Stretch Marks
 

Hello! I have just started my weight-loss journey, and I am worried about stretch marks. I have a good many of the purple ones on my inner thighs, Then I have some on my hips and love handles.

When you lost weight, did your stretch marks stay very pronounced in appearance?

Have you done anything that help to get rid of them?


Thanks.:)

As I lost weight, I started seeing lots and lots of stretchmarks. Some of my older ones (from my teenage days) have faded but the new ones stretch across my love handles. I have a few small ones by my belly button too.
To be honest, the only ones that both me are the ones on my belly (I'm afraid that as that shrinks, I'll see more) but I kind of like the ones across my sides. I think they look cool :) of course I may feel differently during bikini season.

I got some purple ones on my very fair skin (read: you could see these things from fifty paces!) waaaaay back when I first got a desk job and gained a lot of weight. I dropped a bunch of weight and they went from being big purple furrows to little shiny "racing stripes." They have never been as prominent since, even throughout a fair amount of weight fluctuation.

I haven't done anything to get rid of or minimize them, but I've read that dry-brushing of the skin can help stimulate cell regrowth and improve the superficial appearance of scars or stretch marks. I'm dubious that it'll actually do much for the marks themselves, but it probably does improve the overall texture of skin as any exfoliation process would--and having tried it recently, it does feel kinda nice. :D

Couldn't hurt, right?

they fade over time. i have a TON from carrying 5 babies over the course of my life, and they are there, but getting better. ((hugs))

Mgv52, I asked my sister about her stretchmarks (she used to have them on her legs from growth spurts) and she swears by a product called Bio-Oil?

I have them on my upper arms, hips and sides. They're pale white and not very visible most of the time. There weren't always as many as there are now...*sigh*

I've had stretch marks since puberty. EVERYWHERE. My skin sucks. I've tried alot of different things on them and nothing (including very expensive lotion) really makes much of a difference. Mine are all old, occaisionly when losing or gaining quickly the old ones get a little red and then fade back to silvery/white. Yours are new though, so be sure to moisturize, moisturize, moisturize! The more hydrated your skin is now the less they will spread. And drink lots of water, basically hydrate your skin anyway you can. The ones that are there are there to stay, but they will fade over time and do blend in pretty well so I wouldn't sweat it. I used to be super self conscious about my stretch marks, they bothered me more than being overweight. Then I realized that nobody else notices them as much as me, and guys don't ever say anything (even the real jerks don't).

Thanks for the advice! @Paloma, my boyfriend and I have them in the EXACT same places on our sides/love handles. So he has no room to talk. lol. I am hoping that the ones on my thighs will fade as the weight comes off. I will also check out the bio-oil, @imperialistic!

To me, stretchmarks seem unavoidable, you never now where there going to pop up, but at least there are products to help get rid of them. Has any tried using StriVectin? I started working with the company and have been trying out the Wrinkle and Stretch Marks cream for about 5 weeks now. My skin looks healthy and feels softer and I'm even noticing some of my stretch marks are starting to fade (I hope it's not just wishful thinking). It takes a full 8 weeks to work so I'll keep everyone updated. If your like me and interested in "trying before they buy" you can register to become a StriVectin VIP and enter to get one of 10,000 free samples. You can find more details sign up on the StriVectin website on the Beauty Buzz/ Meet the Insiders tab.

my stretch marks are disgusting, i have on my left side stretch marks that pretty much reach up to my armpit! how on earth? the right side of my body isn't as bad.. i put cocoanut oil on them every day.. it's depressing and i hate to think what they will be like after i get to my goal weight :(

Catcuffling, I don't think there's a place on your body that is safe from stretch marks if you're prone to them. I used to be sooooooooo jealous of people that were bigger than me that didn't have stretch marks, it didn't seem fair. Now I accept that I have crappy skin and there's nothing to do about it. Please, please, please don't spend anymore time being depressed about them. Definitely keep moisturizing and trying to prevent more, but don't freak out about what you have. I have just recently gotten to the point of being comfortable with my stretch marks and it makes such a difference in how you feel.

And if you're worried about what other people will think, don't! I know I said this earlier in the thread but it bears repeating. 99% of guys don't care! Seriously, and if you find one that brings it up or won't be with you because of it I guarantee you he is not worth your time.

Actually at a party a couple of weeks ago I found myself comparing stretch marks with a bunch of people. A guy there had gained and lost a bunch of weight over less than a year (bad relationship caused some issues) and had some really fresh ones. I didn't even think about it, just lifted my shirt. Afterwards I remembered I was also showing off my fat. Didn't matter, I still could have gone home with anyone there if I had wanted.

This is a really long post, but I've been stressing over stretch marks for over ten years now, and it feels sooooooo good to not worry about them anymore. I want everyone else to feel the same way!

P.S. I haven't noticed that they look any different as I've lost weight.

Instead of those expensive lotions of dubious origins, see if you can find pure vitamin E oil or even better plain old 100% coconut oil to use as a moisturizer.

shakeitloose, yep i've got some 100% organic coconut oil, it seems to do okay. Love how it feels.

I have silvery ones on my hips and some lilacy bigger ones on my inner thighs. I'm not really bothered at all about the silvery ones, and I know the others will fade to silver too as I lose weight. I actually think the silver ones look sort of pretty. XD

When I previously lost 70lbs mine got a bit crinkled feeling. Not worth worrying about though. xx