Advise to reduce stretch marks?

My partner is concerned with stretch marks during and after her pregancy.

What creams/oils are popular that everyone uses?

Thanks.

Hi there. I used regular old Palmers Cocoa butter and I was lucky enough not to get any. But I'm pretty sure if you're prone, you're prone. Make sure she has a good diet and lots of water too.

Bio oil is popular as well as cocco butter but if she is prone to get them she will but they may help faid them!!!

I believe (and I could be wrong here...) that it can help to not put the weight on too quickly. If she's diligent in eating a healthy diet (no 'dieting' though!!!) and using moisturiser like the cocoa butter, she will give herself the best chance. I think I read that somewhere. I'm no expert though, because I've got heaps of them LOL!

I use Palmers Cocoa butter too, and used this a lot with my first pregnancy - however right toward the end in the last couple of weeks of my first pregnancy, out came the stretch marks. They did fade though and with time you could barely see any trace of them. I didn't get stretch marks with my second pregnancy and haven't got any yet with my third.

Palmers cocoa butter here too. I didn't get one last time (& touch wood for this time ;)). I can't garuntee that's why, but I wouldn't risk not using it! And it feels so nice!

I've heard that using normal run of the mill olive oil is good. I'm about to start using that.

remember to be hydrated inside as well as outside- drink plenty of water and i also took zinc tablets.. i didnt get any!!:p

I used Palmers Cocoa butter as well. I didnt get any stretch marks at all, but I do believe that some people are just more prone to them than others.

i would say, eat healthy, moisturise daily, using what ever is on hand.
If you are going to get them, then, you will get them. From what i have read, there is no sure fire thing to stop stretch marks. Its all in your genes.
All you can do is help the skin stay soft.

as the others have said i think if you are going to get them... well you are going to get them but here is what i have tried so far and i havent got one yet (though growth is happening pretty swiflty these days ha ha!!)

- try not to put on weight too suddenly - eat well, exercise for tone etc
- keep skin hydrated - i use a clarins body oil (delicious stuff and my DH uses it to massage me as well - hint do that for your partner, she will adore you for it), i also use bio oil which is good and feels nice to rub into belly now that it is larger!!
- lots of water

Tell her not to worry too much about it though, it is one of those things that just may happen... and it is all worth it. I was v worried at the start and I am honest I wouldnt love it to happen now, but at the same time as the preg goes on I am more OK with all these chgs as preg is such a wonderful time and so i want to enjoy it and not worry too much about these things.

Hello. I suggest taking a good zinc supplement as well as Vit E, Vit C and B vitamins.
Preventing stretch marks from the inside is the most effective way, but sometimes you cant stop them at all :)

They did a segment about stretch marks on the show 'What's good for you' and according to them the only way to even reduce them is with laser surgery!The women who trialled the coconut butter etc found absolutely no difference.
I agree with the other posters about just trying to prevent them with healthy eating, exercise etc, and accepting they are one of those lovely pregnancy things that no-one tell us about!

Thank you all for your advise.

Looks like Palmers is very popular. We saw Palmers and the oil in the chemists the other day. The salesgirl recommends the oil. One of our friends recommends two products from Clarins (Tonic Body Treatment Oil/Bust Beauty lotion).

I guess it's personal preference and like some of you said, keeping healthy from the inside is just as important as well.

yeah the clarins tonic body treatment oil is the one I use and I love it....
i also use the bio oil which is v nice and cheaper that the clarins oil so I alternate them...

Ask her Mum & aunts (from Mum's side) & if she has any sisters with kids.... Well ask them too, if they have stretch marks she will likely get them & if they dont then she may not get any!

I didnt use anything religiously, I just birthed my 3rd baby & dont have any stretchmarks, but neither of my sisters have any stretchmarks nor does my Mum...

Nonw of us used anything in particular except my Mum whose best mates Dad was a Chemsit & he gave her pure lanolin in a tin (direct from sheeps back) which stunk to high heavens but she massaged that in daily & never got a mark with 3 kids!

But I think it's more genetic than anything else!!!

I agree Tracey.
I think it is wrong when chemists etc promote particular products that will apparently get rid of stretch marks or do this and that and then women get dissapointed that they have them and can't get rid of them. It is just a fact of life, some of us will get stretch marks, some won't.

I agree 100% with you becmc. If you know your human biology you will understand that there is no cream that you can apply to the surface of the skin that will prevent this DEEP tissue stretching. It is all genetic as to whether your skin can deal with it or not.

I also agree with the advice of pregpan to assure your wife that you will love her body whether it has stetch marks or not because your love is more than skin deep. Women really need to hear this kind of thing. It's all too easy to try to throw money at products that claim to help but dont. Don 't waste your money.... you will need it for your baby. Maybe put it towards a stress-relieving massage for her!

Hi there,

Congrats on you & your wife's pregnancy! I ended up getting stretch marks during 36-42 weeks pregnant, but during pregnancy I only used normal lotions/moisturisers (I never thought I would get stretch marks:doh:). But post-natal I used bio-oil for about 5 months every day. I think it may have helped them fade. But I also think that it just takes time for them to fade. It takes pateince, but they do fade:)

Like some of the others have said, I have also been told that a pregnant woman's predisposition to stretch marks is greatly linked to genetics-- i.e., if her mum, sisters, aunites, got them, she is more prone to them.

I've been using Palmers, but I have got stretch marks (and I'm only 22 weeks!). Still, it feels nice on & my skin has been so dry (I guess that must be pregnancy-related, I'm not normally like this) that I will keep on using it.