Step To prevent Post-Pregnancy Stretch Marks

By Suparna Chakaraborthy

Monday, April 12, 2010, 13:41

The good news is that stretch marks can be prevent during pregnancy but the bad news is that if the problem is an inheritance passed on to you by your family, then the prevention of stretch marks is a bit doubtful.

The stretch marks generally appear in the ninth month of pregnancy because it is the time your skin is stretched to the maximum extent. Weight gain, weight loss, sudden growth are some of the major changes which cause these stretch marks. Whatever the reason be, these look ugly and specially for a today women, stretch marks seems to a curse. It not only looks ugly but also speaks of your age.

So that your age secret is not revealed by your pregnancy stretch marks, here are four steps to follow -

Exercise – Exercise is a solution to a lot of problems including pregnancy stretch marks. The stretch marks happen because your skin is not elastic enough. Some stretching exercises of arms, legs and spine, are the best solution. Do the exercises in cooler time of the day, during summers. During pregnancy, the body temperature is anyway high, summers add on to this temperature and exercising further aggravates that. Exercise in cooler times is beneficial.

Vitamins – Proper intake of food is an essential practice. A pregnant lady's diet should include a lot of vitamins. It helps to promote skin elasticity. The essential vitamins are -

Vitamin A -

Vitamin A, increases the collagen content of the skin, thus improving the elasticity. It makes the skin soft and stimulates the formation of new skin cells. Apart from this it is also good for hair, bones and skin.

Vitamin C -

Vitamin C, is an essential vitamin for the healing process. This vitamin, heals the parched and stretched skin. It stimulates the skin tissues.

Peanut Butter – Applying peanut butter, makes your skin healthy and supple. When massaging it on your tummy, do it in a circular motion. This not only is one of the best ways of massaging but also is good for your baby. The butter keeps the skin soft, thus preventing cracking of the skin tissues.

Baby Oil Massage – Massaging the tummy area with baby oil, is very effective. It performs the same function as the butter massage, with one additional benefit, that is, it increases the skin elasticity.

These steps are few of the major ways to prevent post – pregnancy stretch marks. These steps can be of help during normal pregnancy conditions, though it is always advisable to consult a doctor before any steps taken.