Shrink Marks
 

Has anyone else started getting "shrink marks"? They look exactly like some stretch marks (purple lines) but I got them from LOSING weight instead of gaining. It's weird I've never had them before when I lost weight. They are on my stomach and thighs. I wonder if they ever lighten up or go away?

Are you sure they are purplish and not just shadows or wrinkly skin in the old stretch marks? I've never heard of new lines from losing weight. But I'm not going to pretend to know everything either.

My stretchmarks have become more visible since losing weight, it could be that you're noticing stretchmarks for the first time since the skin is no longer taut.

Yes... this is kind of what I was referring to.

My tummy looks like this: http://www.benchildersmd.com/riversi...y-tuck-07.html. My legs do too, just that I have more muscular and differently shaped legs. See how those stretch marks are wrinkly and crepe paper like because the scar tissue can't shrink up. The other skin does, but not the scar tissue from the stretch marks.

I agree with the posts above, you're probably just now seeing stretch marks you hadn't noticed before because your skin isn't pulled so tightly anymore.

I noticed how many stretch marks I had after losing. I know they are not new cause of their color. I had noticed I was getting some behind my knees a few months ago and that's one of the things that pushed me to lose.

BerryBlondeBoys - If that is what your stomach looks like after so much weight loss and at your age - you have given me a LOT of hope. That is MUCH MUCH better than I thought it would be for me. I think a lot of the internet pictures I find are the extremes...... THANK YOU for this hope. I would be thrilled to have a stomach that looks like yours after nearly 100 lbs of weight loss.

Glad I can give you hope, but it's still not pretty.

I would say the stomach is "pretty" close to mine (none of us are identical). It's just hard to really see it as my legs are much less 'stick like". This person in the photo has pretty thin/straight legs. I don't.

But of all on-line photos I've seen of saggy bellies, that's been the closest I've seen to mine. Oops Here's another. This one is near identical for the belly. (though my boobs aren't as perky, but they never have been). http://drloeb.com/body/tummy-tuck-abdominoplasty/

But I don't really have an apron. I mean it hangs a bit, but doesn't fold over on itself completely. So no rashes or anything.

Oh okay! Maybe I do have some stretch marks under there that have faded and are now showing themselves. This is the first time that I have actually SEEN them. That would make a lot of sense. Maybe on the way up in weight, I didn't scrutinize my body so much so I missed actually seeing the stretch marks I think.

Thanks for the replies.

I guess I thought that my poor old stretch marks were just shrink marks now, kinda like a shrinkindink. I have them all over. I would say that my tummy is a little worse than http://www.benchildersmd.com/riversi...y-tuck-07.html. I think the skin on my belly is thinner and there are a couple of rolls/apron and it just generally looks deflated. My thighs are thinner than that but they look pretty cellulitey/somewhat crepey. Keep in mind I'm 50 and it is hidden in my clothes so I don't consider it a big deal. I considered having a mommy makeover, but didn't really want to spend the $. DH doesn't seem to really care or mind it although he was willing to pay for it if that is what I wanted.

U r 50? Going by your pic I would think 35. Wow

I would so do a mommy makeover if I could pay for it or if hubby could.

Last week, I noticed a few new stretch marks on my stomach, and also thought they were from losing weight. Googling it says it can happen sometimes, especially if the weight is coming off quickly. I thought that maybe these were old stretch marks that I'm just seeing now because I'm losing weight, but then why are they dark like new stretch marks ? All my other ones are light and shiny. These are also more raised than my older ones so I don't know if they are new are not. In the end I've started making sure to moisturize more and am keeping an eye out for any other new ones. I guess time will tell.

I may have just never noticed them, but when I started working out, these dark purple stretch marks started showing up behind my knees. I've been keeping cream on them, but it doesn't seem to be helping.

Stretch marks are hormonal, and not only due to the skin "stretching" so it could happen from losing weight as well. It's probably not as common but it happens.