Hellobee Boards

I have a friend who swore by Bio oil. I really think it's hereditary and you'll get them no matter what you use.

I used substance belly jelly and got very few. My mom and sister had TONS. So who knows??

I've been using Palmers Stretch-mark Cream. I'm really happy with it. It's $5.99 at Giant Eagle. I use it after the shower. I'm 26 weeks and no stretch marks yet but I've only put on ten pounds so it could be that more than the cream. I love that it stops my stomach from feeling so tight.

I think it's all genetic. I didn't use anything except for regular body lotion on a couple occasions for itchiness. I went full term and never had a single stretch mark.

The smell of palmers made me sick when pregnant!! I just stayed moisturizer with whatever. I did get stretch marks but I also gained over 70 lbs so I was pretty much guaranteed!

But post pregnancy, been exfoliating with a scrub in the shower and then using moisturizer after...I think they are already fading and LO is only 2 months.

I used the creams and got a TON. My mom had NONE. I carries far far out front. 3 months Pp, they're fading pretty well

@MsLipGloss: I was also going to suggest L'Occitane! I have not been pregnant yet so my advice is mostly worthless, haha, but I know people who swear by it and I also use the L'Occitane almond shower oil and am obsessed with it. I have dry skin and it works wonders, so I'll be all over the L'Occitane oils when I am pregnant

@Rainbow Sprinkles: I was *so worried* about stretch marks because my doctor said stretch marks depends on a few things: 1) age--younger people with tighter skin are more likely to have them 2) skin type ---very fair skin and people who bruise or turn red easily are more likely to get them 3) weight gain in pregnancy--not just how much, but when and how much in a short period

SO, I'm not young at 33, but I definitely check the other two boxes---I'm very fair (skin tone, not hair color matters here) and turn red easily and don't tan only burn....AND I gained a whopping 41 lbs, with 12 lbs allllll in one month.

Anyway, I bought Mama Mio, both the creme and the oil, I bought Palmer's, and I bought Mustela, and I used ALL FOUR every single day, multiple times a day. I'd run out of all 4 by the end.

And I still got stretch marks. So I'm proof right here that it's the other factors (weight gain, skin type, age) and not the topical creams that matter.

Stretch marks also start very deep in the skin layer and you don't see them on the top layer until the damage is done. They don't start on the skin's surface---another reasons the creams/oils don't work. And the deepness of the skin layer is why there aren'y any super effective laser or chemical treatments AFTER pregnancy either (yup, I've already started research, because if I could pay $1000 to laser these suckers off, I'd be there right now). But apparently none of the lasers really work.

So...your best chance is to gain less, since skin tone is out of your control.

@LazyLightning: How can anyone tolerate the way palmer's smells?!? It is so...cloying and awful!!! I used it once and I was trapped in that smell all day!!!

@anagram, my dermatologist said nothing works after the fact, and he only recommends lasers for models and the like, and even then, they're only slightly helpful

I definitely believe your genes play a roll, but I swear by coconut oil. I used it with my first pregnancy and I had zero stretch marks. I am using it again now and nothing so far!

I don't think they really make a difference. I used coconut oil, cocoa butter and Bio Oil and I look like I got mauled by a tiger.

I tried Mederma postpartum and didn't see a difference also.

I think it's genetic, too...I've been through 2 babies, one of them was huge, and I have zero stretch marks. I also never did anything to my belly, except regular lotion when it was itchy.