Preventing stretch marks: best products

[charcb]

Hi all! Any good recommendations on what products to use to prevent stretch marks? When did you start using it? Thanks!!!

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MNHQ update:
This thread is a few years old now, but if you've come across it while searching for stretch mark treatment options, our guide to the best stretch mark cream has been recently updated to reflect current availability. From oils to creams, lotions, butters and balms, each product has been tried, tested and approved by Mumsnet users as well as skincare experts. We hope it's helpful!

I think it's the luck of the draw here. If you're gonna get them you will get them.
I moisturised everywhere all of the time. It made me feel better. I had three children in four years so my body was stretched a lot but I have no stretch marks. Some people will get them no matter what they do.
There is no harm in using anything though. Good luck

Sorry if I sounded a bit smug there.. wasn't my intention.

I never got stretch marks either during pregnancy.
My weight has been up and down a lot at other times too but I don't have a single stretch mark anywhere.
I think you either get them or you don't.

Lots of cocoa butter. I just bought Palmers from the supermarket and used it religiously twice daily as soon as I knew I was pregnant.

Weirdly, I have stretch marks on my inner thighs from when I gained abs lost weight in my teens, but I have none from pregnancy.

I used multiple products, so not sure if any one of them did the trick better than the others. I think it was more the regular daily moisturising.

Products I used:
Elemis Japanese Camellia
Kiehls creme de corps
Palmers cocoa butter
Burt's bees body oil

Stretch marks are genetic. I wouldn't bother with any tbh, unless you're using it to combat that itchy feeling you can get on your belly once you've really popped out.

I used mine religiously twice a day, right from the 5th week of my first pregnancy, and I am absolutely covered in stretch marks. Now I'm almost at my due date with my 2nd and I haven't wasted my money on any stretch mark creams. I look no different to how I looked when pregnant with my first. Wish I wasted my money the first time.

*wish I hadn't wasted my money!

It's genetic. I never used any creams and not one with two biggish babies. My mother had me - super sumo baby and biggest in the hospital and not one either and no creams. The tear in the skin is very deep and no cream or oil can got that deep. Still somebody put me in my place with my last baby in my late thirties when I said at least I hadn't got stretchmarks although I put on 21 kg on top of my normal 51 kg by suggesting that I wasn't getting stretch marks because I was old and things were probably already stretched out!

I spent a fortune on various creams and lotions during pregnancy to prevent stretch marks. I applied them every day without fail. And, you guessed it, they didn't work.

It’s genetic, whatever you put on your skin can ease discomfort and itching but it won’t stop them. If you’re going to get them you will regardless of anything else

Palmers Stretch Mark Lotion - I’ve used this since around 4 weeks. However, I’ve still ended up getting stretch marks at around 34 weeks. I don’t think anything can stop them.

The only plus point is that putting cream on soothed the itching when the skin was stretching.

BioOil. Stretch marks are genetic but biooil helps moisturise the tissue and skin. A bottle lasts a really long time so even if it does do nothing you haven't broken the bank!

I used pure cocoa butter that comes in sticks. Have had four babies and only have two small stretch marks. My mother looked like a tiger from her stretch marks and she had five children. All her five children were smaller in birth size than my smallest one AND she is four inches taller than I am.
The cream itself may not do much, but I think the twice daily gentle massaging of my belly skin for a half hour or so did help.

Hi! I have been putting on Bio Oil before bed and using Palmers Stretch Mark Cream during the day - just turned 34 weeks and didn't think I had any but lo and behold, under my bump they're starting to appear. I think it's genetic. My mum got them and I got a few on my hips from general growing up. I do think that the oil and cream are improving the appearance of them and so far they're not very deep ones, just light. I'm aware this could change over the coming weeks though! I've been religiously slapping on the cream and oil since I found out I was pregnant so I don't think they can be prevented. If you're going to get them you probs will.

I had large (faded) stretch marks on my stomach before pregnancy so I was prepared to have a whole lot more after my DS. I used cocoa butter and bio oil (asda version) religiously morning and night from 4 weeks and only got very few more around my pelvic area which are unnoticeable now 18m PP. I gained 4 stone and had a 9.5lb baby

Never guessed it would be genetic! Guess I'll stop worrying then and let be whatever needs to be. I happened to watch a video of pregnancy favs and they mentioned bio oil for it but I tried it for scars and did little for me so thought of asking for better options but guess no point in wasting time!

Nothing prevents stretch marks. Youll get them or you won't, but as PP said they happen at a deeper layer of the skin than anything you rub into it can penetrate. Feel free to use cream if it makes your skin feel soft and smell nice, but that's all it will do.

Fwiw, I have plenty on my bum and thighs from puberty. Carried two babies to full term in my 30s without using a single product or gaining a single fresh one. Who knows why.

You can't prevent them. I used all the lotions and potions and I am basically a walking stretch mark now. Good luck- hope you aren't as unlucky as me!

My mum is covered with stretch marks but I came out of pregnancy with none! I used coconut oil on occasion. I think the main thing was that I didn’t put on an excessive amount of weight. I stayed within the guidelines. Also probably just genetics (but my mum does have a lot).

Same as @Respectabitch I have lots on my thighs and bum from puberty but weirdly none on my tummy after pregnancy!

Secret saviours is really good

I have never got stretch marks outside of pregnancy. I used Bio-Oil daily for all of my pregnancies (one was twins), and while I did get some stretch marks they faded again. I had previously used Vitamin E oil - which I think is the active ingredient in Bio-Oil, on a Keloid scar. It had been raised and red for years, but using the oil every day for about a year made it go flat and white, so I do believe that you can make stretch marks and scars better - even if you can't prevent getting them in the first place.

I'm another one with stretch marks from puberty but not from pregnancy!

Same- stretch marks from puberty but not pregnancy.

My diet has vastly improved since I was a teenager though. I drank loads of water and ate a lot of fresh fruit, vegetables and healthy fats during pregnancy. I also used a rosehip and vitamin E oil I picked up in TK Maxx every night from about 12 weeks. With some added essential oils, it was really nice to rub on my belly just before bed.