First things first, what are stretch marks and why do we have them? Well, skin is usually fairly stretchy but when our body changes in weight, stretch marks tend to appear, as the normal production of collagen ( the protein that makes up the tissue in skin) is disrupted. Due to changes in body volume, the natural elasticity of your skin may be insufficient to adapt to these changes. Collagen and elastin fibres of your dermis break causing the appearance of stretch marks. But hey, that is completely natural! Quick reminder: Stretch marks are sometimes referred to as tiger stripes, so remember that we are courageous females and mothers.

Where do stretch marks appear first during pregnancy?

They usually appear on your tummy, upper thighs and breasts, as the bump starts growing, these can be more prominent. The first sign of stretch marks is itchiness around the area where skin is becoming thinner.  After your baby is born, the marks will gradually fade, and if you have taken good care of your skin during your pregnancy, they will be quite noticeable. Also, stretch marks can be reddish or white. Red ones indicate that there is the presence of blood vessels under your skin and if hydrated, marks can fade quite rapidly. If your stretch marks are white that means that the blood vessels have narrowed, making it more difficult to fade.

Stretch marks treatment

Now, the little lines start appearing from the second trimester, so if you start moisturising before that, you’re really stepping up your game! Follow this routine to prevent and fade them:

Hydrate a lot: From the outside, make sure you drink a lot of water, and eat water based foods such as cucumbers, melons etc.

From the outside: Oil! Massage your skin with a stretch marks oil that will help nourish and hydrate the skin.

Massage regularly when applying the oil: Circular massages increase blood circulation, and that’s what will keep our stretch marks red for longer (that’s good remember?), making it easy for them to fade.

Book yourself a Pregnancy massage: Pregnancy massage that being done by a professional, will not only leave you totally relaxed but will ease pains and moisturize your skin.

At Pure Natural Salon you can find your expert pregnancy care!

Read more about pregnancy massage here:

Exfoliate: To make sure our oils and creams penetrate deeply into the skin, make sure to exfoliate your stomach, hips, thighs and chest, at least once per week. Deep (but gentle) exfoliation removes dry and dead skin cells that prevent the lovely oils we apply from keeping our skin moist and hydrated. Also, by exfoliating, you promote the growth of new skin cells, and that can help keep our most stubborn areas.

Diy scrubs recipes are here

 

Have a beautiful pregnancy!

 

BOOK your pregnancy massage and dive into amazing relaxation and care!