How to Avoid Stretch Marks When You’re Pregnant

You know that book I’ve been promising for a while? The one about pregnancy? Well, I had planned on making it a little ebook, one that says a whole bunch of stuff you sort of already knew but needed to read it to really believe it. Well, I started getting really into writing and decided to write a full sized book instead.

Victory Belt Publishing, the guys who published Robb Wolf’s Paleo Solution and Sarah Fragoso’s Everyday Paleo, will be publishing it, which is hugely exciting because they have a track record with best sellers. Of course this means it’s going to take a little longer before you get to read it but the upside is that it’s going to be waaaay better!

It will be a full sized and full color book, containing just about everything you wanted to know about your pregnant and postpartum body and you’ll be able to pick it up at Barnes and Noble or where ever you like to shop for books.

The book should be published mid summer (as long as I make all of my deadlines!). Forgive me if I comment a little less than usual but I have a whole lot to do. That doesn’t mean I’m not reading the comments though. I am! I really look forward to all the little jewels of thought that everyone contributes. Conversation is an important part of developing ideas so please don’t stop commenting!

Today, I’m giving you a little teaser of my chapter on stretch marks. The chapter is about 4 times as large as what I’m presenting here but since many of my readers are pregnant right here and now, I just had to get you off on the right foot by offering, at least, a few ideas on how to maintain your pre-pregnant body.

While the book will reveal a ton of details about the physical complaints we have with our postpartum bodies, all you really need to know is that sticking to an ancestral diet, eating special foods, avoiding processed modern foods, and exercising every day will keep you healthy and pretty all the way through pregnancy and beyond.

What are Stretch Marks?

It is said that stretch marks are an inevitable consequence of stretching skin. But if you think about it, there must be something else at play here because not all women whose bellies have carried a baby to term are marked with the scars we refer to as stretch marks.

Stretch marks affect between 70% and 90% of pregnant women but they don’t necessarily have to affect you. Stretch marks are a result of disrupted hormones, nutrient deficiencies, and other mishaps of lifestyle habits. Nature designed us well and, as long as we follow nature’s prescription, stretch marks probably won’t leave their mark on most postnatal women.

Striae, or stretch marks, form on the dermis layer of the skin, just underneath the outer layer called the epidermis. When the skin stretches, the connective tissues in the dermis layer can become compromised leading to blood vessel dilation (these are the early stage red or purplish lines). Later, as the body tries to heal itself from the breaks in the top epithelial cells, cells begin dividing to fill in the gap. If the damage was deep enough, the cells produce a fibrous mass (a scar) to heal the wound. In this case the melanin production will cease and the skin will be left with white hypopigmented scars.

Causes of Stretch Marks

Stretch marks are caused by a degradation of the connective tissue of the dermal layer of the skin. Stretching, combined with other factors which weaken those layers, causes the scars we refer to as stretch marks.

Stretching alone, however, is not enough to cause stretch marks. The skin is designed to stretch. Men and women all over the world experience skin stretching but they do not all experience stretch marks. Furthermore, girls, weightlifters, and people who gain weight rapidly can develop stretch marks as extensive on those found on a postpartum belly. A slight increase in hip size during puberty and a slight increase in arm width does not compare to the expansion of a pregnant belly but stretch marks can form just the same.

Researchers are not entirely sure why this is but research currently centers around hormones and collagen.

Collagen
Collagen is the most extensive structural protein in the body. Collagen and elastin make up about 90% of the skin’s thickness. These fibers form an elastic weave over our entire bodies allowing the skin to be stretched substantially without compromising its integrity.

Skin is like a rubber band. As long as the rubber is in good condition the rubber band will not show any marks from stretching even when stretched to its limit. Now, when that rubber band gets old, and its fibers become dry, even when you stretch it just a bit, cracks and breaks appear.

