Striae gravidarum or stretch marks are a form of scars that appear on your body and with a slight off-colour hue. With time these marks tend to disappear partially but they don’t completely go away. During pregnancy, these stretch marks can start appearing on the mother’s skin. Sometimes it may bring down the confidence of the woman post pregnancy.

These stretch marks appear on the belly of the woman and mostly when it’s the last trimester. It is not impossible to reduce or prevent these from appearing! There are proficient and renowned doctors like Dr Neelima Mantri who know how to prevent and reduce stretch marks completely. However, there are a few steps you can take that can help you to prevent striae gravidarum from appearing on your skin.

Tips you can follow

1. Gelatin in diet- Diet these days greatly lack gelatin. Gelatin helps in the formation of collagen in your body. Collagen is a substance that helps in increasing the elasticity of the skin and it is a synonym for gelatin. So including bone broth, soups, casseroles, etc. with high gelatin can help prevent stretch marks.
2. Application of Coconut Oil- Applying coconut oil is another great measure for preventing stretch marks from appearing. Applying it on the stomach can help keep the skin moist and nourished. Coconut oil contains high amounts of saturated fatty acids and these aren’t easily oxidized.
3. Staying hydrated- During pregnancy, there is a huge increase in the volume of blood in your body and that calls for consumption of a lot of water. Staying hydrated is important. For your skin to be elastic during this time, consumption of 8-12 glasses of water per day is indispensible.
4. Vitamin C consumption- Needless to say, Vitamin C is one of the most important minerals that your body needs during pregnancy. To prevent striae gravidarum from forming on your skin, your skin must have optimal elasticity. That means adequate formation of cartilages and collagens. Vitamin C can help in the formation of those.
5. Cocoa Butter and Shea Butter- These two are extremely potent and effective moisturizers. Keeping your body moisturized at all times is important (especially the belly). This can cut down the chances of the appearance of stretch marks by a great amount. They are natural fat extracted from beans and nut shells and their fatty acids help in the prevention as well as the reduction of stretch marks.
6. Stretch Mark Serum- Perhaps the most obvious solution, stretch mark serums work efficiently. There are DIY serums that can yield results. Honeys, Essential oils, almond oils, etc. are some of the main components of DIY serums.
7. Zinc- This might as well be one of the greatest and most common reasons for the appearance of stretch marks on your belly during pregnancy. Its antioxidant properties and its capability to produce gelatin makes it an essential mineral. Consumption of eggs, chicken, beef, lambs, etc. can help increase the production of Zinc in the body.