Stretch Marks in Pregnancy: What the Evidence Says About Creams and Oils

By DermLens AI · 11 October 2026 · 6 min read

Stretch marks (striae gravidarum) are one of the most common pregnancy skin changes, and the market for creams, butters and oils that promise to prevent them is enormous. If you are heading into the third trimester wondering whether to spend money on them, here is what the research says.

How common are stretch marks?

A 2015 review in the British Journal of Dermatology says stretch marks developing during pregnancy affect up to 90% of women, and that while they are not medically dangerous, they can cause emotional and psychological distress. The Cochrane review gives a range of 50% to 90% and describes them as red or purple lines that fade slowly to pale marks, most commonly on the abdomen, breasts and thighs.

The gold-standard review: do creams prevent them?

The Cochrane review looked at topical preparations for preventing stretch marks in pregnancy. It included six trials involving 800 women.

• There was no statistically significant difference in the development of stretch marks between women using topical preparations with active ingredients and women using a placebo or nothing (average risk ratio 0.74, 95% confidence interval 0.53 to 1.03).
• There was no significant difference in severity either.
• The reviewers concluded that there was no high-quality evidence to support the use of any topical preparation for preventing stretch marks in pregnancy, and said more rigorous trials were needed.

That review was published in 2012, so it is worth asking whether anything has changed.

A later review: ingredient by ingredient

The 2015 review looked at specific topical products used to prevent stretch marks. It found:

• Limited evidence that centella may prevent stretch marks or reduce severity, and that massage with bitter almond oil possibly may.
• Weak evidence that hyaluronic acid prevents them.
• Cocoa butter and olive oil were not effective for prevention or for reducing severity.
• Tretinoin holds promise for reducing the severity of new stretch marks, but its use is limited by its pregnancy category.
• Overall, reliable methods for preventing stretch marks are scarce, and most products lack strong evidence from well-designed randomised trials.

So what is worth doing?

• Do not expect a product to guarantee prevention. The best evidence says none has been proven to.
• Moisturising can still feel good. Skin stretching over the bump can feel tight and itchy, and a simple moisturiser may help with comfort, even if it does not prevent marks. (That is general experience, not a finding of these reviews.)
• Do not use tretinoin or other retinoids while pregnant. See our first trimester skincare guide.
• Be wary of high prices. Nothing in the research above shows that a more expensive product works better.
• Itching is not just comfort. Itchy skin late in pregnancy can occasionally signal a liver condition, so read our guide to itchy skin in late pregnancy.

The bottom line

Stretch marks are very common, and no cream or oil has been shown to reliably prevent them. Cocoa butter and olive oil were not effective in the research we found, with only limited evidence for centella, bitter almond oil massage and hyaluronic acid. Keep your skin comfortable, save your money, and be kind to your body.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

1. Brennan M, Young G, Devane D. Topical preparations for preventing stretch marks in pregnancy. Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2012. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD000066.pub2
2. Korgavkar K, et al. Stretch marks during pregnancy: a review of topical prevention. Br J Dermatol, 2015. doi:10.1111/bjd.13426

This article is general information, not medical advice. If you have a skin or scalp condition, or you are pregnant, breastfeeding or taking medication, speak to a doctor, pharmacist or dermatologist before changing your routine.