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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Original poster

Should I buy something to prevent stretch marks or is it a waste of time?

205 replies

barbareebaa · 15/06/2008 13:10

What do you think?

I'm 19 weeks preg (almost!!) and my friends say I should be putting something on my little bump.

Do stretch mark creams/ lotions work?

Someone recommended bio-oil but its tres expensive and I don't want to buy it if I'm going to get stretch marks anyway...

what about palmers cocoa butter?

Any advice would be gratefully received!!

OP posts:
peacefuleasyfeeling · 21/09/2012 21:22

A mystery... My mum is rippled with them, I have none even though I went long overdue. I did use wheatgerm oil on the skin and took omega supplements and ate lots of dark leafy greens, nuts and seeds to improve skin elasticity. I'm quite suspicious of anti stretch mark creams as many contain stuff you wouldn't want to put on your skin when you're not pregnant, let alone when you're growing your baby; petrochemicals and parabens for instance. Bonkers.

Piemistress · 21/09/2012 21:45

Have had 2 babies, gained 3+stone with both and no stretch marks (yet) the last one was 3 months ago by CS, could I still get them retrospectively IYSWIM? I used to rub in body butter and mama to be oil.

twinnies26 · 21/09/2012 21:45

I used bio-oil and coco butter - day and night - ID DT's delivered at 34 weeks and no stretch marks! :) ..... that being said my mother has none - don't they say it's all in the genes?

Bongaloo · 21/09/2012 21:48

Has this been bumped into discussions of the day just for GrannySally's advert?

mummmsy · 21/09/2012 21:51

I used extra virgin (ironic) olive oil on my tum from the second I found out i was pregnant (about 2 weeks) and got no stretch marks, my thighs got extremely fat when pregnant though and I got very deep dark purple stretch marks there - these faded though as soon as I lost the baby weight

prouduncle · 21/09/2012 22:09

as a man let me give you a honest answer

WE DONT CARE ABOUT STRETCH MARKS!!!

you probably wont believe me and will spend time worrying about them so just use bio oil, it worked for me on my arms and side of belly

btw if you dont believe me ask your partner or male friends/family, we really don't care

Beatrixpotty · 21/09/2012 22:23

15 weeks now into 3rd pregnancy and not got any.Used all sorts of things in the first 2,from Asda £2 stretch Mark oil to more ££ things like This Works Oll & Bio-oil.Couldn't stand the smell of palmers cocoa butter when pregnant!Oils are nice and stop the skin getting itchy but I think stretch marks are mainly genetic and more likely if you get massive weight gain,I think I put on a couple of stone with each one.

perfectstorm · 21/09/2012 22:45

as a man let me give you a honest answer

WE DONT CARE ABOUT STRETCH MARKS!!!

I appreciate that what I am about to say may shatter your worldview forever, so brace yourself: I DON'T GIVE AN AIRBORNE FORNICATION WHAT ANY MAN THINKS OF MY STRETCHMARKS. I DISLIKE THEM MYSELF.

The arrogance behind the assumption is actually rather funny, though. Thanks for the chuckle.

prouduncle · 21/09/2012 22:50

i stand corrected

never thought of myself as arrogant but reading my post out-loud i can see how it came across

good luck with getting rid of them

RosemaryHoyt · 21/09/2012 22:54

I didn't get a single one, my skin is better than when I was 16.

HaHaHa NOT!

All faded though. I don't get battle scar thing. I got a BABY to show for my efforts in pregnancy!

perfectstorm · 21/09/2012 23:05

Aww, thanks for the nice response. It's just that you would be amazed how often men assume women only want to look nice for them. It gets more annoying every time you hear it, if you can understand that.

They've faded, it's not a huge problem. I just don't like scars! Though at least they're somewhere that's rarely exposed, anyway.

rainand · 21/09/2012 23:48

How many weeks in should you start using the stretch mark prevented cream?

CakeBump · 21/09/2012 23:51

Given that they don't work rainand, any time you want :)

vamosbebe · 21/09/2012 23:56

I have teeange stretch marks on thighs and bum but didn't get any in my pregnancy - I didn't rub on anything and didn't get the itchy tummy thing, either.

I think stretch marks are unpreventable if you're prone to them Sad

Ditto the whole 'rub your perineum with rosa mosqueta' (spelling??!) to prevent the need for an episiotomy - absolute bollocks! Expensive crap and I needed an episiotomy the size of the Nile Sad

prouduncle · 21/09/2012 23:58

just to add...

my best mate told me she took vitamin E supplements and thy helped.

TheMouseDancing · 22/09/2012 00:18

I used boots own brand stretch mark oil from about 8 weeks and didn't get any stretch marks or itching, would definitely recommend it, it's not as expensive as bio oil either - I didn't bother putting it on my boobs as they didn't grown that much Sad and ended up getting a few stretch marks on them Smile

perfectstorm · 22/09/2012 00:52

The thing is, as someone has pointed out: if this worked, there would be the trial data available to prove it, used to market. And it would be powerful enough that you could only get it on prescription (and you almost certainly would be warned not to use it in pregnancy, either, because it would have to work in the deep layers of the skin, and enter the blood stream - no?).

That's pretty clear evidence it cannot and does not work. It's luck and weight gain.

Dryjuice25 · 22/09/2012 02:31

3 DCs here, used nothing, no stretch marks .......mum 6 kids none either

triplets · 22/09/2012 06:39

Hi, my mum had 5 of us, all big uns! Not a mark. I had my first child 33 yrs ago, not a mark. Then in 98 I had triplets aged 46, not a mark, must be genetic I think!

MummytoKatie · 22/09/2012 08:55

I used loads of cocoa butter and didn't get them. I got some on my hips in puberty so I am prone to them.

Have no idea if I was just lucky last time but I am ttcing at the moment and am going to use the cocoa butter stuff again.

reddwarf · 22/09/2012 11:15

if you got them in puberty I'd say you are likely to get them now unfortunately. I'd just stick to the cocoa butter. You will want to moisturise it well regardless, imo

ouryve · 22/09/2012 13:44

It's genetics. Stretchmarks are caused by collagen under the skin surface tearing - a bit like if you overstretch plastic and it goes white. Creams and oils can make them look less drastic and feel less itchy, but can't totally prevent them.

I got my first ones as soon as i hit puberty, age 10. All over my hips and thighs. I even have them on my knees. I have really crap collagen.

scribbles8mypencil · 22/09/2012 14:03

I think, its the luck of the draw. l know of women who did everything and got stretch marks and some who didnt. l think if you keep fit through your pregnancy it helps keep everything in shape more... l don't mean take up running but lots of walking did the trick for me. Tummy pulled back in straight away.... l walked miles lol!

missingmymarbles · 22/09/2012 14:51

Not read whole thread.

I think you either get 'em or you don't and there's not a lot you can do about it. I have had very pale, fine ones on my hips and thighs since late teens, for no obvious reason. Then, with DD1 (in my mid-twenties) I didn't get any anywhere until my milk came in, and I went from a B to a double F in the space of a morning and got some on the underside of my boobs, but they faded quickly. With DD2 (early thirties), I got some on my belly, 2 weeks AFTER she was born Hmm thought I'd got away with it. They're like small patches of purple dots which I hope will fade soon - DD2 is 10 weeks.

GraceVentura · 22/09/2012 15:17

I got them on my hips and thighs at puberty, but weirdly got none from pregnancy and bf.

Didn't use creams or anything stretchmark prevention-y at all. Agree that you either get them or you don't.

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