For many pregnant women here in Kenya, physical changes in the body is the norm with the most common being the appearance of stretch marks. The main cause of the unattractive marks is the rapid growth of the body which stretches the skin making its surface to break. The most common body parts that often have stretch marks are the breasts, thighs, belly, buttocks and the arms. Well, some expectant mums do not develop stretch marks and that is usually attributed to genetics.
Prevention of stretch marks during pregnancy
When you get pregnant and start growing, you cannot entirely prevent the appearance of stretch marks, but, you can reduce their appearance and count on your skin. How – you may ask?
Some of the things you could do include watching your diet and exercising to manage your weight. Many Kenyan mums gain a lot of weight believing the myth that they are eating for two and this leads to weight gain and one by-product of this is the appearance of stretch marks. Please click here to read more about or Myths and Realities on Pregnancy Diet. Whereas one can expect to gain between eight to sixteen kgs when pregnant, it’s important to watch both your diet and do some exercise.
Something else an expectant mum can do is to regularly moisturize the belly to prevent itching which leads to a lot of scratching on stretched skin resulting in faster development of stretch marks.
Removal of stretch marks post-pregnancy
Fortunately, stretch marks begin to fade gradually after delivery. At this stage, some mums decide to accept them as part of their pregnancy journey and a reminder that they brought forth life. Through advancements in skincare, stretch marks can be eliminated completely through the use of topical creams or laser treatments by qualified dermatologists.
