These tips will help you combat stretch marks during and after pregnancy

Stretch marks are the reality of being pregnant. And so, it happens that you cannot prevent them from gracing your skin. As unfortunate as that sounds, there is some good news here too. You can minimize the appearance of stretch marks by taking the necessary precautions during pregnancy:

1. Keep your skin moisturized
You can use a good moisturizer, olive oil, coconut oil, or any vitamin E-enriched oil. Moisturizing will not really have an effect on the occurrence of stretch marks. However, this will keep the skin hydrated, smooth, toned, and also reduce itchiness.

2. Exfoliate at least twice or thrice a week
Exfoliation helps in taking off the layer of dead skin cells and allow the new cells to resurface, thus increasing the circulation. Exfoliation could be done using a loofah or a dry brush. This will also help the moisturizer to absorb better in the skin.

3. Eat a balanced diet
This will help in gradual and optimum weight gain and avoid unnecessary wear and tear of skin.

4. Keep your body hydrated
By drinking at least two to three liters of water daily, you will prevent water retention. This will also help to keep the skin healthy and supple, allowing it to bounce back from the effects of stretching.

5. Be active during pregnancy
Perform low-intensity exercises during pregnancy. This will help in gradual weight gain and will also help in keeping the skin elastic.

If you have already delivered, then…
If you have crossed the mark of childbirth and have stretch marks, then let us reiterate: there is no sure shot cure for stretch marks. However, the marks tend to lighten or fade away over a period of time, which could be around a year from giving birth. Following these steps will help them fade sooner:

Continue taking balanced diet and doing light exercises
This will help in gradual weight loss and the skin will have time to get back to its original form. Crash dieting will only lead to sagging of skin and worsening of the condition. Your intensity of workout can be increased over a period of time based on your comfort level.

Keep your skin hydrated
Don’t forget to moisturize daily and drink plenty of fluids.

Try prescription creams
Prescription creams containing glycolic acid, retinol, or hyaluronic acid can help. But do not use them without your doctor’s recommendation.

Since stretch marks are almost inevitable with pregnancy, it won’t be a bad idea to embrace them and let them fade over a period of time. Consider them as the beauty marks that you have gained while you were creating a life inside you.

This article originally appeared on Baby Chakra and has been excerpted with minor changes with permission.