Medical Questions » Pregnancy Questions » Question No. 1490
| Question: | Last time I was pregnant I got stretch marks. How can I prevent this? |
| Answer: | Up your intake of vitamins A (to a maximum of 3,000mcg when pregnant), C, E and the mineral zinc, which are all key for skin health. A stretch mark is a tear in the collagen fibre of your skin, so while these nutrients can' t necessarily repair it, they can help increase skin elasticity and tone, and prevent any further stretch marks developing. Applying vitamin E oil directly to your stomach and areas where any stretch marks appeared in your previous pregnancy will also help to condition your skin and reduce the appearance of existing marks. Just prick a vitamin E supplement capsule with a pin, and rub the contents directly into the skin. Alternatively, use a strong vitamin E cream. Also, make sure you have a good intake of essential fats, preferably by eating a tablespoon of ground seeds every day and supplementing l,000mg of omega-3 fish oil containing EPA and DHA - essential in pregnancy for maximizing brain development in the growing foetus. |
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