Stretch Marks and Pregnancy - Causes and Prevention


Stretch marks. Striae Gravidarum. The marks of pregnancy.
Call them what you will. But they are the one thing that all
women dread will occur as soon as they get pregnant.
- But what are stretch marks anyway? And why do they occur?

Well, the reason lies in the anatomy of the skin. The skin
has two layers – a thin upper layer called the epidermis,
and a thicker, lower layer called the dermis. Scattered in
the dermis are fine protein filaments called elastin that,
like a piece of rubber band, are capable of stretching on
being pulled. But just as a rubber band can stretch only so
far and no further, these elastin fibres can also be
stretched only to a certain extent. If stretched further,
they snap. The increasing bulk of the uterus during
pregnancy causes the skin to stretch to a great extent and
the elastin fibres are torn. The torn elastin produces scars
on the skin called Stria Gravidarum or stretch marks.
- They occur on the lower abdomen of all pregnant women,
right?
Well, right and wrong. They appear in most pregnant women,
but not in all and not just on the lower abdomen. Stretch
marks occur when the skin is stretched in a very short
period of time, as in pregnancy or in obesity. They occur:
- In the lower abdomen in pregnancy.
- Along the sides of the breasts either in pregnancy or in
obesity.
- Upper thighs.
- Occasionally even on the inner sides of the upper arms.
- But can stretch marks be prevented?
Thankfully, the answer is yes, to a certain extent. Although
some women are genetically prone to develop stretch marks,
it has been noted that athletes and women accustomed to
heavy, physical labour get very few or no stretch marks.
This is regardless of whether their female relatives have
stretch marks or not. The reason for this is that these
women have very well-developed and strong abdominal muscles.
These muscles can easily take the weight of the growing
uterus and prevent it from pressing forwards on the skin –
rather like wearing a strong muscular belt under the skin.
The skin is thus stretched less, less elastin fibres are
damaged, and there are fewer stretch marks.
Again a supple, healthy, well moisturized skin is capable of
stretching more without any lasting damage. So if a woman
can strengthen her abdominal muscles and keep her skin
healthy and supple, there is less chance of her developing
stretch marks.
- But how? How do I develop my muscles and keep my skin
moisturized?
Gentle exercises for the abdominal muscles can be started as
soon as pregnancy has been confirmed or even as pregnancy is
being planned.
Exercise 1: Standing erect, raise both arms above the head.
Bend forward slowly to touch your toes. Hold the position
for a count of 100. Then slowly straighten up. Do this
exercise at least once daily.
Exercise 2: Standing erect, raise both arms above the head
and clasp your hands. Now bend slowly to your left as far
down as you feel comfortable. Hold for a count of 10.
Straighten up slowly and then bend to your right. Hold to a
count of 10. Straighten up. Exhale as you are bending and
inhale while straightening up. This makes one set. Do at
least 3 sets once daily.
Exercise 3: Stand straight with feet about 12 inches apart.
Place hands on your back at the waist. Slowly bend back, as
far back as you feel comfortable. Hold to a count of 10.
Straighten up. Now bend forward slowly, hold the position to
a count of 10. Then straighten up. Exhale as you are bending
and inhale while straightening up. This makes one set. Do at
least 3 sets once daily.
These three exercises will strengthen the abdominal and
back muscles as well as gently stretch the skin. They also
improve the posture during pregnancy.
Caring for the skin: Keep the skin moisturized by applying
oil – olive oil, coconut oil, almond oil or any good baby
oil – thoroughly over the skin of the abdomen, hips and
thighs. Massage it in with sweeping upward strokes. You can
do this before you exercise so that the oil is properly
absorbed as the skin is stretched during exercise. This will
make the skin supple and healthy and capable of stretching
without damaging the elastin fibres.
A Good Diet: Take a good diet with lots of fresh fruits and
vegetables and adequate liquids. And do not forget your
daily vitamins. This will ensure a healthy and supple skin.
- But what happens if the stretch marks have already
occured? How do I get rid of them?
The good thing about stretch marks is that they fade over
time. When they are first formed, they are reddish or
purplish, but later they become thin silvery lines that may
not be visible at first glance. The bad thing about stretch
marks is that they can be removed permanently only by
surgery. The elastin and collagen growth can be stimulated
to some extent by cocoa butter, Vitamin E, wheat germ oil
and lanolin. But to remove the marks completely, laser
surgery, blue light therapy and other surgical treatments
are the only options. Many creams and lotions available on
the market also claim to be able to remove stretch marks but
have yet to be medically proved.

About the Author:
The author, Dr.M.D.Mazumdar is a consultant gynaecologist with more
than fifteen years of experience in private practice. She runs an
Online Consultation Clinic at http://www.gynaeonline.com , where she
answers questions on Pregnancy and Gynaecology.