White stretch marks

During pregnancy, a woman's body undergoes countless changes at all levels. One of the organs that undergoes the most changes is the skin. The epidermis and dermis, the two superficial layers of the skin, are affected by abnormal processes as a result of the adaptation of the woman's body to the growing fetus.

The stretching of the skin in order to achieve the necessary volume during this process causes small linear, parallel and multiple scars in the main areas of tension and stretching of the woman's skin.

In addition to the stretching of the skin, the increased levels of female sex hormones that occur during pregnancy are a cause of the appearance of these scars, the dreaded "scars". white striae.



Stretch marks are mainly an aesthetic problem of pregnancy that can become a psychological problem, due to the significant change that the skin undergoes. The direct consequence of the appearance of these stretch marks is the generation of a weakening of the elastic fibers and collagen, which is responsible for giving the skin its consistency and resistance. Due to this process of stretching and loss of elasticity, the elastic fibers end up breaking.

But what are white stretch marks?

The process of appearance of stretch marks can be established in two stages. At first, reddish or purplish marks or striae appear. Subsequently, the skin takes on an atrophic appearance, the stretch marks that have already healed take on a pearly-white color. At this stage, spontaneous remission is not possible and a specific treatment for the treatment of white stretch marks is necessary.

It can be established that stretch marks occur mainly from the second trimester of pregnancy onwards, which is the time when the woman experiences a greater weight gain, since the fetus experiences its greatest growth. They are practically unavoidable, between 70 and 90% of women develop them. Generally, white stretch marks appear on the abdomen, belly around the navel, breasts, thighs, buttocks and behind the arms.

How to avoid white stretch marks?

Preventing the appearance of white stretch marks is the best treatment for this skin alteration, since once the skin has suffered the damage that causes these scars, it is very difficult to eliminate them. The main preventive measure is to avoid sudden weight gain, based on a healthy nutrition with correct eating habits to ensure the well-being of the baby and the mother-to-be. Skin hydration is another factor that should not be neglected during pregnancy. Dry skin is more susceptible to the appearance of white stretch marks. It is especially advisable to use creams rich in vitamins E and A, which provide deep hydration of the skin, giving it extra elasticity and preventing the appearance of these scars. Similarly, the intake of sufficient water is essential to achieve the desired hydration.

Are there any home remedies?

There are a number of simple home remedies that can reduce the incidence of white stretch marks. Even if they do not completely disappear, they can achieve a significant reduction in the appearance of stretch marks, which may even be imperceptible.

A treatment based on natural products consists of preparing a cream based on aloe vera, extra virgin olive oil and vitamin E. The process consists of extracting the aloe vera gel, to which 20 ml of extra virgin olive oil and 3 drops of vitamin E are added. All the ingredients are mixed until a homogeneous cream without lumps is obtained. With the help of a cotton pad, apply this cream by gently massaging the area of the skin affected by white stretch marks. This mixture provides the benefits of all the ingredients that compose it, which are particularly suitable for the treatment of skin alterations.

This simple trick, which can be done at home, helps to mitigate an almost inevitable problem of pregnancy that, combined with proper hydration and nutrition of the skin, will allow you to have healthy skin during pregnancy.