The Dreaded Stretch Marks

[MollieS]

Any hints and tips on products to guard against or fade stretch marks before/during/after pregnancy?

I've suffered from very attractive stretch marks on my behind since I was a teenager - strange given that I'm a size 8 and not especially tall either, so I'm not sure where the stretching really came in - and am worried that in light of this, tummy stretch marks are inevitable when pregnant.

Of course, stretch marks or none, it will be worth it! But still, let's talk about prevention and cure!

you can't do anything to prevent them

some people swear by bio oil and cocoa butter rubbed on their tummies

I escaped any with DS until i was 37 week and my bump had a growth spurt and i got two on either side of my belly button

none with DD

i never bothered with creams or oils except they made me feel a bit pampered

Tbh I think you're either going to get them or you're not. And if you're one of those people who'll get them, no cream is going to make a difference.

But just because you got them on your bum doesn't mean you'll get them on your bump.

But if it makes you feel proactive, get something like Palmers or Bio Oil

retin a

can you use it when your pregnant? no idea

oh yes ps i too had "growing" stretch marks from 6.5 st to 7.5 st but none on bump at all so it isn't nec going to happen, it didn't happen to me

wasn't baby oil memmtioned on another thread about this - that you use if to make skin more stretchy elsewhere iykwim so that it must help with strtchmarks?

i have horrible stretch marks all over my legs hips and boobs from puberty but didn't get anything from pregnancy! i used bio oil.

I have stretch marks on bum and hips and boobs from puberty too - it's quite nice to see that it's not so unusual.

Clarins Tonic Body Oil. Costs about £35 but worth every penny. Smells absolutley gorgeous too. I also had some stretch marks before pregnancy and using this oil improved the way they looked & I didn't get anymore from being pregnant.

Apparently its in your genes if you have thin unstretchy skin it'll happen. I use coco butter just to keep my skin from drying out but as this is no 4 I already have them in a strange circular pattern anound my belly button. I did put on 5 stone with DD1 though so maybe not helping myself.
She cam out a healthy 9lb 12 oz although I didnt get them on my boobs and they went from a 34C to a 36H.

Size increase in the boobs region will certainly be welcome...perhaps I can live with the stretch marks!

Thank you for your suggestions. Bio oil seems popular so I may give that a try. Also the Clarins - I use their foundation and agree that Clarins products are certainly worth the money so may give that a go too.

Also nice to hear of others who were stretch-marky before pregnancy but did not get worse during.

Thanks everyone!

Weleda do a pregnancy oil as well. I got marks during puberty, and in the late months of 1st pregnancy just under my bump. I used bio oil on the first, I think that if I hadn't used it, they would be much, much worse. They are quite pale now. It's worth a shot at prevention, as if you get them, not much you can do about it after.

Spent a fortune on Bio Oil and smugly proclaimed lack of stretch marks during pregancy. Until week 38 that is when suddenly they were everywhere!

Nothing helps. Depends what kind of skin you have. Bodes badly if you have them already - bottom ? odd at a size 8.
I have none. Used bio-oil. But beleive it is just luck/your skin type. nothing more.

Those Clarins oils are a miracle.
But they have to be followed by a cold shower. Just saying, I happen to love them.

Cold shower! EEK! Do the Clarins oils smell nice?
For me personally, I'm sure I'l be getting all strech marky no matter what, I'm just interested in damage limitation.

They work!
The Anti - Eau one - the water retention one - on a hot day there's nothing like it.
Smell a bit medicinal, but in a clean cologne-y way!

Palmers cocoa butter I too a size 8 pre pregnancy and had them from puberty on bum and thighs- my mum had really bad ones from pregnancies so thought it was inevitable but copious amounts of palmers done the trick.Had very big bumps - midwives even remarked that I had done well to avoid them

The clarins oils smell gorgeous - they have that spa smell if you know what I mean.