What Are the Best Stretch Mark Prevention Creams to Use While Pregnant?

My doctor told me this is a hereditary thing and not to use creams.......after I had tried cocoa butter, which clogged my pores and caused a terrible rash. I stopped and never used creams anymore, except my body lotion......all stretch marks faded over time.

Thankfully, though I gained 50 pounds with my pregnancy, I only ended up with two little stretch marks on the side of my upper hip area. 125 to 175...sheesh! I ate healthily, exercised everyday almost...and used palmers cocoa butter designed specifically for pregnant women...they have three different types but I used the belly butter. It is really thick and I spread it over my breasts as well.

Many things can affect having stretch marks. Some you can help, others no:
- fair skin usually get less
- genetics
- age (the younger you are, the more elastic is your skin, so less stretch mark)
- how much your skin has been stretch before (yo-yo weight loss)

So, some women will have them even with the best creams on earth and other will not, even with nothing. And, for some, the cream may be what will make the difference.
- drink a lot of water to have your skin hydrated
- avoid tanning your belly/breast and sun exposure on these areas.
- massage your belly and breast helps a lot to keep the skin moving and elastic, whether with a regular moisturizing cream or anti-stretch mark one (and applying cream feels good also as the belly can get quite itchy, especially towards the end of the pregnancy)

I am allergic to chocolate so many creams with cocoa butter were just not possible for me.
I used Mustella brand and was very happy (but it is sometimes hard to find in the US). For my daughter, my stretch marks appear a few days before she was born, just when I ran out of cream! Coincidence or real effect of the cream? No idea.

hello i have twins!!!

congratulations!!!

the first thing DRINK A LOT OF WATER!!
and use a cream with vitamin e and vitamin E oil, it helps alot

happy pregnancy!!

Well first congrats on twins. And second don't waste money, none of them work! I have horrible stretch marks from my first baby and used products the whole time. Im currently 6 months along with number 2 and my old stretch marks are getting darker and longer. They are a part of life and unless your a celebrity or a millionaire, you will have to live with them.

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I agree with the other moms, science has shown they won't prevent stretch marks. The skin stretches, not matter what you put on it! However, if your skin is supple and moist, you will have better elasticity. A cream can help them from getting worse. I have heard from several friends, that Otopia Stretch Mark Oil, is wonderful. (I read it somewhere to.) It is all natural and great for your skin. Target sells it.

http://www.target.com/Otopia-Bump-Stretch-Mark-Massage/dp...

Also, know that they do fade for a lot of people. I got some stretch marks with my son (admittedly, they were minor) and 16 months later, you can't even see them.

Congrats and good luck! My best stretch mark advice is to learn to live with it and cute little swim skirts!

(but some ointments can help with itchiness)

Stretchinnes is an inherited gene, there are no creams known to prevent stretch marks, the products that claim prevention are a scam. Keep your skin moisturised with any cream and try using a pregnancy belt (it helps to hold your tummy up).
Congrats on the twins!

I have 3 children and have not one stretch mark. All I did was keep my stomach oiled. I used mineral oil and jojoba oil. My mother had a ton of stretch marks from me but I have none. I am a size 7, 5'6" and my children weighed 6lbs 4.2 oz, 6lbs 13 oz and 7 lbs 15.8oz so they were average sized babies. OIL up that stomach and you should be fine.

I highly recommend the Belli oil from www.belliskincare.com They are having a 30% off sale now until 9/6. I used this for my first pregnancy (morning and night) and only have a couple stretch marks on my sides where I neglected to put the oil. It also smells nice too with lavender. :) Just bought my 2nd bottle as we're 9 wks along now with #2.

I have heard that strech marks affect darker-skinned people more often than lighter. Also, that stretch marks are genetic. With twins who knows? I used BURT'S BEES brand. I think it was called Mamma Bee cream or something like that? I didn't get stretch marks, but I'm petite and fair skinned and only had one kiddo.

The act of massaging in the cream 2x daily is what can really help the skin. Any emolient, like eucerin or aquaphor (kinda sticky in the heat) or cocoa butter (any brand).
I have used aquaphor for my kid on her skin too, and it's really helped her for eczema and to replace diaper rash cream, just FYI.

