Pregnancy Stomach Stretch Marks: What to Know

They may begin as pink, red, purple, or brown lines and later become lighter or silvery. Their appearance varies with skin tone, genetics, hormones, and how quickly the abdomen changes. They are not a sign that you have done anything wrong.

Stretch marks, also called striae, form when deeper skin structures are altered as the abdomen expands. The surface may feel slightly indented, raised, tight, or itchy. New marks can extend across the stomach, sides, breasts, hips, or thighs, although this page focuses on the abdomen.

The marks do not harm you or the baby, and they are not contagious. They do not disappear immediately after delivery: colour and texture commonly settle gradually during the postpartum period. A clinician can check any mark that looks unlike typical stretch marks or changes in an unexpected way.

Use a gentle, fragrance-free moisturiser after bathing and reapply when the skin feels dry. This can reduce tightness and itch, even though creams and oils cannot reliably remove established stretch marks. Choose loose, breathable clothing and avoid hot showers if warmth worsens itching.

Do not start retinoid creams during pregnancy. Ask your maternity clinician or dermatologist before using a medicated product, including while breastfeeding. After pregnancy, treatment choices depend on the mark's colour, texture, your skin tone, and whether you are nursing. Options a dermatologist may discuss include [Microneedling](/treatments/aesthetic-procedures/microneedling/), [Fractional Laser Treatment](/treatments/laser-and-energy/fractional-laser-treatment/), [RF Microneedling](/treatments/laser-and-energy/rf-microneedling/), or [Carboxytherapy](/treatments/aesthetic-procedures/carboxytherapy/). These procedures may soften appearance rather than erase every mark, and timing matters.

Arrange a clinical review if the skin is very painful, hot, swollen, blistered, oozing, or develops a rapidly spreading rash. Seek prompt pregnancy advice for intense or widespread itching, especially on the palms or soles, or itching that is worse at night without a typical stretch-mark appearance. These symptoms can have causes other than ordinary striae and may need testing.

Contact your maternity team urgently if severe itching occurs with yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine, or unusually pale stools. For ordinary stretch marks, an appointment is mainly useful when you want confirmation, relief for persistent itch, or a discussion about postpartum treatment.

Ask: Do these lines look like typical pregnancy stretch marks? What is safe for my current trimester or while breastfeeding? What can I use for the itch? If I want treatment after delivery, when should I start, and which option fits my skin tone and the marks' age?