Stretch Mark Prevention?

Updated on February 06, 2010
A.E. asks from Mankato, MN
15 answers

I'm not pregnant again yet but I have a question. Has anyone found a product that they felt really prevented or reduced the stretch marks they got during pregnancy? I gotta say my Dr said I did well in weight gain for a first pregnancy and great with water retention but I got tons of them to show for my LO. It's not that big of a deal I'd do it all over again for my LO. I know DRs say all you can do is watch your weight and such but I can't help but notice all the stretch mark prevention/reduction products out there. Let me know what you thought of ones you've used!!

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S.K.

answers from Minneapolis on

My DR told me it is due to genes and that any product claiming it can prevent stretch marks is lying. Good luck!

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R.M.

answers from Seattle on

I used regular olive oil. Rubbed it on my belly and boobs every morning when I was getting ready for work and then it was pretty much absorbed when I was ready to dress for work. I know it's genetic as well and I don't think my mom had stretch marks but my baby's 14 and I never had them.

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M.P.

answers from Minneapolis on

Not sure if this works - but I have heard vitamin E is supposed to help. Not sure - I have them and have never found anything to reduce them. Congratulations!

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L.H.

answers from Milwaukee on

My dr said that those products wont help. It all depends on how elastic your skin is. I have tons too. Most from my first.

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A.M.

answers from Minneapolis on

Palmers Cocoa Butter is the solution. Some woman are more pre-disposed to them versus others and it does have to do with the elasticity of your skin but the cocoa butter helps keep your skin elastic and therefore helps with the stretch marks. I put it everywhere (and I mean everywhere!) that I thought I would get any type of stretch marks and I have zero. My sister barely used it and she has them all over her belly. My mom has stretch marks. Maybe I was just lucky but I think I helped divert a small crisis :)

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E.I.

answers from Duluth on

basically, the word is that if your genetically predisposed to stretch marks, you will get them. from what i have heard the only guaranteed way to make them go away or minimize them is laser therapy. any creams or misc dont really do a whole lot, or vary widly from person to person.
i had a subscription to a magazine and when they went out of business, i received a small tube of strivecten sd or something - i used it as directed and it made NO difference to the "road map" of my lower stomach.
my mother has them, her mother has them, my fathers mother had them. genetically, i had no luck.
however a friend of mine, though she did swear on keeping hydrated and moisurized throughout her pregnancy, she didnt have any, neither did her mother or sisters. so i really think that the biggest factor is not getting stretch marks is simply genetics. sooooo you can either deal with them, ignore them, accept them or laser them, but you are gonna get them, and theres not a whole lot of proven ways to protect you from them. :( sorry.
i accept them. there is no reason for me to show that much skin anyway. ;) so im not bothered a whole lot by them, and my husband is still attracted to me, so who cares right? :)

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A.C.

answers from Cincinnati on

I used Burt's Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter. It didn't work. It helped with itching and such, but it in no way prevented the stretch marks. Stretch marks are, in part, genetic, and in part how quickly the weight is gained and how dry the skin is. Drinking a lot of water and using heavy moisturizer might help, but I think preventing them, especially if you had them the first time, is probably a lost cause.

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A.E.

answers from Harrisburg on

i didnt get any stretch marks at all with my pregnancy, I worked out with a pregnancy video throughout the whole pregnancy and put on cocco butter (the actually paste/butter NOT the lotion) 3times a day. I also drank water like crazy!!! I was so thirsty all the time and now looking back I wonder if that had something to do with it...but I also couldn't stop barfing day in and day out everyday until I had her so I didnt gain too much weight...(30lbs) that might be part of it too!! Who knows!! but good luck and I hope you find something that works!!

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D.P.

answers from Tucson on

I used bio oil its was great my aunt is a nurse in England and they use it on scars. I didnt get any more stretch marks after using it but got some prior.

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D.W.

answers from Indianapolis on

There is no way to prevent stretch marks as they're most likely a genetically-derived curse. Some people are just more prone to them than others.

You can try to keep your skin as hydrated as possible using a really good, thick lotion. Honestly, I'd skip the ones for stretch marks and use something like Aquaphor (though it is greasy), Vanicream, etc.

The good thing is that the appearance of stretch marks will decrease over time after your baby is born. Even tiny people with minimal weight gain can get them if they have the genes for them.

Good luck and enjoy that baby.

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K.S.

answers from Minneapolis on

My doctor told me stretch marks (and varicose veins too) are genetic. That no products can really prevent or erase them. If your mom or gramma had stretch marks, then that is probably why you have them and nothing you did or didn't do during your pregnancy is too blame. Bummer - But I am sure there are many awesome things your mom passed to you!

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C.D.

answers from Milwaukee on

Stretch marks occur from the stretching of the deeper layers of skin that the lotions can't reach so unfortunately I don't believe there is any way of avoiding them. I found Coco Butter paste to help with the itching though (I think it was Palmers).

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S.S.

answers from Minneapolis on

I read that whether or not you get stretch marks is hereditary/genetic, and I have no idea if my mom had them. But, when I was pregnant, I read that cocoa butter is one of the ways to help prevent them. So as my belly grew (with both pregnancies), I ritualistically rubbed cocoa butter in every night before I went to sleep. I have NO stretch marks on my belly. (I do, however, have some on my butt and hips.) I don't know if the cocoa butter really worked, or if it was a coincidence. BUT, I will say, that I LOVED that time in bed at night, massaging my belly, decompressing, sometimes talking to the baby. I just felt great to rub my belly and have that soft, smoothe skin. So whether or not you believe it in, you might want to try it just for that part alone. :)

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M.J.

answers from Sacramento on

My understanding is that it's purely genetics whether you get them or not.

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N.K.

answers from Madison on

I used Palmer's cocoa butter stretch mark formula, applied liberally usually twice a day and especially after showering. I started using it early in pregnancy, way before my belly started to show, and continued after giving birth as well. Although my mom did have stretch marks I didn't, and I think this product helped.

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