More than ninety percent of all pregnant women will develop stretch marks during their pregnancy. Known as striae, stretch marks look like streaks on the surface of the skin. Most lighter skinned women develop pink colored stretch marks, while darker skinned women tend to have stretch marks that are lighter than the surrounding skin. They may vary in color depending on your natural skin color.

Stretch marks form when your skin is stretched rapidly, usually happening during puberty or pregnancy. Women form stretch marks during the later trimesters of pregnancy although some women start to develop them as soon as their bellies show. Most women develop stretch marks on their abdomen, however it is common to get stretch marks on the buttocks, hips, breasts and thighs.

Stretch marks are actually small tears that form in the tissue that supports the skin and helps it stretch. Stretch marks represent the separation of collagen from the skin when tearing occurs. Stretch marks are not harmful or painful and usually fade over time.

Who Gets Stretch Marks?

The number of stretch marks you get depends on how elastic your skin is. The elasticity of your skin usually relates to your genetic make up. The more weight you gain during pregnancy the more likely you are to have stretch marks. Normally the skin is elastic and capable of stretching quite a bit, however for some women the changes that occur during pregnancy are very drastic. These rapid gains in weight and skin stretching can result in stretch marks.

Women carrying more than one child are more likely to get stretch marks. Their bellies grow much larger than women with a lone pregnancy. Other women likely to develop stretch marks include women who gain a lot of weight quickly during their pregnancy and women who carry big babies.

Treatments:

The key to avoiding stretch marks is to use a topical skin cream during pregnancy. Revitol and Strivectin are the most commonly recommended as they contain many important skin healing ingredients including Aloe Vera and Vitamin E. Many women use these in conjunction with coco butter lotions on the areas most likely to be affected by stretch marks (the stomach, breasts, thighs) and are often able to prevent them all together.