Creams and Potions, Stretch-mark Lotions!?!?!?

[Greatchill]

Calling all new mummies to be, and all existing mummies too

I'm very new to this site... Being a total air-bubble-head I have absolutely no idea of when my last period was. Realised 2 days ago that I'm pregnant and will now have to rely on a scan to see exactly how many weeks gone I am...!

Anyway, how I actually found out was through my skinny jeans. I'm usually a stick-insect, but am no longer a size 0 and the tummy is coming out just slightly bigger every day It is lovely seeing some weight on me at last, and my breasts no longer look like a 10 year old's!

I'm really worried that I will get stretch marks everywhere though!!! Does anyone use any effective creams, or lotions, or toning massager things to prevent stretch marks developing? Any recommendations?? All suggestions and comments will be very very gratefully received!!!

I went to some beauty counters yesterday... some girls tried to sell me general firming creams, but I'm worried they contain chemicals that might harm the tiny pea inside me. Others just said "Oh honey, if you're going to get stretch marks, you're going to get them regardless of what creams and potions you use...." Oh dear!!!!

 

[Jaidy]

Hey, welcome and congrats on your pregnancy!

Im a qualified beauty therapist and its all down to the type of skin that you have. Everyone has elastin in their skin, which makes the skin stretch easily; if you have high levels of elastin then you will probably not get stretch marks (or very little) and if you have low levels you might not be so lucky Nothing can change this because its all to do with the structure of your skin.

However creams can help with the 'skin', when I say skin I mean the skin surface, they can make it softer and can help fade scars/stretch marks that do appear, so they are worth using. Its a good idea to get a cream/oil with vitamin e in it, look for 'TOCOPHEROL' in the ingredients, this the the chemical name for vitamin e. Vitamin e is good for keeping the skin smooth, rejueventated and healthy.

I do hope this helps! And hopefully you have lots of elastin in your skin. If you dont, (like me) the stretch marks do fade after a while with a good cream like I mentioned before.

 

[Tina & Gabs]

I used clarins tonic oil when I was pregnant along side palmers cocoa butter and I swear by it.

It's a bit pricey (£28) but you can get for £19 I believe from a website called Feel Unique

 

[ShineyHappyPeople]

You've just reminded me to buy some yet!

I got stretch marks when I started to get my curves as a teenager and used Palmers coca butter which I think helped and its only about £4.89. Its quite a thick cream that rubs in well so you don't need alot each time you use it. I would recommend it though. They sell it in Superdrug and probably boots etc.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Palmers-Cocoa-B ... B000TGA3IE

 

[Greatchill]

Oh thanks so much for your responses!!!

i doubt I have a lot of elasticity in my skin...... when I was a tennager I was a happy size 12-14, but then all the puppy fat just disppeared when I turned 20, and for the last 10 years I've stayed at size 6. There are still 'stretch marks' on my legs and bottom from the unintentional and gradual weight loss, HOW HORRIFIC!!!!

So I've just ordered the clarins tonic oil online, thanks Tina for your kind suggestion, I think that's exactly what i was looking for... I'm also going to buy the palmers cocoa butter first thing tomorrow.....

 

[joanne26]

i have been useing palmers also .... since the very start of my pregnancy, in the morning and night! without fail.

so far... so lucky... not one new stretch mark in sight.

hope this works for you.
goodluck

 

[Sherlock]

No amount of cream or lotion will stop you getting stretch marks. As has been said, some women are more prone to getting them than others, but creams won't stop them totally. If you are one of those women predisposed to them, you'll get them. FWIW I did read that women whose mothers had stretchmarks in pregnancy were more likely to get them than those who did not.

I never really used anything on my tummy when PG and didn't get any red stretch marks at all. I got some silvery ones but they are really faint. But nothing else. And my tummy was HUGE! But I certainly wasn't massaging creams into it. It got a bit of body lotion when it felt tight and dry and that was it.

 

[Jaidy]

Bio Oil is another great one to use, its rich in vitamins

 

[Greatchill]

What about an electric toning massager? I'm thinking of getting a little one for the thighs and bottom, so that those cellulite regions get a bit of buzz every day. Hopefully push the cream beyond the initial "skin" surface layer

But then I also don't want to shake my little pea pod too much, it might get whip-lash, or worse still, might just lead to miscarriage....... eeeek!

 

[mummyagain]

I can highly reccommend Bio Oil,i use it in my bath all the time and rub some on occasionally and i have no stretch marks at all on my belly and i'm on my fourth pregnancy!wether this is just luck or the oil i dont know but i'm gonna keep on using it!

 

[minxie]

Bio Oil is another great one to use, its rich in vitamins

This stuff is great! worth the money!

 

[Bexie]

A friend reccommended olive oil to me, but I didn't fancy smelling like an olive, but i did manage to find some body lotion with olive oil in and I've used it for both my pregnancies, so far so good. No stretch marks appeared with my last pregnancy and so far none with this either.

 

[Solo]

I have used Palmers Coco Butter throughout this pregnancy and so far......... NO STRETCH MARKS!!!!

 

[EllieBelle]

I have bio-oil but to be honest rarely remember to use it - there is never enough hours in the day

I have also read multiple times that if you are going to get stretch marks, nothing will prevent them.

I already have silvery marks on hips, and boobs from losing weight a few years ago and to be honest they really dont bother me too much!

 

[Becky]

I have Bio-Oil but use it more for post-birth helping the stretch marks to heal. I didn't get loads of them first time and don't have many this time but they never fade totally, the Bio-Oil just helps them to heal from the purple to silver quicker.

 

[Greatchill]

Thanks everyone!!!!

You're all so super sweet with your responses, and I've taken everything everything on board religiously.

So, went and bought a whole load of stuff - the Clarins oil, the palmers cocoa butter - both massage cream and lotion - god knows why there are two bottles, seems to be the same? and this olive oil mama cream thing from Olivella, and bio oil, plus this toning massage thing for tummy and thighs.

A tad OTT one might say...!!!! But what the heck right? How many times do we women get pregnant! We might as well use this excuse to stock up on everything and pamper a little (a lot)!

Plus I'll be this walking guinea pig of all the products out there. If I then end up with stretch marks, I guess no one can say I didn't give it my best best try........

(eventually, all fingers crosses, I'm going to give birth to a very fragrant oily baby!)