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Handling Stretch Marks

Oh, the joys of the fun things that come along with pregnancy. Your body is going through serious changes, and as beautiful as they are, we understand that embracing all of these new changes can be hard. So, if you can’t wear them as a badge of honor, we’ll let you in on how you can deal with these classic souvenirs of maternity and what you can do about them.

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Stretch marks are a part of life, caused by rapid weight gain, and while stretch marks won’t disappear completely, they do fade over time.

Amy O’Connor, a writer with https://www.whattoexpect.com/ says, “You’ll start to notice these beauty marks when you’re somewhere around 13 weeks to 21 weeks pregnant (think of them as modern art for your baby bump).” Up to 90 percent of all expecting women get these during pregnancy. They can show up in a variety of colors, usually a few shades lighter or darker than your skin tone. You’ll most likely notice them across your belly, butt, thighs, hips or breasts.

The best treatment for stretch marks is to stay hydrated and use a stretch mark specific lotion. These products have ingredients chosen to help reduce the appearance and heal the skin, by building collagen to help thicken the skin and keeping the area hydrated. Stretch marks will fade over time and by using some of the best stretch mark creams you can reduce their visibility and help heal your skin more quickly.

Byrdie, the editorial beauty site, broke down their picks for best stretch mark creams by category. https://www.byrdie.com/the-best-stretch-mark-creams-4584760 and we have the abridged version with our top 5, starting with:

1. Best for Pregnancy: Earth Mama Belly Butter

With a blend of organic herbs and essential oils in a creamy shea butter base, this is ideal for expectant moms to slather on hips, belly, and breasts—and is just as safe and effective to use post-pregnancy, too. Not only does it help prevent stretch marks, but it also helps soothe itching, a common side effect that comes with stretch marks. And while it doesn’t contain any synthetic fragrance, it does have a slightly sweet citrusy scent.

2. Best for Stomach: Mama Mio The Tummy Rub Butter

Try this supersize tub of deeply moisturizing body butter meant to prevent stretch marks as your baby belly grows. It uses organic sweet almond and olive oils to relieve redness and itching, while rose-hip fruit oil increases cell renewal and reduces excess pigmentation.

3. Best Overall: Mederma Stretch Marks Therapy

This paraben-free formula earns points for both helping to prevent new stretch marks from forming and treating existing ones, too. For prevention purposes it contains a combination of hydrating hyaluronic acid and dimethicone; increasing moisture in the skin keeps it more elastic and less likely to tear and scar. But it doesn’t stop there: Cepalin, a botanical ingredient proprietary to the brand, and centella asiatica (another plant extract known for its outstanding skin soothing and healing properties) help to fade the appearance of any current marks.

4. Best Budget: Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula For Stretch Marks

This brand has a cult-like following for its variety of cocoa butter-based lotions Ideal for your stomach, hips, thighs, and bust, Palmer’s signature formula works to treat stretch marks courtesy of a potent, velvety blend of argan and almond oils as well as pure cocoa butter, vitamin E, shea butter, and bio c-elaste (which is a combination of collagen, elastin, and centella asiatica).

Together, these ingredients help increase elasticity in your skin and make sure new stretch marks don’t form (whether or not you’re pregnant).
And at such a wallet-friendly price, you can slather it on with reckless abandon without having to worry about breaking the bank every time you need to pick up a new bottle. It comes in a lotion version too, choice for those who prefer a lighter texture and consistency.

5. BURT’S BEES MAMA BEE BELLY BUTTER

Specially blended to soothe skin through the 9-month stretch of pregnancy, this rich Belly Butter will keep your growing belly soft, smooth and comfortable before and after your new arrival. These products are incredible for the skin. This cream comes in a jar and includes cocoa butter, shea butter, and jojoba butter. In addition, vitamin E to provide a nourishing, rich, and moisturizing product. There is no smell, so your pregnancy super scents won’t make you feel nauseous.