What you can do about stretch marks during and after pregnancy

• Pregnancy stretch marks happen due to rapid changes like the baby's growth and weight gain.
• There aren't guaranteed ways to prevent stretch marks but a couple of simple practices help.
• On their own, stretch marks fade with time but usually don't go away entirely.

Up to 90% of pregnant people will experience stretch marks.

"A stretch mark is the skin expanding more rapidly than its elastic capability," says G. Thomas Ruiz, MD, the OB-GYN lead at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center.

It's almost impossible to prevent pregnancy stretch marks since hormones play a key role in whether you're more prone to them, or not.

While you may feel self-conscious about your stretch marks, it's important to note that they are harmless and, for most people, a natural part of pregnancy.

Here's what you should know about stretch marks during and after pregnancy.

When do stretch marks develop during pregnancy?

Stretch marks can occur any time the skin is stretched quickly, says Felice Gersh, MD, an OB-GYN and director of the Integrative Medical Group of Irvine.

During pregnancy, that begins during the second trimester, when the fetus is growing most rapidly.

By the third trimester and the end of pregnancy, stretch marks are most common and pronounced, says Gersh.

What causes stretch marks?

Stretch marks develop in the middle layer of the skin, known as the dermis. "The condition develops from within the skin, not from the outside," Gersh says.

The dermis is made of two types of fibers: collagen and elastin. When skin is rapidly stretched, the collagen and elastin fibers can rupture, causing the skin to lose strength and elasticity.

This leads to inflammation in the dermis and eventually thinning of the epidermis, the top layer of skin, triggering discoloration that appears as a stretch mark.

Anyone — including people who aren't pregnant — can develop stretch marks. The biggest risk factor is rapid growth. However, there are additional risk factors, including:

• Being younger at the start of pregnancy
• Having a family history of stretch marks
• Having a higher weight starting at pregnancy
• Having a larger baby or multiples

Do stretch marks go away?

"Once stretch marks hit, they're there for life," says Ruiz. While stretch marks don't go away, they do fade with time.

When stretch marks first appear they're often raised and red, pink, purple, or brown, depending on your skin tone. These are known as striae rubrae.

As the inflammation in the dermis subsides, stretch marks become flat or depressed into the skin, making them less visible.

Mature stretch marks, known as striae albae, are lighter in color and have a depressed, wrinkly surface. Although healing time may vary, most pregnant people notice that their stretch marks are less obvious 6 months to 2 years after delivery.

Can you prevent stretch marks during pregnancy?

Avoiding excess weight gain may help reduce the likelihood of stretch marks, but even if you develop stretch marks during pregnancy, it doesn't mean you've gained too much weight. It could just mean you're more prone to stretch marks.

"If you don't have elastic skin, that's just genetics," says Ruiz.

Quick Tip: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people pregnant with one baby gain between 11 and 40 pounds during pregnancy, depending on their BMI before they were pregnant.

Moreover, since a stretch mark begins below the skin's surface in the dermis, lotion or creams — like vitamin E, coconut butter, and olive oil — can't stop them from forming.

"There is nothing proven to prevent stretch marks from developing once they have begun to form," Gersh says. "Anything applied topically can't significantly impact the underlying issues causing the stretch marks."

What you can do about stretch marks

Stretch marks can be obvious at first, but over time they will fade and there are some measures you can take that may speed up the healing process. Here are four things to try:

1. Eat anti-inflammatory foods

Gersh recommends adopting an anti-inflammatory diet to help stretch marks fade.

New stretch marks have inflammation in the dermis, and an anti-inflammatory diet paired with regular exercise — which all helps mitigate inflammation — may reduce any redness or swelling from the stretch marks.

2. Discuss prescription medications with a doctor

Two prescription ointments — hyaluronic acid and tretinoin — may reduce the appearance of stretch marks after they form.

However, if you are pregnant or breastfeeding these medications may be harmful to the fetus or infant, so talk to your doctor before using them.

3. Discuss cosmetic procedures with a dermatologist

Dermatologists can also use laser, radiofrequency, light, and other treatments. However, none of these has been shown to be definitively effective for stretch marks.

In short, they may or may not work, and the people who do see a difference often need multiple sessions with multiple treatments.

4. Act when the stretch marks are newer

If you decide to pursue treatment, it's best to do it sooner than later, since early stretch marks respond better to treatment than mature stretch marks.

However, these treatments may not be safe during pregnancy or while breastfeeding, so be sure to talk to your doctor before taking any medications.

Insider's takeaway

Remember that stretch marks are normal and part of the pregnancy process. Although some people find stretch marks distressing, they are usually harmless.

Being younger and having a higher weight at the start of pregnancy can increase your likelihood of getting stretch marks, as can gaining weight quickly during pregnancy.

However, whether or not you get stretch marks while pregnant mostly comes down to genetics.

Treatments including dermatological procedures may help reduce the appearance of stretch marks, but there's no way to get rid of them entirely. Because of that, accepting stretch marks can go a long way.