Prevent and treat stretch marks - these 7 tips will help you
Have you been reluctant to leave since your pregnancy go to the outdoor pool, hide your belly during a baby photo shoot or generally feel uncomfortable in your own skin? You're not alone! For many pregnant women, the stretch marks on their own bodies are a thorn in their side. Between 50% and 80% of pregnant women can show the purple and red stretch marks, which often occur on the abdomen, legs or breasts. These stretching scars are completely natural, normal and can be traced back to the hormonal changes as well as the loosening of the connective tissue during pregnancy. You are beautiful just the way you are! If you still want to do something about stretch marks, there are ways to prevent them or treat them afterwards. These 7 tips will help you gain new self-confidence:
1. Hydrate your skin
Is your skin on your thighs, breasts or stomach already itchy? Then you should proceed quickly and provide your skin with sufficient moisture in the affected areas - after all, care products are not only important for babies! Special moisturizers for pregnant women are suitable for this purpose. A body oil can also be massaged into the skin. This makes your skin more elastic and stretch marks don't stand a chance.
2. A balanced diet is the be-all and end-all
Of course, all women have a craving for a large portion of fries or a bag of chips - nevertheless, stretch marks are in many cases caused by a wrong diet, among other things. A healthy diet that includes plenty of fruit and vegetables equips you with all the important vitamins and nutrients and prevents stretching scars. Also pay attention to your fluid balance! If you drink a lot, you give your body the opportunity to provide your skin with sufficient moisture.
3. Gentle plucking massages for better blood circulation
One method is particularly popular among pregnant women: the so-called plucking massage. In this type of pregnancy massage, the abdomen is massaged with a little oil or cream according to a special technique so that the tissue is better supplied with blood. Of course, this can also be done by your partner! Here's how it works:
- Oil
When applying cream, more is actually more! Spread the oil on the affected areas in circular motions, working from the outside in. Make sure that everything is well absorbed into the skin before you start the massage.
- Pick
Take a small piece of skin between two fingers at a time and pull them slightly upwards. That shouldn't hurt! If you use the massage method on the abdomen, start at the navel and work your way up the sides to the costal arches. Be sure to skip the pubic bone - there the stimulus could trigger premature labor! That's why you should only use these massages up to four weeks before the calculated due date and then concentrate on choosing the cutest baby clothes. However, you can start as early as the third month of pregnancy.
As an alternative to the plucking massage, you can use a brush massage. However, make sure that the bristles are soft and do not scratch the skin. Gently run the brush over the skin - either when dry or in the shower. The only important thing is that you thoroughly apply cream to the areas you have worked on at the end.
4. Alternating showers for tight connective tissue
Right at the beginning of pregnancy, you should tighten your connective tissue and promote your blood circulation. You can do this not only through regular massages, but also through alternating showers. To do this, shower your thighs, stomach and breasts alternately with cold and warm water. At first, this takes some effort, but you'll see that it's worth it!
5. Sports, sports and more sports
Just a few weeks after birth, the annoying stretch marks begin to disappear again. In order for your skin to recover completely, a large round of sport helps. This not only helps you to shed any remaining kilos, but also provides your skin with firmness and stability for your connective tissue. You can start regular sports exercises or fitness training during pregnancy. Yoga, for example, is ideally suited for this. But don't underestimate the special circumstances your body is currently in! There are a few important things to consider when exercising during pregnancy, which you can also read about in our magazine.
6. A support bra keeps your breasts firm
The stretch marks do not only occur on the abdomen, the breasts are also affected in many women. To strengthen the connective tissue of the breast and prevent sagging breasts, you can use a support bra. From the 13th week of pregnancy, this should be necessary.
7. A visit to the dermatologist as a last resort
In the case of stubborn stretch marks that do not disappear after birth even with a balanced diet, regular massages and plenty of exercise, you can consult a dermatologist. There you can be helped with various treatment methods to get rid of the annoying stretching scars, for example with various peelings or laser treatment.