What do stretch marks look like?

For those who are pregnant, conceiving a baby is a very happy but painful thing. Many expectant mothers have heard of stretch marks before they become pregnant. And everyone who has experienced it describes stretch marks as very serious. Under normal circumstances, the growth of stretch marks depends on the physical fitness of the pregnant woman. So, what exactly do stretch marks look like?

When do stretch marks appear?

When do stretch marks appear? This question is a concern for most pregnant mothers. Stretch marks usually begin to appear in the second trimester and become more obvious one month before delivery.

Under normal circumstances, the elastic fibers of the skin and the rectus abdominis muscle maintain a certain elasticity, so they can contract freely within a certain limit, and therefore wrinkles are not easily formed. When a woman is pregnant for more than three months, the enlarged uterus protrudes from the pelvic cavity and develops into the abdominal cavity. As the fetus continues to grow, the abdomen continues to expand, the elastic fibers in the skin and the abdominal muscles begin to overstretch, and as the gestational age increases, many of the collagen fibers under the skin are eventually "pulled apart." After 6 months of pregnancy, the abdomen bulges rapidly, the elastic fibers in the skin gradually break, and stretch marks become more obvious.

In fact, the growth of stretch marks varies from person to person. Depending on the physical condition of the pregnant woman, the time when stretch marks begin to grow will also be different. But generally speaking, pregnant women will start to see stretch marks when they are 5 to 6 months pregnant, usually appearing on the thighs and belly. Because pregnant women have different skin elasticity, some pregnant women will develop stretch marks in the late pregnancy or even a month before delivery, while some pregnant women may not develop stretch marks throughout the entire pregnancy. This is all normal.

What are stretch marks?

Pregnant mothers are all wary of stretch marks, so what exactly are stretch marks like? Stretch marks mainly appear on the abdomen of pregnant women. Stretch marks during pregnancy are different from those after delivery.

Stretch marks during pregnancy: Stretch marks are caused by changes in the elastic supporting tissue next to the skin. Stretch marks start out as pink, reddish brown, purple, or dark brown. The color of stretch marks during pregnancy depends on the skin color of the pregnant mother. Once stretch marks appear, they cannot be completely removed, but their color will fade over time.

Postpartum stretch marks: 6 to 12 months after delivery, the stretch marks of pregnant mothers will usually become less clear. The color of stretch marks will gradually fade, usually lighter than the surrounding skin. The specific color it becomes depends on the skin color of the pregnant mother. But the texture of stretch marks will not change after delivery.