and now they're all grown up running around the house throwing things upside down.
"Will these marks ever fade? Is there actually a way to fix them, or am I just wasting my time?"
You’ve asked yourself this before.
Maybe right after a shower, standing in front of the mirror, running your fingers over those tiger lines... and wondering why they just won’t go away.
If that sounds like you, then this post might be best thing you read on the internet today and might be helpful to you or your friend or your mum or sisters as we breakdown why stretch marks appear and how to reduce their appearance for a smoother more resilient skin.
what are stretch marks?
Whether they're a result of pregnancy or some other changes in the body, stretch marks happen to all of us. So what are they, exactly?
Stretch marks are narrow, streak-like lines that can develop on the surface of the skin. They can be pink, red, purple or brown, depending on your skin colour. They are common in pregnancy, affecting around 8 out of 10 pregnant women.
They usually appear on your tummy, or sometimes on your upper thighs and breasts, as your pregnancy progresses around the 6th - 7th month and your bump starts to grow. When stretch marks appear will be different from woman to woman.
The first sign you notice might be itchiness around an area where the skin is becoming thinner.
Stretch marks are not harmful. They do not cause medical problems and there is no specific treatment for them.
After your baby is born, the marks may gradually fade into paler scars and become less noticeable. They probably will not go away completely.
What causes stretch marks?
Stretch marks are very common and do not just affect pregnant women.
They can happen whenever the skin is stretched for example, Rapid weight gain, whether through intensive muscle gain or an excessive increase in body fat or when Some teenagers hit puberty can also lead to stretch marks.
During pregnancy, hormonal changes affects the skin in a way that likely causes stretch marks to begin to form.
In fact, as many as 90 percent of women will develop stretch marks during pregnancy and this happens when the middle layer of skin (dermis) becomes stretched and broken in places.
Whether or not you get stretch marks depends on your skin type, as some people's skin is more elastic and it’s clearly women whose mother and/or older sisters developed stretch marks are more likely to have the problem themselves, suggesting that genetic factors matters.
Weight gain in pregnancy
During pregnancy, healthy weight gain is a natural process that supports the growth of the baby and the mother's body but it varies from woman to woman.
Much of the extra weight is due to your baby growing, but your body will also be storing fat, ready to make breast milk after your baby is born.
Here is where it gets more interesting.
You are more likely to get stretch marks if your weight gain is more than average in pregnancy. Most pregnant women gain between 10kg and 12.5kg (22lb to 28lb), putting on most of the weight after week 20.
How much weight you gain may depend on your weight before you were pregnant.
Are pregnancy stretch marks permanent?
Since stretch marks are a form of scarring, they can never be completely removed from your skin. However, they have been known to fade over time, and certain treatments make them less noticeable.
New Stretch Marks Vs Older Stretch Marks: How To Reduce Appearance and restore smooth skin.
Although they may appear similar at first glance, you should know there are two types of stretch marks.
The age of a stretch mark makes a significant difference in their appearance, composition, and response to treatment. Here's a detailed breakdown of the key differences between new and older stretch marks:
New Stretch Marks (Striae Rubrae)
Appearance
Freshly formed stretch marks typically exhibit a reddish-purple or pink hue. This vibrant color stems from inflamed blood vessels present within the dermis (middle layer) of the skin. They may likely have a smoother texture compared to older marks.
COMPOSITION
New stretch marks primarily consist of damaged collagen and elastin fibers, along with inflammatory cells. These damaged fibers create a weakness in the skin's structure, leading to the visible stretch mark. The presence of inflammatory cells indicates the skin is actively undergoing repair, making it more receptive to treatment interventions.
Treatment Options for New Stretch Marks
The good news is that new stretch marks are generally more responsive to treatment due to the ongoing healing process. Here are some effective approaches:
1. Massage With Body Oil
Massaging the skin of your hips, belly, and bust is one of the best ways to treat stretch marks after pregnancy. A gentle massage increases blood flow and breaks up the scar tissue that causes stretch marks.
We recommend using the Neutriherbs Body Oil , to reduce friction during the massage and give your skin the vitamins and minerals it needs to repair itself.
Apply some oil to the palms of your hands and then gently massage your belly. Focus on this area for two minutes, reapplying oil as needed. When the two minutes are up, move to another area with stretch marks and repeat the process.
For extra healing, you can try soaking in a warm bath for ten minutes or taking a warm shower before your massage to soften your skin and open up your pores.
2. Apply a specialized cream
Specialized creams, like the New Neutriherbs Intensive Stretch Mark Cream, are the simplest way to treat stretch marks after pregnancy.
This unique formula— includes natural ingredients like peptides, centella asiatica extract, coconut oil, grape seed oil, and shea butter—help heal stretch marks in the deeper layers of your skin while keeping the upper layers soft and supple.
One application in the morning and one application in the evening provides continuous healing for pregnancy stretch marks.
Older Stretch Marks (Striae Albae)
Appearance
Over time, new stretch marks typically fade from their initial reddish-purple hue to a lighter, silvery-white or scar-like appearance. They may feel indented or have a wrinkled texture due to a loss of collagen and elastin.
