The Best Stretch Mark Creams for Pregnancy in 2022

Best stretch mark creams for pregnancy

• Best overall stretch mark cream: Mustela Stretch Marks Cream
• Best stretch mark cream for sensitive skin: Earth Mama Belly Butter
• Best organic stretch mark cream: Glow Organics Belly Butter
• Best drugstore stretch mark cream: Burt’s Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter
• Best stretch mark oil: Bio-Oil Skincare Oil
• Best multiuse stretch mark cream: Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Massage Lotion for Stretch Marks
• Best fragrance-free stretch mark balm: Munchkin Milkmakers All-Natural Belly Balm
• Best postpartum stretch mark cream: Mommy Knows Best Stretch Mark Vanishing Cream
• Best stretch mark cream with clean ingredients: Pipette Belly Oil
• Best splurge-worthy stretch mark cream: Mutha Body Butter

Growing a human in your belly is a remarkable phenomenon. The human body goes through a wide variety of changes in the process — from sensory to hormonal, circulatory to physical — but the easiest to identify and track is the size of your belly.

And while there’s no doubt that the body performs wonders in pregnancy, there can be some lasting changes that you’re not so keen on.

Enter stretch marks.

What are stretch marks?

According to the American Academy of Dermatology Association, stretch marks are indented streaks or colored lines on your skin. They’re common during pregnancy due to skin that expands and stretches, and they’re also a result of weight gain and loss.

Newer stretch marks are typically red tinged. They’re easier to treat. White stretch marks are older and more difficult to treat.

Let’s make one thing super clear: Stretch marks are extremely common and completely natural.

“Genetics play a part,” says Dr. DiAnne Davis, FAAD, a dermatologist who works at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas. “Even people who aren’t pregnant, who have growth spurts or weight gain or loss, can develop stretch marks.”

In addition to the genetic component, she also mentions that stretch marks have a hormonal component. Females are more likely to get these marks than males.

Although stretch marks are natural, it’s also OK if you have a strong desire to prevent them. Treatment might be able to lighten the color of your marks and shrink them. There are plenty of stretch mark creams available that aim to keep them at bay as your body changes throughout your pregnancy.

Why use a preventive stretch mark cream? 

During pregnancy, stretch marks can develop on your breasts, belly, hips, butt, and thighs.

“From a dermatology perspective, there aren’t that many stretch mark creams that are effective,” Davis states. “The theory behind them is helping to rebuild some of the collagen and elastin in our skin that is distorted as a result of the stretch marks developing.”

While there’s not a ton of research on the effectiveness of topical treatments, it’s still worth trying to prevent stretch marks since it can be difficult to minimize them once they’re fully formed.

You can start to apply a stretch mark cream as a preventive measure. For best results, start as soon as you find out you’re pregnant and continue after you give birth.

Using a stretch mark cream may not prevent or eliminate stretch marks entirely, but it might help make them less pronounced and noticeable by improving skin elasticity and smoothing your skin.

Plus, using a stretch mark cream can be a fantastic way for you to get in touch with your body and give yourself some TLC throughout your pregnancy.

Try incorporating stretch mark cream application into an indulgent self-care routine, which may include self-massage, exfoliation, or a good old-fashioned bubble bath.

What to look for in a stretch mark cream 

Decide if you want a cream that is scented or fragrance-free. Scan the ingredients list for potential irritants, especially if you have allergies or sensitivities. And while pregnant and nursing, avoid products that contain retinoids.

Choose a product (or investigate creating your own!) that contains ingredients such as:

• nut butter (such as cocoa, shea, or jojoba)
• vitamins A and E
• hyaluronic acid
• coconut, argan, or rosehip oil
• aloe vera
• peptides

“Certain ingredients that can sometimes be helpful are hyaluronic acid or peptides,” Davis says. “I usually will check active ingredients and recommend the patient check with their OB-GYN for using it.”

How we chose the best stretch mark creams 

The market is full of stretch mark creams promising amazing results. We’ve searched through ingredient lists and product reviews to help you narrow down your search. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by choice, read on to take a look at some of our top picks.

