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During gestation, Striae gravidarium, or stretch marks, is the most feared thing that can happen for a number of women. This is a common occurrence during pregnancy, with 50-90% of all expecting mothers getting some type of visible marks. It usually can be found on the lower abdomen but can be seen on the hips and thighs, on the breasts, and on the buttocks. When collagen is torn apart from the epidermis it forms stretch marks. They can be light in color all the way to a bright red or even purplish color in the latter period of gestation. Striae gravidarium can be dry and itchy as well as ugly even though they are not painful. They are caused when the epidermis is stretched and changed more quickly than the collagen fibers can handle it. Unfortunately, the chance of being affected by stretch marks is largely genetic. If your mom and aunt or siblings had them, there is a good chance that you will be affected by them too. Life choices, diet, and physical activity level are other components that affect stretch marks besides genetics. To avoid and counter striae gravidarium women should attempt to make their epidermis as flexible as possible. Drinking plenty of water daily assures well hydrated skin that pulls more easily. To fortify the immune system and have skin at maximum health it is recommended to take 1000mg of vitamin C daily. Apply a sunblocker when going outside to avoid spotting and highlighting marks. It is also wise to keep the skin hydrated and supple by putting on a moisturizer. Taking part in anti-streesing activities such as stretching or cardiovascular exercise will prevent the skin from breaking down because of stress. Striae gravidarium can develop in overweight people and weight lifters also. With rapid bodily changes, the skin does not have enough time to acclimate to the fluctuations in weight. Gaining muscle too rapidly results in stretch marks for weight lifters. A person can also get them from using creams and solutions that have steroids for an extended amount of time. The fortunate news is that even though they may be darker in appearance at first, they will usually fade and become fainter and less obvious after a few months. There are some things you can do to promote the flexibility of the epidermis even though it is mainly a genetic problem. Besides attempting to maintain weight (which, while pregnant, is not advisable for the child's sake) women can encourage healthy skin by exercising frequently, even during the gestation period. Low impact and light aerobic physical activities are modified activities that women can perform that are healthy for mother and child as well. Pregnant women should eat as nutritiously as possible by eating nutritious foods, controlling carbonated sodas consumption, decreasing caffeine consumption, and staying away from alcoholic beverages and coffee. Pregnant women should also avoid smoking during the entire gestation period. A variety of products promise to make stretch marks dissipate and vanish by healing and preventing them from coming initially. While generally not proven to have any lasting effects, some of them may do a trivial amount of good. There are many surgical operations, but they can be time consuming and very costly. For many women the only way to counter striae gravidarium is to get the help of a physician. This type of surgical procedure is not suggested until later because many times the body will still have some growing or alternating to do.
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