Stretch marks - the expensive creams do not work!!

[Bathmatt]

Warning to all: expensive creams and lotions and potions DO NOT WORK. DONT WASTE YOUR MONEY!!! It’s all down to genetics, weight gain and hydration. Don’t believe the clever marketing and just use whatever makes you feel good.

This is my second pregnancy 34 weeks and bump is itching like mad with all the stretch marks coming through. I had some stretch marks from my first pregnancy and I used neal’s yard moisturiser and some other creams almost twice daily to no avail. This time round I’ve been using the expert midwife elastic fantastic 2/3 times a day religiously and now my old stretch marks are getting stretch marks. Uffffffff.

Also, my bump is massive and I’ve gain 15kg which may account for the stretch marks. I wasn’t even skinny to begin with and had belly fat which I foolishly thought would somehow protect me from stretch marks lol.

Anyway, no idea how I’m going to damage control the stretch marks when I have a few more weeks to go 🤪

I’m finding bio oil surprisingly good! Was sceptical but it has faded to white a lot of my marks - those from pregnancy (am 24 weeks) and from rapid weight changes before. I would recommend! And cheap too.

@DeusEx thank you but I find the smell from bio oil at the moment a bit too much. Might give it a go after baby is born though!

Definitely second bio oil! Worked in my first pregnant. 31 weeks pregnant at the moment, and working for me! Although you are completely right - no idea if it’s just other factors or the oil!

Nothing works. Bio oil doesn't work. You could rub peanut butter on and it would have the same effect or not. All depends if your body heals stretch marks.

Beauty products are aimed at women and are therefore useless shit sold with lies.

Nothing works to stop them but I found palmers coco butter helped with the itching. I had twins with a combined birth weight of 17lb last term pregnancy, my belly is pretty much a big stretch mark now and I have a lot more skin than I need around there. It bugs me this pregnancy because I carry high and all my flabby belly hangs below bump and I can feel it hitting my thighs when I'm walking up hill. Been saving for surgery for a few years now, might have enough in a decade lol.

In my first pregnancy I got no stretch marks and didn't even moisturise regularly, I was just lucky. In my second I got them right at the end (bigger bump) but they faded in time, again without putting anything on them. I agree it is mainly factors out your control.

You either get them, or you don't. I did. I tried everything to make them go away, including some laser treatments which I ended up not completing. So I figured, I can't change my skin, but I can change my attitude towards it. So I've started loving them, and guess what? It worked.

Yep same here! Tried Bio oil, many tummer butters, creams etc. I was only 18 and was covered in thick stretch marks both horizontal and vertical!

Agreed! All genetics.
My mum never got stretch marks with me & my sister & im on my third pregnancy and none yet (27 wks) fingers crossed 😂 xXx
Maybe ask your mums and see what they say?

I must say, I think ThisWorks stretch mark oil is a massive scam. I used it years ago for weight gain stretch marks and it did absolutely F all, and felt slimey. Maybe it’s improved in the intervening 10+ years but I hold a grudge for expense shelled out and no results!

Nothing works. Your only hope of avoiding stretch marks is to be stick thin to begin with and deliver early. Or be genetically blessed with stretchy skin. The rest of us either have to live with the damage or have plastic surgery to fix it.

I didn’t get even one stretch mark during my pregnancy and used bio oil, but then my mum has had 5 kids, hates body moisturizer and also has zero stretch marks. I guess it’s mostly genetics.

I am loving The Organic Pharmacy stretch mark oil. I am 30 weeks pregnant now and enjoying applying this oil daily.

@Bathmatt my skin has been unbearably dry this pregnancy! Currently 32 weeks, it's gotten to the point where it physically hurts! I've never ever had dry skin! However I have genuinely found the answer! Lush - charity pot! Been using it for the past week and my skins never felt so soft!!!! X

3rd pregnancy here, close to due date still with no stretch marks developed - I put it down to Cowshed’s Stretch Mark Balm I’ve used in all my pregnancies. The texture of it - grainy on appliance/ oil moisturiser like rubber in is really unique.

Those that promise to reduce stretch marks are a scam. Use them to relieve itchiness or to give yourself a pamper session but they won't prevent stretch marks if you are genetically prone to getting them. The best way to see is by looking at your Mum's tum or whether you got them in teenagehood.

Stretch marks are caused by fairly deep tissue trauma, no oil, balm or fancy crap is going to prevent that since they simply don't penetrate far enough.

I still use the body massage oil from Shea Moisture on all my dry areas + bump, it smells good and keeps me moisturised. I'm however absolutely covered in stretch marks. It's all part of the joys of impending motherhood.

I don't think the expensive creams do anything special. I think if you're going to get stretch marks then a cream isnt going to stop that but using some kind of moisturiser can help a bit to keep the skin more supple and with comfort. I've been using Palmer's every day.

Palmers coco butter. Used it for all of mine and I have no stretch marks.
I used to slather it on when my tummy was itchy.

And my mum had loads of red stretch marks which never faded.

I agree that the creams do eff all. I think weight gain/size and skin elasticity due to age is a bit part of it.

I was 20 having my 1st, 25 having my 2nd and not a single stretch mark. Currently pregnant with my 3rd at 34 and am definitely bigger and stretch marks have started to appear - so not solely genetic either!

I wasn’t large pre pregnancy, have hovered around the 8st 10lb mark since my early twenties.

I should say I still use palmers twice a day religiously because it does help with the itching and the stretching feeling!

Yep,this is totally true.
Nothing that claims to prevent stretch marks actually works.Anyone that claims it helped in some way had just different genetics.

I hated Palmers cocoa butter as the smell would make me want to heave. I did use bio oil in my last two pregnancies but wasn't surprised I got them as mu mum and aunties did too. This time I am using a pregnancies stretch mark creams and none so far but I tend to get them after 30 weeks so have a few weeks to go yet. They don't bother me much tbh, I have a section scar which bothers me more interms of looks. Just one of those things.

*a pregnacare stretch mark cream

I used Palmer’s tummy butter religiously since 12 weeks pregnancy and got no stretch marks on my stomach, but got them on my thighs where I didn’t put anything on.