The same is true for skin. When the skin is healthy, it will stretch with no signs of having been stretched. The skin is a little more sophisticated than a rubber band however. A rubber band’s elasticity has a limit, that is it will never be able to stretch further than it was designed to stretch. The skin on the other hand can make new collagen to strengthen its connective tissues, enabling it to stretch more and more over time. The skin can do this as long as it has the building blocks it needs to make new elastic fibers.

Under certain conditions such as hormone imbalance and nutritional deficiencies, the body may not produce sufficient amounts of collagen and elastin. Like a rubber band, when these protein fibers are not reinforced to withstand the rapid and extensive stretching, the connective tissues break apart from the bottom up, tearing the skin and leaving a scar.

Additionally, glucocorticoids (which includes cortisol), ethnicity, nutritional deficiencies, dehydration, and poor circulation all play a role in the formation of stretch marks.

Prevention of Stretch Marks

While high levels of glucocorticoid hormones are known to contribute to stretch marks, researchers have not defined a specific method for lowering these hormones. However, there are many known natural means which can be effective in a total body approach to health and hormone balance.

Nutrition
●     Animal Protein – Collagen fibers themselves are made from protein, particularly hydroxylysine and hydroxyproline. Hence, eating foods high in proline and lysine may be beneficial for collagen production, although there have not been studies to confirm this theory. Proline and lysine are primarily found in animal protein. Egg whites are particularly high in proline.
●     Citrus – In order for the body to synthesize protein, it needs vitamin C. Vitamin C is found in all citrus fruits, in organs, and in red peppers, among many other fruits and vegetables.
●     Green Tea and Cherries – Other nutrients which promote healthy collagen are the phytonutrients catechins and anthocyanidins. Catechins help prevent the breakdown of collagen while anthocyanidins help the fibers link together. Green tea is high in catechins and deeply pigmented fruits such as cherries and blueberries are high in anthocyanidins.
●     Oysters – Zinc works with proteins in the body to regenerate tissue by increasing the synthesis of new collagen. The best food source of zinc is oysters but other sources include chicken, beans, nuts, and meat.
●     Saturated Fat – Dietary fat plays a big role in the integrity of every cell. Fats carry the important skin nutrients vitamins A, D, and E. Saturated fats provide the building blocks for hormones. They are also important for mineral absorption.
●     Vitamin A – The application of vitamin A to the skin has been found to increase collagen synthesis.

Circulation
There are many natural remedies to improve circulation. Including herbs and making a few lifestyle changes can go a long way towards improving circulation. Some helpful herbs and habits include:

●     Exercise
●     Massage
●     Dry skin brushing
●     Herbs such as Ginko Biloba and calendula
●     Cayenne pepper, ginger, and garlic
●     Avoid cigarettes which impairs blood flow
●     Eliminate food allergies to improve nutrient absorption

Topical creams
Topical creams can be useful in hydrating the outer dermis but remember, stretch marks start from the bottom and work their way out. Hydrating from the top will probably have little effect on what is happening below.

Some of the more expensive creams stimulate the production of collagen. These are probably more effective than oils which only hydrate the epidermis.

Women who swear by certain creams and lotions may never have been susceptible to stretch marks in the first place so it’s kind of hard to know for sure. There have been a few studies on creams but most research has found this connection to be anecdotal.

My Own Experience With Stretch Marks

When I was going through puberty, I was malnourished due to celiac disease and a bad diet all around. My hormones were totally out of whack and my zinc was very low. Though I was always very skinny, I got stretch marks on my hips. The shiny white lines are still there, though they aren’t very noticeable anymore.

One would think I am genetically susceptible to stretch marks then. But when I was pregnant and eating a Paleo diet, my skin stretched dramatically more than my hips ever did and I never got a single stretch mark. I didn’t use any creams but I ate a healthy Paleo diet. I exercised every day and my hormones were in much better shape.

Just as a side note, I have found that the stretch marks on my hips are almost invisible when my weight is down. When the scars themselves are not stretched out, they are almost impossible to see.

What have you noticed in your own skin since going Paleo?