Stretch marks

[Snoopysimaginaryfriend]

Hello everyone.

I am overwhelmingly grateful that I am 27 weeks pregnant with my first baby. It's been a hard journey to get here, with three miscarriages in a year, and I feel awful for worrying about something as trivial as stretch marks but the truth is they are bothering me.

At the moment I only have two small ones on my belly and I'm not really worried too much how many I get there. However, I am retaining a ridiculous amount of water which has caused my legs and feet to swell and I have developed loads of them on the inside of my knees!

I know a lot of it is down to genetics and they will fade over time but has anyone used anything that has visibly improved them quickly? I've heard body lotions with retinol are good but a big no no at the moment. Which lotions could I buy in the future?

I am eating at least five fruit and veg a day, taking fish oils and staying dehydrated. Any advice is appreciated

[mintbiscuit]

I don't think there is anything you can put on them topically that can reduce them. The damage is too far under the skin. Retinol in body lotion is really just clever marketing. It would be in such low concentrations to have any real impact. I don't even think pure retinoic acid would be able to make much of a difference.

Sounds like you are doing the right things to help prevent them - moisturise, eat well etc.

The only thing I have read about that may get rid of them is dermarolling/microneedling. I think laser treatment can fade them a lot to the point they aren't very noticable. However, clearly they aren't options for you whilst pregnant.

Are there any natural foods that can reduce water retention to help prevent? I vaguely recall asparagus does (or is just that it makes your wee smell funny?). And dandelion leaf. And potassium rich foods can help I think? Disclaimer - I'm no medical professional (or anything close to)

Good luck with your pregnancy - try to stay focused on the great package at the end of it (I know easier said than done though!)

[marmaladegranny]

Bio-oil is brilliant at preventing stretch marks and fading scars so may be worth a try. (Tried & tested on prevention by DD and on scars by me!) It is expensive so shop around - Amazon is good and our local Primark sometimes have it by the tills!

[Snoopysimaginaryfriend]

I'll have a look at bio oil and see about diuretic teas as well ( I think they're safe in pregnancy).

I expected stretch marks on my tummy but my knees! To be fair I think I'm just a bit pissed off because I only have one pair of shoes that still fit me because of the swelling and I think I'm developing sod Haha Just keeping my fingers crossed it will all be worth it and baby will arrive safe and heathy

[Wolpertinger]

Bio-oil hasn't any evidence at all - never did any clinical trials which you would expect if it actually worked and is very careful on its packaging and advertising and packaging never to make any claims that would make it fall foul of the Advertising Standards Agency.

Yet somehow it's convinced everyone it's the go to product when really it's mainly a lot of expensive mineral oil with some vitamin E in it. Not that special really. Nothing that loads of other products don't have and a nice fragrance.

Most stretch marks fade over time anyway. If you rub something in them, it makes sense to think the thing you were rubbing in helped.

Manufacturers of Bio-oil are bloody geniuses.

[WellTidy]

It is the rubbing in properly and repeatedly that has the most chance of reducing damage, not necessarily the product that you are rubbing in. So says a dermatologist I know.

So rub in whatever you like, maybe try olive oil?

[BaronessBomburst]

I thought I'd avoided stretch marks altogether, then they appeared almost overnight the week DS was born. My bump looked like a map of the world. :(
He's now 5 and they've faded so much I've forgotten they were ever there. Even a tan and a bikini barely shows them up. Just hang in there!
And congratulations on your pregnancy.

[specialsubject]

no evidence that anything works. Funny that... Your stretch marks will either go or not, depending on your skin structure. Rubbing in some scammy product will make no difference, even if it is sold in a high street chemist.

the little person who calls you mummy will be the explanation. Who cares anyway?

congrats in advance!

[ledgeoffseason]

I was diagnosed as coeliac after birth of first child, so with second pg have obviousky continued with gluten free... When not of don't notice much difference, and normally wouldn't advise people to give up gluten unless they have to but am amazed how much less fluid I have retained in pregnancy. It's the only dietary thing I've done differently. I mean, maybe a bit is just being smaller due to less cake, but a huge amount of it was def fluid, I peed/sweated 30lbs out in two weeks after birth. This time wedding rings still loose at 40 weeks. Just my experience but maybe cut down wheat products, See if that helps. I know it is so frustrating to be so out of control of your own body, trial and error I guess. Also French apparently swear by plain almond oil? Apparently the massage rather than product itself that helps stretch collagen fibres.

[ledgeoffseason]

Sorry when not pg

[Snoopysimaginaryfriend]

I am definitely struggling with the water retention, I guess it's my comeuppance for never really getting pre menstrual bloat. Not too long to go though and it will soon be worth it.

I found a very cheap bottle of sweet almond oil this afternoon and I've also dug out the jar of coconut oil in the kitchen we've never used. DH has promised to give my cankles a massage later, such a romantic valentines night haha