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| |    Stretch Marks During Pregnancy by Marjorie Greenfield, M.D. reviewed and revised by Marjorie Greenfield, M.D. Ever wonder why some women get stretch marks in pregnancy, while others look like Demi Moore on the cover of Vanity Fair? Maybe it was an airbrushed photo, or maybe she inherited good genes. In truth, there isn't much than can be done to prevent stretch marks (striae) in pregnancy. Whether you get them or not is truly a matter of luck. Any time skin is stretching or growing quickly, striae can develop. During pregnancy, this means stretch marks can appear on the abdomen, breasts or hips. What can prevent stretch marks? Unfortunately, there really isn't anything that effectively prevents stretch marks. A good emollient skin lotion will help with itching and dryness as the skin stretches. Avoiding excessive weight gain may help a bit, but you need to gain weight in order to grow a baby. Although vitamin E and other treatments have been advocated to prevent striae, none of them has been shown to be effective. And while there are some new treatments for stretch marks (see below) none have been proven safe for use during pregnancy. Stretch marks fade over time The good news is that although stretch marks are often bright red and noticeable during the pregnancy, they usually slowly change to pink and then silvery and pale as time passes. Stretch marks often are not visable after a few years, and sometimes disappear even sooner. So don't spend your money on ineffective or unsafe treatments, and try to remember that your body is accomplishing something truly amazing: it is growing a baby! What if the stretch marks don?t go away? Here is some more good news. If stretch marks don?t fade out enough for you, some treatments are available for use when you aren?t pregnant. Laser therapy, topical medications and dermabrasion, alone or in combination have all been shown to be effective in diminishing the appearance of stretch marks. Your dermatologist can advise you on the best treatment given your skin tone, the severity of the stretch marks, and (sorry to say) your budget.
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