COMPOSITION
Older stretch marks consist primarily of scar tissue with significantly reduced blood flow and minimal inflammatory activity. The dermis has completed most of its initial healing process, and the damaged collagen and elastin are not actively being repaired. This makes them less responsive to treatment compared to new stretch marks.
Treatment Options for Older Stretch Marks
1. Chemical Peels
Chemical peels could work for older stretch marks because of their ability to penetrate deeper into the dermis and stimulate collagen production. However, these peels require more downtime and carry a higher risk of side effects compared to milder peels used for new stretch marks.
2. Laser Treatment
Fractional lasers are often the preferred option for older stretch marks. These lasers target deeper collagen structures and can improve skin texture and reduce the appearance of indented stretch marks.
3. Microneedling
Microneedling can still be beneficial for older stretch marks, especially when combined with other treatments like topical creams or radiofrequency therapy. While results may be less dramatic compared to new stretch marks, some improvement in skin texture and overall appearance is possible.
4. Derma Fillers
Injections of hyaluronic acid fillers may be considered for deeper, indented stretch marks. These fillers add volume and plump the area affected by the stretch marks, making them less noticeable. However, this is a temporary solution and repeated injections are necessary to maintain results.
It’s important to know that the age of your stretch marks significantly impacts the effectiveness of treatment options. New stretch marks, with their ongoing healing process, respond better to a wider range of treatments, while older stretch marks may require a more aggressive approach and may not be as successful as treating new stretch marks.
However, it’s very much possible to experience some improvement with a targeted cream like Neutriherbs stretch mark cream.
Why you Should Consider Trying The Neutriherbs Stretch Mark Cream
Remember that stretch marks forms in 3 phases:
Phase 1: The Skin Is Stretched Beyond Its Limits: Pregnancy, weight gain, or rapid muscle growth stretches the skin faster than it can adapt. The deeper layers can't keep up.
Phase 2: The Skin's Internal Support System Breaks Down: Collagen is the structure that holds your skin together while elastin allows it to stretch and bounce back. Now, when skin expands too quickly, these fibers snap, leaving deep scars beneath the surface.
Phase 3: The Skin Tries to Heal Itself, But Falls Short: Your skin does its best to repair the damage, but it doesn't produce enough collagen and elastin to fully rebuild. Instead, it forms weak, discolored scar tissue.
Most stretch mark creams fail because they do nothing to restart this crucial repair process.
Yes, they hydrate and soften the skin...
But they don't restore collagen, rebuild elastin, or fix the deep skin damage that caused the marks in the first place.
And this is where the Neutriherbs stretch mark cream shines.
The Breakthrough Stretch Mark Body Repair Solution
Unlike most things you might have tried before, this Neutriherbs Stretch mark cream doesn't just "moisturize" your skin. It actively regenerates it at the source.
It works through a 3-Step Peptide Elasticity Complex™— designed to restore collagen, rebuild elasticity, and heal stretch marks at the structural level.
Instead of just moisturizing, it activates your skin's natural ability to heal, which fixes the damage that caused stretch marks in the first place.
How It Works: The 3 Steps To Ultimate Stretch Mark Repair
Step 1: Acetyl Hexapeptide-8—The Repair Trigger: This powerful peptide penetrates the damaged layers of skin and sends signals to your cells to begin deep structural repair.
It's like pressing the reset button on your skin. The rough, scarred tissue starts to smooth out, and the healing process activates at a level other creams can't reach.
Step 2: Pentapeptide-3—The Elasticity Booster: Once the repair process begins, this bioactive molecule stimulates elastin and fibronectin production, which are the two proteins responsible for making your skin resilient and stretch-proof.
This is where other creams fail. They don't restore elasticity, so new stretch marks keep forming.
Pentapeptide-3 ensures your skin regains the flexibility it lost, so you don't just heal old stretch marks... you prevent new ones.
Step 3: Tripeptide-1—The Collagen Restorer: Now that the skin has been repaired and elasticity restored, Tripeptide-1 kickstarts new collagen growth and restores the strength and thickness of your skin.
This peptide literally rebuilds your skin's foundation, making it stronger, firmer, and resistant to new stretch marks.
This way, your skin doesn't just look better. It's stronger, more resilient, and fully regenerated from the inside out.
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RECOMMENDED PRODUCT
- Diminishes the appearance of stretch marks.
- Enhances skin flexibility and resilience
- Slows down the formation of new stretch marks
- Relieves itching, tightness and discomfort associated with stretching skin.
- Facilitates easier stretching of abdominal skin.
- Nourishing like a Spa with a Natural lotus and Jasmine scent.
Wrapping Up
The Joys of Motherhood
When life gets hard and you feel alone remember, you mean the world to someone, and that someone calls you mommy and a 1000 stripes on your skin cannot take that joy away.
So just relax and stick with all of the treatment options we’ve described here. The tips above are not magical cures, but they are effective, and you will see results over time.
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