North Bay Woman Magazine
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1464851
42 NORTH BAY WOMAN S P R I N G | S U M M E R 2 0 2 2 MARKS OF MOTHERHOOD By Judith M. Wilson S triae, those silvery white indentations marking a mother's skin, are the leftovers of pregnancy. They appear on the abdomen, hips and breasts as a woman's body changes, and her skin stretches to accommodate the new life within. And while they don't do any harm and might even be considered a badge of honor, some women feel uncomfortable with the appearance of striae — or stretch marks — and look for ways to minimize them Dr. Elaine Lin, a dermatologist at Dermatol- ogy Consultants of Marin, explains that striae are scars that result from a relatively rapid change in body size, making pregnant wom- en prime candidates to develop them. They occur in most pregnant women, although not all, and sometimes they fade naturally, but they rarely disappear. A variety of factors affect their severity, among them age, genetics, a family history of striae during pregnancy, increased pre-preg- nancy weight as well as pre-delivery weight and the birth weight of the baby. Treatment Lin reports that some scientific evidence suggests that massaging affected areas with centella asiatica extract for 15 minutes a day can help prevent striae from developing during pregnancy. No scientific evidence sup- ports the efficacy of olive oil, almond oil, vita- min E, shea or cocoa butter, she adds. How- ever, "It does not hurt to use one of these to assist in your daily massage." After a woman has given birth, she finds that the daily applica- tion of topical tretinoin, a prescription strength retinoid that helps collagen production, is a good way to treat striae. She cautions, though, against using it during pregnancy. Laser treatments are also effective in im- proving the appearance of stretch marks in some cases. Lin explains that when striae first appear, they are called immature striae and are usually pink, red or even purplish, so treating them with a vascular laser, which targets redness, can produce good results. Stretch marks con't on page 44 Stretch marks are remnants of pregnancy, but remedies can minimize them – Photo courtesy of Elaine Lln