Price guide

• $ = under $10
• $$ = $10–$20
• $$$ = over $20

Healinggeeks Parenthood’s picks of the best stretch mark creams for pregnancy

Best overall stretch mark cream

Mustela Stretch Marks Cream

Price: $$$

Mustela’s dermatologist-tested cream is free of parabens, phthalates, and phenoxyethanol. It’s no surprise that this product is EWG Verified, since it’s made of 96 percent plant-based ingredients, including avocado oil and peptides, passion fruit polyphenols, and witch hazel extract.

This velvety cream claims to improve elasticity, prevent stretch marks, and improve the appearance of existing ones, leaving you with silky, supple skin. Expecting parents mostly love this cream, but a few warn that even though it’s listed as “fragrance-free,” it still has a scent.

Best stretch mark cream for sensitive skin

Earth Mama Belly Butter

Price: $$

This lightweight, creamy body butter aims to prevent and relieve dry, itchy skin without leaving a greasy residue. Free of petroleum, parabens, and artificial fragrances, this lush lotion is formulated with organic herbs and oils geared especially toward preventing stretch marks, such as aloe and shea butter.

Since it’s been clinically tested for irritation, it’s ideal for people who have skin sensitivities. Many reviewers prone to rashes, eczema, or breakouts report that they were able to use this cream with success, and a handful say its light, refreshing scent is reminiscent of a Creamsicle or fruity cereal. (Yum!)

Best organic stretch mark cream

Glow Organics Belly Butter

Price: $$$

Made without parabens, sulfates, synthetics, or artificial fragrances, this organic skin butter is formulated to prevent stretch marks and improve skin elasticity. It contains macadamia nut, shea and cocoa butter along with grapeseed and sweet almond oil. These natural ingredients create a light, subtle scent, making it ideal for parents-to-be with sensitive noses.

Fans of this butter say it locks in moisture and soothes dry, itchy skin. They also warn that, due to its thick, buttery consistency, you need to use the heat of your hands to melt it before applying it to your skin.

Best drugstore stretch mark cream

Burt’s Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter

Price: $$

This unscented drugstore find from Burt’s Bees is great for moisturizing your skin both during and after your pregnancy. It’s formulated using 99 percent natural ingredients and is free of phthalates, parabens, petrolatum, and sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS).

In addition to moisturizing ingredients like cocoa, shea, and jojoba butter, this cream also contains sweet almond, sunflower, and coconut oil, which makes it ideal for soothing sensitive skin.

Reviewers rave that this cream helps to nourish stretched skin and prevent stretch marks from forming, and that its creamy consistency is absorbed easily so you won’t feel greasy or sticky after application.

Best stretch mark oil

Bio-Oil Skincare Oil

Price: $$$

Bio-Oil is one of the most dermatologist-recommended holy grail skin products for use as a stretch mark preventive and treatment for existing scars. With ingredients such as vitamin E, chamomile, rosemary, and lavender extracts, it relieves inflammation and redness, which helps to minimize the appearance of skin discoloration and stretch marks.

Despite “oil” in its name, Bio-Oil is a non-greasy formula with a fresh, floral scent. Users say it makes their skin smooth, hydrated, and radiant. And beyond stretch marks, you can also use Bio-Oil to heal skin concerns such as scars, acne, and blemishes.

Best multiuse stretch mark cream

Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Massage Lotion for Stretch Marks

Price: $

Free of mineral oils, parabens, and phthalates, this hydrating lotion was created specifically to prevent and treat stretch marks. Its ingredient profile includes cocoa and shea butter along with sweet almond and argan oil. This sweet-smelling lotion moisturizes your skin to improve skin elasticity, texture, and tone.

Even though it’s thick and creamy, reviewers say it absorbs well so you won’t have any stickiness after application. In addition to targeting areas of your body prone to stretch marks, it doubles as a body moisturizer that you can use everywhere.

Best fragrance-free stretch mark balm

Munchkin Milkmakers All-Natural Belly Balm

Price: $$

If cream isn’t your consistency of choice, this soft, velvety balm from Munchkin (yes, that Munchkin!) Milkmakers might be the pick for you. The twist-style stick dispenser, which is recyclable, allows for easy application and is ideal to toss into your bag for on-the-go use.

Reviewers like that this unscented balm absorbs quickly. One mother-to-be notes that it wasn’t irritating, though her sensitive skin is prone to dryness, eczema, and contact dermatitis. And many people report that they also love using this balm on their elbows, cuticles, and heels.

