Any good products out there for stretch marks? From endless "roller coaster" years of gaining and losing weight, I have developed some abdominal stretch marks, mostly on my sides and lower abdomen. I just hate them and I'm SO self conscious about them. I've never even had kids so this makes me really embarrassed and ashamed that I let this happen to my body. Any suggestions would be appreciated. From what I've heard you can't totally get rid of stretch marks but you can supposedly reduce their appearance. I have really fair skin but I'm wondering what would happen if I tried tanning. Does the stretch marked skin stay white or will it tan too?
There are now some OTC creams on the market that supposedly reduce the appearances of scars. Since that is essentially what stretch marks are I wonder if those would work? I don't know, just a suggestion. I guess, it would be worth the money, which I think most are under $10 a tube.
I personally feel I look better tanned irregardless of all the warnings out there. I just look healthier. Period.
Moisturize at least daily with either 100% pure cocoa butter(will be in the form of a yellowish choclately smelling block that will melt as it touches warm skin), coconut oil, or extra virgin olive oil. Take extra care to massage the areas with stretch marks.
Gently exfoliate 1-3 times weekly.
Eat a diet rich in omega 3, vitamin e, and in general all of the goods things you can that are rich with vitamins and antioxidants. This will promote healthy skin in general, and if nothing else you'll find that other sort of scars/scratches/minor skin injuries will clear up rapidly.
Drink lots of water and green tea, in other words moisturize from the inside out. Being well hydrated really reduces the "deflated" appearance stretch marks can have, making them look better/less noticeable overall.
You're correct in that you can't completely get rid of them, but you can indeed improve the appearance greatly with the combination of methods I listed...
Also, I have not tried tanning because I would never subject my skin to that, but from what I've heard from many with stretch marks who have tried tanning to cover them up, the stretch marks don't tend to tan the way the rest of the skin does and so actually end up looking more noticeable than before...
Of course, results may vary so you should go ahead and try if you really want to, but you'd really only be damaging your skin further so it's probably not the best option. I have heard of people who've had success with high quality fake-tanning lotions, though.
Personally, I am so pale(and happily so) that my skin matches the silvery white tone of the stretch marks and messing with my natural coloring would make them look more pronounced if anything.
One last thing I should mention is that almost everyone has them, and not just from pregnancy or being overweight.. a lot of us get them from growth spurts at puberty. There are a number of people who have never been even chubby a day in their lives and have them for that very reason. So, I really recommend you don't feel so bad about them, it's just a part of the human experience it seems.
Good luck!
Ughhh stretch marks..
I'm genetically prone to strechies, and I've tried everything! They do fade over time, but you will never completely get rid of them ( unless you opt for surgery or laser removal)
I had a couple lady marks on my belly before I fell pregnant too, I promise you they do fade!!!
Seconding the recommendation for green tea and cocoa butter lotion! I have stretch marks on my stomach and I realized last week that they are far less noticeable than they were a few months ago. I drink green tea practically every morning instead of coffee and I also moisturize daily right after my shower. Usually I use a cocoa butter lotion, but lately I have been trying a natural Aloe Vera lotion. It takes time for them to fade, but if you keep up with your routine, you will eventually notice results. And don't critique yourself everyday, otherwise you won't notice a difference!
Thanks for all the input! I also read that vitamin E is great so I got a product that I really like so far. Its made by Vaseline and is kind of like baby oil except its a gel. It has vitamin E and cocoa butter in it. I used to shy away from oil products but I now live in an area where we have very long very dry and cold winters so my skin dries out horribly. This stuff is great! I use it right after I shower and I love how it makes my skin feel.
I used a scar gel on a brand new, healed wound on my face. You can only see one little bump (where the healed wound slightly overlapped) while the rest has completely disappeared. I used a generic gel from CVS. It required frequent application for about six weeks (less than one bottle for me).
I was considering using this same treatment on my marks on my tummy. The bottle says to use frequently through the day. The older the scare, the longer in time you'll need to use. So, I was thinking of using this for 3 months 3 times a day--if I can remember.
Stretch Marks?
