It’s one of the dreaded thoughts of all pregnant women, but stretch marks are unfortunately very common.
There are some women that are lucky enough to go through a pregnancy and never show any of the signs of skin discoloration or stretching, but there are many more that do.
The one thing that surprised me the most was that your belly is only one of the areas where these marks can appear. It’s also very common to encounter dark stretch marks on your inner thighs.
While you can hide these a bit easier, they are just as unsightly. So, I did some research and spoke to a dermatologist and a friend of mine who has gone through 3 pregnancies and managed to recover every time.
The tips I learned are simple, so let’s take a look at some preventions first.
You shouldn’t wait for the appearance of stretch marks before you take action. If you have found out that you are pregnant, then it’s time to start looking after your skin immediately.
1. Hydration
No matter how busy your lifestyle is, it will be vital for your own and the baby's health to always stay hydrated. Your body will need more water during pregnancy, and your skin will thank you for it too.
There is no avoiding the fact that your skin will become stretched, but the more hydrated it is, the more flexible it will be. And this can, at the very least, delay the red marks on the inner thigh areas.
It is recommended to drink at least 2 liters of water per day so you can have a healthy skin. (1) There are other benefits too in staying hydrated so there's nothing to lose.
2. Moisturization
You should start a new moisturizing routine, and this will only take a few minutes out of your day. Try to apply moisturizers every morning and night, and if you have some time during the day.
You can use home remedies like olive oil, natural aloe vera, and cocoa butter, or pick up some beauty creams with similar ingredients. (2)
By hydrating from the inside and moisturizing from the outside, your stretching skin will be able to adjust to the new conditions.
There are tons of effective moisturizers in the market that you can try until you find the perfect brand for you.
3. Vitamin Gels
Vitamins are critical for the health and elasticity of your skin, which links to how likely it is for the underlying blood vessels to become visible. You will be especially reliant on some extra vitamin C and E, and one of the best things recommended to me was vitamin E oil.
It feels wonderful on the skin, absorbs very quickly and can have the dual function of a moisturizer as well. (3)
If you follow these three tips every single day of your pregnancy and continue them after your baby is born, you’ll be able to prevent or reverse most of the streaks.
But if you still have some darker stretch marks and you’re struggling to get rid of them, then you might need to look at some other treatments.
Dealing With Stretch Marks On Your Thighs
For most people, the stretch marks will disappear with time, as new skin cells form and the skin tightens up again. For stubborn stretch marks or to speed up the process, there are a few options you can consider.
1. Exfoliation
Exfoliators are designed to get rid of the layer of dead skin cells that naturally builds up over time. This upper layer is then gradually replaced through new skin growth, which is heavily reliant on vitamins, water, and collagen.
What exfoliation does is get rid of the dead skin faster to encourage an increase in new skin cells, and this in time will fade away the stretch marks. (4)
2. Topical Creams
Topical creams are now widely used to treat any type of skin conditions. These include allergies, dermatitis, skin itching, and insect bites. But not only that, topical creams are now applied to remove stretch marks too.
An ideal topical cream contains hyaluronic acid, silicon, and retinol. These key ingredients are proven and tested by science to be critical and highly recommended by doctors when it comes to the effective restoration of your skin health. So, it pays to check the label first before purchasing your topical cream.
Experts suggest using Ebanel topical cream as it includes all the effective ingredients above. Get 10% Off. Use Code: MYFITSTATION10
3. Chemical Peels
For really bad stretch marks, exfoliation may not be enough. It is quite possible that you will have to resort to some sort of chemical peel. For me, this is one of the less favored options, because the chemicals can be quite severe.
It’s certainly not an option while breastfeeding, and you should always check with your doctor or dermatologist before making this decision.
4. Laser Therapy
You can successfully treat severe stretch marks that simply will not go away with laser therapy. What this essentially does it target the darkened areas to break down the cells. Your body then naturally removes the dead cells and replaces them with new ones.
It is quite an effective solution, but something that you should only consider after trying out all other natural options. Talk to your dermatologist to find out whether it is a suitable option for you.
You can also watch this video from Youtuber Allie Sevdalis on how she deals with her stretch marks.
5. Exercise
Fitness and exercise are important throughout your life, including when you’re pregnant. While the types of exercises you do will be different, staying active will be vital. Not only does it reduce the chance of excessive and rapid weight gain, but it will do wonders for your skin.
During the skin stretching phase, the underlying blood vessels will start to become visible, but the more blood circulation you can trigger through exercise, the less restricted those blood vessels will become, reducing the chance of permanent marks.
Considerations For Breastfeeding Moms
As much as you may want to get rid of the red and purple marks on thighs and belly sections, you have to be very careful how you go about it while breastfeeding. Any kind of chemical treatment or even non-invasive therapy can pose risks for you and your baby.
During this time, it’s best to be patient and maintain a regular moisturizing routine. There will be plenty of time once your baby is older. If you have any doubts about the products you want to use, then consult your doctor and always caution on the safe side.
Our Recommended Product to Get Rid of Stretchmarks
Stretch marks on thighs are not a health concern, but whether they are puberty or pregnancy related, you simply don’t want them to ruin your appearance.
Dealing with them is as much about building or maintaining self-confidence, so make sure you stick to the above tips.
Trying out one or two of the mentioned tips will help you bid goodbye to your stretch marks.
As mentioned, a topical cream can effectively reduce or even remove stretch marks as long as it contains the right ingredients.
Some experts suggest using Ebanel topical cream, for instance, as it includes all the effective ingredients above.
With this, Ebanel continues to be on the recommended list of good topical creams.
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And if you have managed to come up with some other great ideas, especially home remedies, then why not share them on our Facebook or Pinterest pages. We love hearing from readers, and the ideas can always help and inspire other women too.
References:
1. Kris Gunnars, BSc, How Much Water Should You Drink Per Day?, retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-much-water-should-you-drink-per-day
2. Karen Cross, FNP, MSN, Is olive oil a good moisturizer for your face?, retrieved from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321246.php
3. Zawn Villines, Debra Rose Wilson, PhD, MSN, RN, IBCLC, AHN-BC, CHT, Ten benefits of vitamin E oil, retrieved from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/318168.php
4. American Academy of Dermatology, Evaluate before you exfoliate, retrieved from https://www.aad.org/media/news-releases/evaluate-before-you-exfoliate
