So, what about stretch marks?

HermersSis · 10-01-2010, 01:36 PM

I've been overweight for a long time. My stretch marks are pretty old and slightly lighter than my skin tone.

Anyone with the same kind? What happens once you lose all the weight? Do they look better or worse?

Also, has anyone tried any ways to diminish their appearance? I don't know if they have surgeries for that or anything. Maybe if I have a lot of loose skin they can just cut off those areas? Lol. I thought of covering them with some sort of water proof makeup, but I really would hate to have to do that all the time for the rest of my life. I thought of skin lighteners, that seems like it might work. I'm going to go to a dermatologist but the appointment takes so long so I'm just wondering.

I'm really self conscious about them. The guy I'm seeing is going into the Marine Corps and I won't see him until the summer. Which is good because it gives me loads of time to get my body right, but some things...like stretch marks, I'm concerned about. He's so sweet and he tells me he's going to hold me down, rub off the make up and kiss them, but I can't get over how self conscious I am.

stacygee · 10-01-2010, 01:51 PM

Mine are like yours and it is my whole entire stomach area and around on my hips. I have been rubbing Nivea skin tightening lotion because I have been more concerned about hanging skin. I am going to try the strivectin or palmers coco butter next.

Stacy

beerab · 10-01-2010, 02:33 PM

Bio-oil is great- I use that and I've noticed a slight diminish in appearance.

Here's a great link to help:
http://www.epigee.org/beauty/stretch_marks.html

I actually want to try Endermologie

xty · 10-04-2010, 05:30 PM

I have stretch marks everywhere from being so big for so long (and gaining rapidly as a child...I actually remember some pain from them happening so fast!). Ugh. Biceps, boobs, tummy and hips are the worst (vertical, horizontal, diagonal, intersecting, etc).

For some reason, they dont bother me very much at all. Im super pale, and they are the same color since they are so old now. But impressively, I dont any hanging skin and my loose skin isnt obvious when Im standing naked (only when I contort myself a bit).

I once dated a Swiss man who was born in the Congo. He literally fought for his life and his family's life every day until he found asylum in Switzerland. And he had insane scars all over his body, from the years of trying to stay alive. I found his scars fascinating and beautiful.

I dont mean to trivialize his struggle, but I see myself in a slightly similar light. My stretch marks are my battle scars. They remind me of my struggle and my victory. I abused myself so much for so long, I could have died. But I didnt, I chose life. A life is beautifully awesome stretchmarks.

You can try some laser therapy to reduce them by stimulating collagen in your body, or some creams may help a bit especially if they are fresh. But think quite a bit before surgery. Im realizing more and more that my 'oh ill just get a thigh lift later, it will be easy!' thoughts were absurd. It is major surgery, can seriously mess up your lymph system, etc. Plus, surgery doesnt help insecurity...I need to work that out on my own.

krampus · 10-04-2010, 09:45 PM

I don't mean to scare you but when I lost some weight my stretch marks got worse. They're all over my thighs and hips.

I'm not really doing anything to combat them because I don't really care and it's too cold to prance around in swimsuits until at least next summer. My boyfriend is just happy that I'm happy with my own weight loss.

Guys don't care about stretch marks at all. If you're going to put money and effort into trying to get rid of them make sure you're doing it for YOU before making that investment.

ValRock · 10-04-2010, 09:53 PM

I have insane hideous stretch marks from my knees to my armpits. I'm done caring about them. At least they don't split and bleed like they did when I was pregnant and/or obese

. How's that for a disgusting visual.

You're gonna be ok!! And I guarantee he won't care.

popspry · 10-04-2010, 10:06 PM

My boyfriend once asked me where I got all those scars from. I wanted to cry telling him they are stretch marks

JackieHollow · 10-04-2010, 10:06 PM

Oh Val! I thought I was the only one that had them split and bleed. Nothing like busting out of your own skin, eh??

Mine don't really bother me either. And I'm covered in them. I have a feelign later on if anything truly bothers me it will be excess skin and my already droopy boobs getting even worse. LOL The only surgeries I even thing woudl be worth thinking about willl be cutting the excess skin away and stickin' the boobs back where they belong!

HermersSis · 10-05-2010, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xty

I have stretch marks everywhere from being so big for so long (and gaining rapidly as a child...I actually remember some pain from them happening so fast!). Ugh. Biceps, boobs, tummy and hips are the worst (vertical, horizontal, diagonal, intersecting, etc).

For some reason, they dont bother me very much at all. Im super pale, and they are the same color since they are so old now. But impressively, I dont any hanging skin and my loose skin isnt obvious when Im standing naked (only when I contort myself a bit).

I once dated a Swiss man who was born in the Congo. He literally fought for his life and his family's life every day until he found asylum in Switzerland. And he had insane scars all over his body, from the years of trying to stay alive. I found his scars fascinating and beautiful.

I dont mean to trivialize his struggle, but I see myself in a slightly similar light. My stretch marks are my battle scars. They remind me of my struggle and my victory. I abused myself so much for so long, I could have died. But I didnt, I chose life. A life is beautifully awesome stretchmarks.

You can try some laser therapy to reduce them by stimulating collagen in your body, or some creams may help a bit especially if they are fresh. But think quite a bit before surgery. Im realizing more and more that my 'oh ill just get a thigh lift later, it will be easy!' thoughts were absurd. It is major surgery, can seriously mess up your lymph system, etc. Plus, surgery doesnt help insecurity...I need to work that out on my own.

Well said.