Best postpartum stretch mark cream

Mommy Knows Best Stretch Mark Vanishing Cream

Price: $$$

Great for use after pregnancy, this thick cream relieves itchiness, reduces redness, and claims to lighten stretch marks. Containing vitamin E along with jojoba, cocoa, and shea butter, it’s designed to reduce the harshness of deep marks so they’re less textured, pronounced, and visible. You can also use it to reduce the appearance of scars, skin discolorations, and age spots.

Many reviewers are pleased with the creamy texture, which they say is hydrating without feeling sticky or greasy. This cream also has a light, minty scent, that isn’t overly powerful or long-lasting, but it’s still something to consider if you’re sensitive to scents.

Best stretch mark cream with clean ingredients

Pipette Belly Oil

• Price: $$

Pipette Belly Oil absorbs quickly and helps calm itchy skin. It’s hypoallergenic, making it a good fit for sensitive skin. Pipette claims the oil keeps your skin soft and supple as it changes shape.

This oil uses clean ingredients you can trust: winter cherry extract and calendula for itchiness, antioxidant vitamin E for moisture, and squalane (a naturally hydrating lipid) for balance.

Best splurge-worthy stretch mark cream

Mutha Body Butter

• Price: $$$

Although the Mutha Body Butter is expensive, previous customers say the price is worth it for this rich, high quality butter. This product is hypoallergenic and good for sensitive skin. Ingredients include shea butter, cocoa butter, and mango butter, plus vitamins, fatty acids, and seed extracts.

The body butter is clinically proven to hydrate for 48 hours. It has a subtle citrus fragrance. Reviews state that this butter absorbs quickly and feels luxurious and rich.

A comparison of the best stretch mark creams for pregnancy

When do I start using stretch mark creams during pregnancy?

You can start using stretch mark creams early on in your pregnancy. You don’t have to wait until you start noticing marks. Many creams work as a preventive measure, so it can be helpful to begin using one as soon as you find out you’re pregnant.

You can use the cream throughout each trimester and even after you give birth. Davis recommends using the cream every day after you take a bath or shower.

Postpartum, retinoids can help with treating stretch marks. “They help to restore the skin’s collagen,” says Davis. But it may be best to avoid retinoids while you’re pregnant.

They’re most likely safe while nursing — with topical application only — but that research is limited. Oral use of retinoid-containing treatments isn’t recommended during lactation.

Davis also recommends in-office stretch mark treatments such as microneedling or laser treatments.

Do stretch mark creams actually work?

Unfortunately, there isn’t much concrete evidence that stretch mark creams work to prevent or eliminate marks during pregnancy.

“A cream that has evidence-based medicine behind it — we don’t have that,” says Dr. Davis.

What we do know for sure is that keeping your skin moisturized as it expands helps support fragile skin and encourage circulation, which can help your skin look and feel better.

“It’s tough to prevent stretch marks because some of it is just what happens naturally as the stomach gets larger,” Dr. Davis explains. “But hydration with lotion or cream is helpful.”

Keep in mind, too, that not all stretch mark creams are created equal. Some are more focused on hydrating and moisturizing than actually preventing marks. So if you’re going to purchase a stretch mark cream, make sure you do your research.

Other frequently asked questions about stretch marks

Do stretch mark creams work on old stretch marks?

Stretch mark creams won’t make old stretch marks completely go away. However, depending on the cream you use, it may somewhat reduce the appearance of the marks.

Do stretch mark creams work during pregnancy?

There isn’t much hard evidence that stretch mark cream can completely get rid of pregnancy-induced stretch marks. Many users report, however, that certain stretch mark creams reduce the appearance of their stretch marks while keeping their skin hydrated.

What helps prevent stretch marks during pregnancy?

In addition to using a stretch mark cream, eating a nutritious, well-balanced diet, drinking enough water, getting regular exercise, and gently massaging your belly every day may help prevent or reduce stretch marks during pregnancy.

You can talk with your midwife or doctor about gaining baby weight at a slow and steady pace and making sure you’re not deficient in any vitamins.

Takeaway

There’s a lot going on in your body and mind right now. Pamper yourself with one of these stretch mark creams that may help prevent stretch marks during pregnancy.