How Good Do Pregnancy Stretch Mark Creams Really Work?

An inevitable fact about pregnancy is the probability of getting stretch marks. I have asked about this reality many times, wondering if the creams out there actually prevent this natural effect from happening. When all my friends were pregnant, one of the first questions I asked them was: Do Pregnancy Stretch Mark Creams Really Work? 

Funny enough, the idea that we can prevent this from happening completely is a myth. But based on genetics, the most we can do is try to minimize them and embrace the body changes as it grows a beautiful life.

My Story

When I discovered that I was pregnant right around the beginning of November, I was so happy and definitely wasn’t thinking much about the possibility of having stretch marks, at least not then. I called my family and friends to share the happy news.

Then not even two seconds later, my best friend asked if I was using stretch mark creams yet. Mind you, I wasn’t even showing yet either. At that specific moment I thought: “Oh my! I just communicated this, and you are already worried about it?”

What I Did

Even still, I started researching a little and realized how this is a real problem for women everywhere around the world. Not just for pregnant women, but also if you gain weight to fast too soon. So, I decided to dig in it more, discovering that the better you hydrate your skin the less likely you will get them. Did you know that our skin is the biggest organ of the body? We absorb a lot from our skin, so let’s start taking care of it. Right then, I began staying hydrated and using creams immediately.

What I personally did was buy an organic sweet almond oil. It had no fragrance and I applied it after taking a shower. That allowed me to feel good for the rest of the day, and I felt satisfied that I was proactively avoiding something that I definitely didn’t want to deal with.

As a recap, the first week of my pregnancy, I started using sweet almond oil once a day to keep my skin hydrated. Personally, I like to use everything organic as much as possible, with low to zero synthetic ingredients.

Where I am At Now

After that, with months passing by, I realized that what I was doing wasn’t enough. I know that every pregnancy is different, and you don’t know how much and how fast you will grow. But I soon felt that my belly was itchy, and for me this was the first sign to start increasing the usage of oil and cream. My routine is as follows:  

• In the morning after the shower I use an oil specific for pregnant women. It has been used in my family since my mom and my aunt were pregnant, and so far it worked.

• After drying it up, I use a natural pregnancy stretch mark cream. I actually put it on a lot, and massage it until It dry out so I was not too oily but still stayed elasticated.

• I then get dressed fast and go to work and make sure that there are no oil stains on my clothes.

• Each day my husband and I go for a 30 minute walk each day to help keep my body moving and help with weight management. It also increases my mood, which is nice.

I did this routine from month 4 to 7. At 7, I actually started to increase again with morning and night. Yes, my belly is so big that at the end of the day, I was feeling so itchy and it was red, which by the way is normal. It is just caused by increased circulation.

Conclusion

As a final recap, I would say during the first 3 months, just use your cream and oil. I recommend organic and fragrance-free. After 3 months, start increasing the amount of oil and cream you use after a shower so you can have optimal skin hydration. After the 4 months, increase again, and use morning and night. If your skin gets itchy, that is also a good time to apply as well. If possible, add a little bit of cream on your belly and do a nice massage. I am sure your little one will appreciate it as well. Now, you might be thinking, ok how about results? You can see yourself below: That is actually my belly. It is big and heavy, but so far so good and with my solid, effective routine.