When do stretch marks start and any recommendations for preventing them?

[Rhinestone]

I know you're supposed to moisturize but any top tips? I'm 12 weeks and none yet!

• don't necessarily

As soon as I found out I was pregnant I started using Bio Oil or Palmer's Cocoa Butter Oil 3 times a day, all over my front, religiously! I was so chuffed that I had no stretch marks I was telling everyone! It wasn't until after I gave birth and saw underneath my bump that there were a few and I was gutted! Then my DH informed me gently that they had been there for a while but he hadn't had the heart to tell me because I was so pleased with myself!! Now, a year on I still use the oil and they have virtually disappeared. They only look red and angry for a little while and they are worth it in the end! :)

If you draw flower heads on the ends they look nice. Especially if you colour them in with pen. That's my advice.

Drinking lots of water and not gaining weight too quickly are the best prevention. Creams feel nice though.

I only got one on my stomach, coming off a scar on there. I drank as much herbal tea as I could stomach and gained just under two stone in the pregnancy. I got quite a few on the underside of my boobs though, but didn't notice them until ages after (full length mirror in hotel bathroom).

I didn't get any first time round and none yet with dc2 (28 weeks now). I use bio oil every day, no idea if it works or not but it feels nice and helps soothe that horrible tight itchy feeling I get across my bump. I think the main reason for my lack of stretch marks is from having been quite overweight in my teens, my skin has a bit more give in it having already been stretched out

My mum has none, neither incidentally does my dad , I bio oiled and used the mama stretch cream stuff and still have the buggers, only noticed them on my return from hospital.

Mostly genetic I think? I used bio-oil very day from 10 weeks with DC1 and stretch marks appeared suddenly at 36 weeks when I thought I'd gotten away with it. They then went wild for 4 weeks and I have a tummy with tiger stripes. Didnt get them anywhere else, but my bump was enormous to be fair, i mean truly huge.

And for me, purple lines arent a big deal cos they fade, what I hate is that crepe paper effect left afterwards, that wrinkly, lived-in look.

Why oh why did i eat so much when pregnant?! I put on 4 stone, if I'd reined myself in maybe I wouldnt have unzipped all over my tummy when I was nearly at the finish line!!!