HermersSis · 10-05-2010, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JackieHollow

Oh Val! I thought I was the only one that had them split and bleed. Nothing like busting out of your own skin, eh??

Mine don't really bother me either. And I'm covered in them. I have a feelign later on if anything truly bothers me it will be excess skin and my already droopy boobs getting even worse. LOL The only surgeries I even thing woudl be worth thinking about willl be cutting the excess skin away and stickin' the boobs back where they belong!

LOL! Yeah, if the bra technique doesn't work amazingly then the boobs MUST be done.

SeattleLoser · 10-06-2010, 02:06 AM

I'm only 25 and I have stretch marks on my calves, thighs, butt, stomach, breasts, and upper arms. I remember being 12 and my brother asking what happened to my back (really my hips) thinking I had somehow been injured because I had the big purple and red stretch marks... my first ones. Very depressing. For a very long time I was OK with them. Then I got them on my stomach and all that tolerance went down the drain.

What really helped me was going to a burlesque show here in Seattle. The girls were getting nearly naked... every stretch mark and dimple and jiggling section visible. And yet they had this supreme confidence and everyone in the audience was cheering/hooting/howling etc.

I'm not super concerned with mine at this point. I doubt I will ever wear a two piece just out of my self-consciousness (is that a word?).

Also I have a few Tattoo's that cover some of them... I definitely prefer looking at my Tattoo's than my stretch marks. I apply lotion every day and that seems to help keep them under control. I am also very light skinned so they're not very different colored from my regular skin.

I don't really have any solutions... just lots of lotion and realize that almost all women (models, actresses, moms, sisters and that nearly perfect girl at your work) and many men have them. I don't think they should be seen as some freakish scar. Just like wrinkles they're physical remnants of times past and body changes. We all go through them.

As one of my favorite comic's puts it... Stretch marks mean one of two things: either you were big and got little, or you were little and got big.

That's all. We just need to cut ourselves a little slack. I'm sure for each stretch mark there is at least one amazing/beautiful/unique/intriguing aspect about your physicality, mentality or personality that anyone would be foolish to ignore.

FreeSpirit · 10-06-2010, 10:13 PM

I have them everywhere. Stomach, breasts, arms, legs, bum, calves, hips, etc. They're all light by now, the only issue that I have with them is that they cause additional loose skin, but even that is minimal now. The loose skin that the stretch marks cause on my legs makes my legs look kind of cellulite-y, but it's covered up pretty well by tanning lotion (the gradual tan stuff).

My husband is in the Marine Corps! He's currently deployed to Afghanistan. When we first met I was around 150 lbs (after already losing 80 lbs). I was SO SO SO intimidated to ever be naked around this fit, good looking marine. My skin sagged, my stretch marks weren't as faded as they are now... it was terrifying. The first time he saw them I was expecting him to shriek and run away, or flinch, or something else equally horrible but he didn't even blink. The first time he saw me completely naked he just held me close and told me how beautiful I was. Short story... he doesn't care! There's no doubt that he sees them, and we've talked about it some since then, and he really does not care. He loves me for my heart and my mind. He loves and appreciates my beauty, but he doesn't love me FOR it. After being in an incredibly unhealthy relationship where at it's end I felt the lowest about myself, OP, I can honestly say that I have never been more confident in my body. NOT because I've lost more weight since then, but because my husband has taught me how to appreciate my body for all that it is, instead of being critical of it for all that it's not.

HermersSis · 10-07-2010, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FreeSpirit

I have them everywhere. Stomach, breasts, arms, legs, bum, calves, hips, etc. They're all light by now, the only issue that I have with them is that they cause additional loose skin, but even that is minimal now. The loose skin that the stretch marks cause on my legs makes my legs look kind of cellulite-y, but it's covered up pretty well by tanning lotion (the gradual tan stuff).

My husband is in the Marine Corps! He's currently deployed to Afghanistan. When we first met I was around 150 lbs (after already losing 80 lbs). I was SO SO SO intimidated to ever be naked around this fit, good looking marine. My skin sagged, my stretch marks weren't as faded as they are now... it was terrifying. The first time he saw them I was expecting him to shriek and run away, or flinch, or something else equally horrible but he didn't even blink. The first time he saw me completely naked he just held me close and told me how beautiful I was. Short story... he doesn't care! There's no doubt that he sees them, and we've talked about it some since then, and he really does not care. He loves me for my heart and my mind. He loves and appreciates my beauty, but he doesn't love me FOR it. After being in an incredibly unhealthy relationship where at it's end I felt the lowest about myself, OP, I can honestly say that I have never been more confident in my body. NOT because I've lost more weight since then, but because my husband has taught me how to appreciate my body for all that it is, instead of being critical of it for all that it's not.

Oh neat! I feel like my Marine can be like your husband too. Thanks.

MzHopeful · 10-07-2010, 05:08 PM

The best thing I've found for stretch marks is 100% pure natural shea butter. It doesnt smell great.. in my opinion it smells like cooking grease LOL. BUT it does amazing at healing the skin, also vitamin E oil is really good, for healing stretch marks as well. Mine are due to rapin weight gain. Keeping my fingers crossed that they do not worsen too much from the weight loss... ALSO tan skin reduces the appearance as well. Im not saying spend alot of time in a tanning bed, or out in the sun, because that can be harmful as well. But getting a little sun in the summer.. should reduce the appearance a little bit.

StephanieM · 10-07-2010, 09:41 PM

I'm using bio oil on mine as well as a shea butter

The more I shrink the closer they get so I'm hoping to minimize them. I've had good success with bio oil and scars in the past.