This is what I did and i have NO stretch marks... I would exfoliate in the shower. Once out i would use an oil and then also a lotion(cocoa butter). I would also moisturize before bed! It worked for me!

Anything that will moisturize (preferably heavy) is fine. The true key is to NEVER rake your finger nails, or any object across your skin when it is tight. It breaks the epidermis allowing the marks. Congratulation to you.

What I am about to say isn't popular and won't be liked by many but...YOU CANNOT PREVENT STRETCH MARKS!

You either have a genetic predisposition to them or you don't. You can keep your skin healthy with moisturizers etc...but the only way to get rid of stretchmarks is to cut them out during a tummy tuck.

I should know, I gave birth to triplets in 2008 and my once flat stretch mark free belly has white stretchmarks and my stomach looks like a little old ladies knees. There isn't a thing I can do about it except have it surgically removed. I will be doing so in 2011 :)!!!

My OB told me that those creams are a rip off. If you're going to get stretch marks, you're going to get them. A cream isn't going to stop it. Luckily for me, I must have been blessed with stretchy skin b/c I didn't get them during my pregnancies, although I didn't have twins. My poor SIL tried every cream out there when she was pregnant and is covered in them.
Congrats on your twins! That is so exciting!

Hi there!

Congrats on your twins to be! Sadly I agree with the posts in that heredity and your skin type elasticity play a huge role in if you will/won't get stretch marks. However, the good news is that if you use a moisturizing product it will help minimize them!!! At least for me it did. I've had three kids back to back. I did not want a road map either LOL! I used an anti stretch mark cream during the day such as Palmer's or Mustela. Usually put that on after a shower/getting dressed for moisture and of course would concentrate on the "belly" area.

At night I used heavy duty massage prep lotion/the kind that massage therapists use. Yes it is heavy and greasy but I didn't care...I had a towel to wipe my hands and any excess. I would massage my "belly" with this prep lotion and leave a layer on while sleeping. When the skin starts to itch and I would use this stuff, it relieved it so I would not damage my skin by itching. If my shorts and Tshirt got a little oily, I would throw them in the wash..No big deal.
Below are a few links to help you. I used one similiar to the first link but it goes by this name now. Good Luck and God Bless!
http://www.theratek.com/ItemForm.aspx?item=PREST-CA642-1&...
http://www.angelinaorganicskincare.com/store/index.cfm?ac...

I'd contact a chocolate comany and see if they would be willing to sell you some bottom of the barrow pure cocoa butter. My mom worked at a local company years before any of us got pregnant and that's what all 3 of use used and none of us has any stretch marks at all. Sure, we smelled like chocolate, but it was so worth it.

palmers cocoa butter formula worked for me. It doesn't smell great but it works. Good luck!!

Congrats on twins, how great! Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Massage Cream for Stretch Marks works great! I have had 2 kids, the last one over 9 lbs. who stretched my stomach until it couldn't go any further and I have NO stretch marks! I started slathering it on my belly before I would show, usually after a shower and before bed and it worked wonderful! You can get it anywhere and it is not expensive at all.

One thing I've heard of is to actually work on stretching your skin before the babies do it for you. Doing the massage and rubbing in lotions will help do this.

Granted, I'm one of those "lucky" ones who got only a couple stretch marks and my belly went right back to normal after my first child only to have monster marks and a saggy, baggy belly after my second. Gained the same amount of weight with both of them. Just goes to show that you never know how your body will react until after the fact, unfortunately.

Hi L. --

I doubt that there's a product that will prevent stretch marks.
Or diminish them after they occur.

Congratulations on your future twins!
How exciting!

However, here is an idea I had, just off the top of my head.
It occurs to me that, if you massage your skin regularly,
and/or have hubby do so, lovingly,
you might be able to stretch your skin very gradually . . .
so that there won't be any (or as many)
sudden significant stretching that leaves marks.

If it turns out this works, perhaps we could
market the method together and make some money!

Good luck!!

gma S.

I used pure vitamin E oil and rubbed it on my belly at least 2x per day. I also used the palmers stretch mark cream. After my pregnancy, I used the Strivectin cream (runs about $105 but totally worth it) on my tummy until the cream was gone and what little stretch marks I had (a few small, short ones), the cream diminshed the appearance and color of them. Good luck and congrats on having twins!