Pregnancy & Postpartum Skincare Updated March 2026
Dermatologist's Guide
3 Things To Look For When Choosing A Stretch Mark Product
Most stretch mark products contain ingredients with no clinical evidence. Here's what a dermatologist says you should actually look for.
I see many pregnant moms in my practice, and the question I get asked the most is: "What stretch mark cream should I use?"
And I always say the same thing. It comes down to the ingredients.
There are only two ingredients with any meaningful clinical evidence for helping prevent stretch marks:
centella asiatica
hyaluronic acid
Not cocoa butter. Not shea butter. Not mineral oils.
What the clinical research shows
Centella Asiatica:
In a double-blind study involving 80 pregnant women, 89% of women who were genetically prone to stretch marks managed to avoid getting any by using centella asiatica. Whereas in the placebo group, every single one of these women developed stretch marks.
Hyaluronic Acid:
In a separate study conducted with 90 pregnant women, researchers found that 90% of the women who had applied a hyaluronic acid cream managed to avoid getting any stretch marks. Whereas for the women who applied the placebo creams, nearly 40% of them ended up developing stretch marks.
Cocoa Butter:
Meanwhile, multiple randomized controlled trials have found no difference between cocoa butter and placebo for stretch mark prevention.
3 things I tell every patient to look out for in a stretch mark product
1. It should contain centella asiatica and hyaluronic acid
These are the only two topical ingredients recommended by the American Academy of Dermatology for stretch mark prevention. Unfortunately, most stretch mark products don't contain either ingredient.
2. Both ingredients should be at the top of the ingredients list
Having centella asiatica or hyaluronic acid on the label isn't enough. Ideally, you want to see both ingredients listed near the top of the ingredients list.
FDA regulations require that cosmetic ingredients have to be listed in order of concentration.
This means if a product has centella asiatica and hyaluronic acid listed near the top, it contains them at high concentrations. Whereas if you see these ingredients listed near the bottom of the ingredients list, you're only getting a trace amount.
3. Check that the ingredients are pregnancy-safe
You want to make sure the product that you're using is formulated with only pregnancy-safe ingredients.
It is common for skincare products to contain ingredients that aren't recommended for pregnant moms, including retinyl palmitate and parabens.
Here's a list of ingredients you want to avoid:
The product I recommend to all my pregnant patients
The only product I've found that meets all three criteria is the True Belly Serum by 8 Sheep Organics.
It is formulated with centella asiatica as the main ingredient. You can see it listed right at the top of the ingredients list. They also use a 40% glycoside titrated extract, which is the gold standard for centella extracts.
I also like that the serum uses triple-weight hyaluronic acid, which absorbs deeper into the skin as compared to regular hyaluronic acid.
Every ingredient is clean and pregnancy-safe. There's no retinol, arbutin, fragrance, parabens, or phthalates.
PS: I also like that the serum also comes with a 100-day guarantee. So there's no risk to try it.
What I've seen in my practice
I’ve recommended the True Belly Serum to dozens of patients over the years. Out of all of them, only 2 developed stretch marks.
The first was already very prone to getting stretch marks. Her mom and sister both had really bad stretch marks when they were pregnant. She used the serum religiously and only ended up with two small marks, which faded quickly after birth.
The second got stretch marks on her hips and thighs, but not her belly. It turns out, she had been applying the serum on her belly consistently, but kept forgetting to apply it to her hips and thighs.
Side note: When applying a stretch mark product, don't forget your hips and thighs too!
The rest did not get a single stretch mark. And many of them were patients who had developed stretch marks in previous pregnancies and had come to me for laser treatment to remove them.
A note on availability:
The one drawback about the True Belly Serum is that it's made in small batches and sells out regularly.
When it does, it can take several weeks for the company to make a new batch.
I usually recommend my patients pick up 3–4 bottles at a time so they don't run out mid-pregnancy.
I've left a link to the product below. If it's still available, I recommend getting at least 2 bottles, so you can get free shipping.