Rid yourself of stretchmarks

Are you pregnant and worried about those dreaded pregnancy stretch marks? A woman hears the words stretch marks and her heart begins to pound with fear. No one wants to have to deal with these awful marks. Well the good news is that there are now ways to help prevent stretch marks, even if you are pregnant.

What are stretch marks? They are a form of scarring on the skin that is caused by the tearing of the layer of the skin known as the dermis. These stretch marks are often an off color hue on the skin. Stretch marks occur as a result of rapid stretching of the skin. This occurs with rapid weight gain, pregnancy or during puberty. Pregnancy stretch marks are very common and often affect 50 to 80 percent of pregnant women. Over time these stretch marks will diminish but generally not disappear completely. No one wants to walk around with little jagged marks on their skin. So what can you do to prevent this from happening in the first place?

Obviously, a pregnant woman's skin is going to stretch. There is not much that can be done about that. But there are some ways to help minimize the chances of getting pregnancy stretch marks. While there is no way to foolproof way to prevent these marks from ever occurring, some of the products out on the market today can help to minimize them. One key thing that pregnant women can do during their pregnancy is to watch the amount of weight they gain. Of course you will need to gain weight but experts have stated that if the weight is gained slowly, and is in moderation, the chances of getting stretch marks is reduced. Always speak with your doctor about what is the healthy weight gain for you.

During a woman's first trimester she should keep her skin well nourished. This practice should continue throughout the pregnancy and can be achieved by using lotions and oils. Some of the anti-stretch mark creams on the market are ideal for preventing stretch marks. They can also help clear them up if you already have them.