Getting Rid of Stretch Marks Following Pregnancy

Stretch marks, also known as striae distensae, are a type of scarring which occurs when the skin stretches rapidly, causing the collagen and elastin fibres to break. They often occur in situations involving dramatic weight changes – including pregnancy.

Stretch marks appear as parallel lines or streaks on the skin and can be purple, pink, red, brown, silver or white depending on your skin tone and the age of the stretch marks. Following pregnancy, they occur around the abdomen or belly, thighs, buttocks and lower back.

Although stretch marks are not painful, many people do not like the appearance of them, and this can affect the clothes they wear or taking part in activities where they may need to expose their skin, such as swimming.

Unfortunately, non-surgical treatments for stretch marks are rarely effective and this can mean they can continue to affect a person’s confidence for many years. 

Not everyone gets stretch marks after pregnancy. Although they are very common, there are various factors which influence how prone someone is to developing stretch marks.

These factors are:

• Genetics – Family history can affect stretch marks. If other women in your family were prone to stretch marks while they were pregnant, you are more likely to develop after pregnancy stretch marks as well. 
• Skin type – If your skin is naturally elastic and you have a high level of collagen, you are less likely to develop after pregnancy stretch marks. Unfortunately, it is not always possible to know this pre-pregnancy. 
• Hormones – Hormones can affect your skin’s structure and elasticity. As your hormones fluctuate during pregnancy, you may find your skin becomes more prone to stretch marks. 
• The rate of weight change during your pregnancy – Everyone’s weight change varies during pregnancy. If you gain weight very quickly, or are carrying twins or triplets, you are more likely to develop after pregnancy stretch marks. 

Stretch marks naturally change and fade over time. While they begin as dark red or purple they will develop into white or silver lines which may blend into the skin. This is because the initial inflammation and blood vessels that give stretch marks their colour, diminish, leaving a lighter coloured scar tissue.

The natural fading process varies for everyone, and it may take months or even years for them to be blended in with the skin as much as possible. Even once they have faded, they may still appear to be prominent. 

There are a range of treatments which can help to treat stretch marks. Many of these treatments are similar to treatments for improving scar tissue:

• Topical treatments – Creams and lotions containing Peptides, Vitamin C or Retinoids may help to improve the appearance of stretch marks by improving the quality of the skin, increasing collagen production and skin elasticity. Topical creams and lotions won’t be able to get rid of pregnancy stretch marks completely. 
• Microneedling – This treatment involves small needles penetrating the skin to create a controlled injury. This kickstarts the body’s natural healing process which will help to improve the appearance and texture of stretch marks. This may not remove pregnancy stretch marks completely. 
• Laser treatment – Laser treatment will help to resurface the skin, regenerating the texture and appearance of the skin. Laser is the most effective non-surgical treatment for getting rid of pregnancy stretch marks. 

For treating extensive pregnancy stretch marks, or if you have tried non-surgical treatments and the stretch marks have not responded, surgery may be an alternative solution.