[tinsica]

Originally Posted by suitejudyblueeyes

I'd get some coconut butter or something like that and start moisturizing the crap out of that area, to try to help your skin maintain flexibility and hope that they don't grow.

Sorry to slightly hijack but, does coconut butter truly work? I've seen it advertised but I always chalked it up to a gimmick because of the way it was shown. If it does, I'd like to rush to the store immediately.

[suitejudyblueeyes]

Well, it won't make your existing stretch marks go POOF and never come back. That part's a gimmick. But assisting your skin to retain its elasticity through intense moisturizing is pretty standard. So it may help reduce stretch marks -- and that's a big MAY, it depends on your age, health, the life of the marks, etc -- but since it doesn't have any negative side effects it's nice to moisturize anyway

[Jelbb]

JamieY:
Augh, thanks so much. That sounds like it pretty much matches the description of what I've got.

Deedee:
Oh, those co-dependent patches of cellulite...


With regards to current conversation (and feel free to hi-jack) I've also heard that vitamin e oil is supposed to be epic.

And yeah, it MAY I've heard... potentially make existing stretch marks a bit more faded. But that seems a bit, "buy my product"ish to me.
It generally just helps with the elasticity of your skin and as a result you don't have scars from the stretching of the skin.

[violaholladay]

Are you prone to yeast infections? My friend had that and she thought it was maybe stretch marks, or her pants, but she went to the doctor, finally, and found out that a yeast infection had spread up to her stomach. She got it cleared right up. The doctor also said sometimes women dont even know they have a yeast infection, sometimes for years, because they don't feel the effects. .

[redlight]

Originally Posted by Jelbb

Ohkay, wait, so I could've already had these stretchmarks, but my stomach is getting smaller, resulting in them SHOWING?

That makes sense, especially since you lost a good deal of fat there in a short time.

[HappyMomma05]

tinsica: "cocoa butter" is good during your pregnancy for preventing stretch marks. It does nothing for current marks. "Coconut oil" is something completely different. It is amazing for your skin. It's near a miracle oil as far as I'm concerned. I HIGHLY recommend reading "The Coconut Oil Miracle" by Bruce Fife.

[WastedThermos]

I'm too late for the stretchmark consolation/figuring stuff out party.
BUT, my 2 semi-unrelated cents.

I got stretch marks really bad when I was younger (like, 12, 13ish) all over. Now the only ones that (I think) are noticeable are the ones on my shoulders. I've got like 4 or 5 that start at my color bone and run down to the tops of my arms. They are in such a weird place that people think they are scars.
Weird, huh?

[niclyn]

OMG!!! you can get stretchmarks by losing weight! You don't people tell you this. "Not only is it going to take you a year and lots and lots of crunches to lose that pound you gained this weekend, but once you lose it there will be stretchmarks left to remind you forever!"

[modkittn]

Sad but true! Your skin stretches when you gain weight, and when you lose it sometimes that is when you notice the stretch marks. Sometimes, they are not just "marks" but your skin just won't have as much elasticity and will look... how do I put this ... wrinkly? That sounds horrible, but that is how mine is. It is like that around some of the stretch marks.

I also got them in my teenage years. From growing very quickly and from gaining weight. I have them all over now. Thighs, stomach, boobs. The boobs are the worst

[BrandNewJen]

I have been cursed with the worst skin in the world. Pasty white, semi transparent, and apparently the SLIGHTEST growth leaves the most wretched marks on me forever.

It Started during puberty--- classic stretch marks on my inner thighs and boobs--- later, when I was slightly bigger, I had them on the underneath of my arms near the triceps...

Now that I'm fat, I've got them all over my stomach. To the point where my gynecologist was giving me a breast exam and looked at my stomach and said, "Jen.. weird question, I know... but have you ever been pregnant?" They are so severe (and I'm not HUGELY overweight- I'm a size 20/22!!!) that a DOCTOR asked if I was pregnant before.

I know even when I lose all my weight my stomach will look TERRIBLE--- not just loose skin, but "deflated wrinkly balloon" skin... But, I've told myself that if and when I lose all this weight and I get down to my goal, I will seriously go talk to a couple plastic surgeons and talk about what to do. I think THAT is a definately worthy reward. And if I spend a ton of money on it, maybe that will keep me from gaining the weight back again.

So even before I was fat, I was cursed with these awful marks. Sure, most of them have faded and turned white, but these belly marks are here forever. I can't wait to have kids so that at least I can blame the kids for them so people don't think my FAT was the main reason!