Stretch marks - do creams/oils help prevent them or is it just luck?

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Ok so I've read contradicting things - some say they are sure they avoided stretch marks through religious use of bio oil/cocoa butter/v expensive magical cream.

Others say that there is nothing you can do about it and it's down to skin type and how much or how quickly you expand.

Thoughts...? I would love to avoid stretch marks but would prefer not to waste time on rubbing in creams if it's not going to do anything!

bit of both i think.

I used creams, had a prem baby but still got stretch marks!
I think its worth using bio oil as i suspect it will help a bit, but just maybe not prevent altogether

I used bio oil religiously throughout my pregnancy and didn't get a single stretch mark. My friend used bio oil religiously throughout her pregnancy and her stomach is covered in them. My mum didn't get them either, her mum did.

No cream can get deep enough into the skin to stop them. You either get them or not. Creams and oils help the appearance of them. So does time!

I don't think rubbing anything into your skin helps - I did for about 1 week at about 20 weeks - now 39 weeks and no stretch marks.
I think diet and general skin condition is more significant and how quickly you change shape probably matters aswell.

I didn't use anything at all, at any stage of my pregnancy and I don't have a single stretch mark.

women I know, inc me, using Palmers massage cream for stretch marks didn't get them.

So who knows?

Thanks all! Sounds like it's probably not worth it then... will focus on pelvic floor exercises instead!

My mum didn't get any (despite putting on half her own body weight when pg with me!) and we do both seem to have the same sort of skin so I'm hopeful I might avoid them...

im hoping that fatty flabby skin pre preggas help to avoid tgem... my theory is that ive got more than enough so shouldnt stretch.... who am i kidding.

I think as much as anything it's about keeping the skin comfortable too. Whatever happens your skin is going to stretch a lot, so it does no harm to keep it moisturised. And a lot of people get itchy.

Fwiw, my mum never got any in four pregnancies. I had been using cream only and got a few around 7 months. I started using bio oil, thought it was worth a try, and they don't seem to have got any worse since then despite me having grown. Bio oil is quite expensive for what it is, but I'd certainly get yourself a pot of moisturiser at least, just for when the skin gets a bit itchy.

Fair point Flangelina I may want cream for other reasons in due course anyway.