Why Stretch Marks Appear During Pregnancy

There are many changes that a woman undergoes when she becomes pregnant, both physically and emotionally. But also, these physical changes can affect a woman emotionally, especially when they are irreversible changes such as stretch marks that appear on the belly or other parts of the body in a pregnant woman. Stretch marks usually come out due to the stretching suffered by the skin and its lack of elasticity. 

There are many changes that take place after a woman has given birth to a baby. The schedules, the freedom and even the sleep time have to be programmed again, and everything changes. Along with the time change, a woman’s body also experiences some changes, especially physically, among which are stretch marks.  Many women understand that having stretch marks is part of being a mother, although many also have a hard time.

The skin of women stretches a lot during pregnancy, the result being the appearance of stretch marks, especially in the area of ​​the abdomen, which is the area that stretches the most. This stretching occurs because the pregnant woman has to leave space in the growing belly to house the life that is growing inside her, that is, to house her new baby.

Stretch marks start out as red streaks that end up turning silver over time and even white.  The good news is that they can be prevented in some cases and even reduce the appearance of stretch marks if you opt for the appropriate measures during pregnancy (before they come out). Having the skin hydrated inside and out, doing belly massages and taking care of your skin is important to avoid stretch marks, but why do they come out?

Why do stretch marks appear

Stretch marks appear when the pregnant woman’s body begins to grow at a faster rate than the skin. This can cause the skin to not be kept in good condition and therefore, the elastic fibers under the skin’s surface to break and therefore give rise to the dreaded stretch marks that so many women hate.

The two most common areas where stretch marks appear the most during pregnancy are the breasts and the belly. They can also be seen on the upper and lower arms, buttocks, and thighs. The marks start as purple streaks or reddish marks and gradually fade after pregnancy to gray or white. When they are purple or reddish, they have blood inside.

It is estimated that around 90% of women worldwide have stretch marks after they have passed the sixth or seventh month of pregnancy. Genetics also play an important role in determining whether or not you will have stretch marks on your abdomen. Therefore, if your mother had stretch marks when she was pregnant, there is a high chance that you have them too.

The color of stretch marks also depends on the complexion of your skin. If you have very fair skin, they are likely to come out early or be more prominent. On the other hand, if you are a woman with dark skin, you may not get stretch marks or they are smaller thanks to your skin tone, because having more melanin it is possible that you also have it more flexible.

Although there are methods to treat and prevent stretch marks, the reality is that there is no way to determine if there really will be a strategy that will work for you to prevent stretch marks from coming out. There is nothing proven that really works. The only thing is that when stretch marks have appeared for a while, they can become less noticeable because they become lighter in color.