Body Image and Issues after Weight Loss Including discussions about excess skin and reconstructive surgery

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Old 10-16-2008, 03:45 PM   #1  
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I don't know about the rest of you, but I have stretch marks.. BAD! My hips and thighs definitely don't look the way I wish they would. Even after losing weight I still don't want to wear a swimsuit in public because of these embarassing marks on my body!

Have any of you tried some different lotions or creams for stretch marks?? I was thinking about ordering some online, but I don't know if it's going to be a waste of money or not... Any input is appreciated!
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Old 10-16-2008, 03:51 PM   #2  
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hiya, is 'bio oil' availabe were you live? iv used that i the past and it does help uneven skin tones, scars, stretchmarks etc. it wont make them go away but may improve their apperance. give it a try if u can get it.

Last edited by clarelou; 10-16-2008 at 03:55 PM.
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Old 10-16-2008, 03:52 PM   #3  
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No creams or lotions work, sorry.
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Old 10-16-2008, 03:54 PM   #4  
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Aw, Erica! The good news is that stretch marks fade with time and that a tan (fake or real) can do wonders to camouflage them.

My understanding about creams is that you can get a prescription cream (Retin A, I think?) from your dermatologist that will work on stretch marks that are still red or purple. But if they've faded to silver or white, creams won't work. If yours are still red or purple, you might want to check with your doctor and see what she/he says. I've also read about laser treatments for stretch marks.

I'm not aware of any over-the-counter products that really work on stretch marks, though a lot sure are marketed that way.
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Old 10-16-2008, 04:03 PM   #5  
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I don't have any advice about creams, but life is way too short to let stretch marks stop you from doing ANYTHING you want to do, big or small. Easier said than done, I know, but, yeah ... life is way too short.
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Old 10-16-2008, 04:13 PM   #6  
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here's a secret - Guys actually DON'T care about stretch marks.
Wonderful, isn't it?
I have them BAD on my stomach. They used to bother me a lot more than they do now. I think I've just learned to accept them, because I have no choice but to live with them.
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Old 10-16-2008, 04:19 PM   #7  
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Even my 140 lb husband who has never been fat has stretch marks.
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Old 10-16-2008, 04:23 PM   #8  
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I agree with Luvja. I have stretch marks everywhere - my arms, my breasts, tons on my tummy especially the sides, under back rolls, my thighs, behind my knees. But I've learned to except them. To me, they're a reminder of what I am overcoming.

Strange question but does anyone elses' stretch marks itch when you lose weight?
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Old 10-17-2008, 02:08 PM   #9  
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Mine have itched but not just during weight loss, and not that often.

I have some pretty wide ones on my lower ab area. I was contemplating some tattooing to cover them up. My SIL has a flower garden on her stomach covering the results of having 2 kids, looks great!
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Old 10-17-2008, 02:26 PM   #10  
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I had stretch marks before ever even thinking about getting preggo.. and after 2 kids.. my stomach looks like a battlefield.. luvja is so right.. most men could care less.. my fiance calls them my battle scars.. haha.. its our joke that i went to war with my body.. the best part is that once they do fade they are not as noticable.. good luck ::
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Old 10-20-2008, 11:18 PM   #11  
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There are laser procedures for stretch marks that are available. I think it really depends on skin type but my 1 of my really good friends had it done on her breasts because she had large visible stretch marks after puberty and you cannot see them now. It took 5 treatments but she swears it was completely worth it, I'm thinking about doing it post weight loss just because I'm prone to them and my body looks cross-hatched with stretch marks. It's true that they may not bother other people but they really bother me.
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Old 10-21-2008, 09:06 AM   #12  
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I have stretch marks everywhere too. They don't bother me as much as they use to. My stomach is covered in them. It stored 3 babies in there. Guess I'm over it. Nothing I can do about it.
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Old 10-21-2008, 10:46 AM   #13  
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Yup I have em too.. then again who doesn't have stretch marks Bio-oil is at Walmart btw.. hopefully it works
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Old 10-21-2008, 10:49 AM   #14  
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You can't really make them go away w/out laser treatments (and even then they just fade them a lot). And unfortunately you can't completely prevent them either (a tendency to get them is somewhat genetic), but you can help keep them from getting bad/deep by keeping your skin moisturized. And keeping skin moisturized will also help fade them faster. Eventually they do become almost unnoticeable.

Honestly I wouldn't order any expensive creams or lotions from online. I use just plain coconut oil which I get at Whole Foods for something like $5 for a large jar.

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Old 10-22-2008, 05:21 PM   #15  
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Hi there,

I have really bad stretch marks too! For the ones I got from gaining weight last year they were horribly dark purple which was very noticeable against my milky white skin! I would definitely recommend Bio-Oil. I've been using it twice a day for 2 months and the stretch marks are really starting to fade; they're a kind of pinky-red now.

As others have said as well, spray tan's really help and I'd recommend them over tanning beds because damaged skin is more susceptible to skin cancer. Also, if you want a quick fix, it isn't brilliant but I used tinted moisturiser with foundation and bronzer applied with a brush and as long as you blend it well it can really help to disguise them.

Not so good if you're about to go swimming though...
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