Stretch mark prevention and care

During pregnancy, the appearance of your skin also changes. The considerable increase in oestrogen levels affects the various aspects of your skin’s physiology, such as its thickness, capillary blood flow, collagen production and water content. During pregnancy, the skin stretches much faster and much more than it is used to. It becomes thinner and often appears dry and scaly, which causes itching in about 18 percent of pregnant women.
The epidermis (uppermost skin layer) of the belly stretches more intensively as the baby grows and maternal fat stores increase. While increased levels of oestrogen and other hormones during pregnancy help prepare the skin by increasing skin elasticity, they cannot do so indefinitely.
 

The balance between elastin and collagen fibres in the connective tissue can usually maintain the stability of the skin. If the stretching is constant and gradual, the collagen in the skin has time to regenerate. But pregnancy is an exceptional state, in which the skin in the abdomen area stretches much more quickly and intensively than usual. If the skin is pulled tight too quickly, an imbalance occurs in the connective tissue. This causes the elastic fibres of the subcutaneous layer to tear, resulting in a type of scarring, referred to as stretch marks. Additionally, hormonal changes during pregnancy make it harder for torn collagen fibres to recover, which increases the likelihood of stretch marks developing.

The exact cause of stretch marks is unknown. Most stretch marks result from a mix of genetic and hormonal factors along with extreme mechanical stress on the connective tissue. Striae do not occur spontaneously but occur when the skin’s elastic fibres are pulled too tight. 
Factors that increase the likelihood of developing stretch marks:
•    Presence of stretch marks on different areas of the body, such as the abdomen, buttocks, thighs or breasts before your first pregnancy
•    Tendency to develop striae in your family history
•    Younger age of the mother
•    A baby that is larger than average in the womb (increased birth weight, length, and head circumference).
•    Women with a higher body mass index (BMI)
•    Excessive weight gain during pregnancy (more than 21 kilograms).

Regardless of gender and age, stretch marks commonly occur as a result of rapid weight gain (obesity), muscle hypertrophy (bodybuilders), endocrinopathies (such as Cushing’s syndrome), breast enlargement, or as a side effect of medicines containing steroids. 
 

Taking care of your skin is especially important during pregnancy. The stretching that occurs during this time places the skin under immense stress, making it thinner and drier. Intensive care of the skin on your “baby bump” with moisturizing lotion or oil can help. 

Plus, regular massage can increase the skin's elasticity and promotes blood circulation, so it does not tear as quickly. This reduces the probability of stretch marks appearing, even if they cannot be avoided entirely. A belly massage should be performed regularly, at least once a day. It’s best to start with them as early as possible in pregnancy, even before your belly bump begins to show. Many women gain a bit of weight in the first three months of pregnancy, but the most significant weight gain occurs in the second and especially the third trimester. 

Abdominal massages should be continued until the end of breastfeeding or three months after the birth – even if there are no stretch marks. Stretched skin needs time to heal. Regular massage can also measurably improve the condition of skin that already has stretch marks. Existing stretch marks can be visually reduced and lightened by massage, but – like other scars – they cannot be “massaged away”. 

Regular skin care and circulation-enhancing massages improve the skin’s barrier function and provide it with moisture. They also reduce dry skin and unpleasant symptoms of itching and tightness.