That's awesome. Whatever you want to do, do it.

Maybe if mine fade substantially I might too. I did before, but I have so many more now, so I don't know if I'll ever feel comfortable. That is why I feel so miserable.

As for skin brushing, you use a soft bristle round brush, kind of like the ones they have in the body shop on the end of the long handles, and you brush your dry skin towards your heart in long firm strokes starting at your ankles up to your neck area. Increases the blood flow, firms up your skin, good for stretch marks, awesome for cellulite.

Pregnancy with DS#1 I sincerely thought the stretch marks on my lower abdomen where gonna BLEED! Some are easily and inch wide, sorry if TMI. I've had stretch marks on my hips thighs and breasts since puberty. They have been there so long I don't remember what I looked like with out them!What ya gonna do? My legs ALREADY have spider veins and one varcose for each PG. Whatever. Beats weighing 260lbs. Hey! Another Tori Amos fan! Right on!

my dermatologist also said that there is practically nothing you can do about stretch marks other than plastic surgery or laser which can cost a lot! You can prevent them by using Vit E oil and cocoa butter regularly during the process of loosing weight or throughout pregnancy (to avoid more).

There is a cream called Strivectin-D which claims to fade existing mark but it costs like 130 bucks for a small tube. I saw an adv of this product which is much cheaper and claims similar outcomes. I dont know how it is though:

http://www.walgreens.com/store/produ...id=prod1557258

yeah, i'm going to try Fraxel (laser). i don't care how much it costs. I'm worth it!

I tried Strivectin, no, sorry, it was Trilastin (same type of thing). of course nothing happened. NOTHING.

A lot of people are trying glycolic peels and even TCA peels. Makes sense. laser and peels seem to make sense for fading them.

I thought laser surgery only reduced a red stretch mark down to a silver stretch mark? It's like cold "cures" if there was a cure for stretch marks - no-one would have them.

Oh and the skinny models in magazines that you see wearing bikinis, I bet they have stretch marks too, they've just been airbrushed. And the girls walking round in their bikinis probably exude such an air of confidence (with or without stretch marks) that no-one would notice a stertch mark, since they are too busy having FUN!

Life's for living, not worrying about stretch marks! If you saw some-one else with lots of stretch marks, would you think, "Eeeew loads of stretch marks, I wouldn't want to hang with her..."

Live life, enjoy the journey of getting healthy, look after your body and use it wisely, take it to martial arts, take it to the beach, take it rock climbing, use it like it should be used. There is more to life than appearance.

I'll shut up now.

Let's get some perspective here. It is only skin. We are not going to die because of it, whereas being oveweight is definitely unhealthy.

I live in Florida, and this time of year many, many older people come down. They go to the beach in their swim suits and have a great time--both sexes--even though they are very heavy, have scars, have stretch marks, knobby knees, etc. The warm Gulf and bright sunshine don't care! It's really wonderful to see that. It's very freeing. So I hope you'll stop beating yourself up about getting stretch marks in the first place. You have a wonderful human body, and if this is your biggest problem, then that's great.

If you still want to explore ways to reduce the marks, that's OK too. But talk to people who have had those treatments, see what their results were. Don't rush into something out of desperation.

Jay

There is no plastic surgery for stretch marks. The doctor I went to see about this told me if there were such a thing, plastic surgeons would be multimillionaires overnight. And no creams will help... the skin tears subcutaneously... no ointment can reach that. People who get them will get them whether they use creams or not and people who won't get them won't get them whether they use creams or not.

As for the laser treatments, I think the jury is still out.

Mine came from pregnancy but I assure you, as soon as the technology is available, I'll have these removed from my hips.

In the meantime, dermablend with a dusting of loose powder works wonders. I can wear low-rise jeans, a bikini, whatever and look "flawless".

Honestly, I would be kicking myself more (which I am) for gaining un-needed weight that puts stress on my body's organs. You already have the stretch marks so either pay to have some expensive surgery or stop worrying about them....something bad has to happen to skin when you go back and forth with their weight.

I have stretch marks on the fronts of my thighs, too, so you aren't alone. Lots of other places, too. My worst ones are on my belly from pregnancies. Most are half an inch wide and go from hip bones almost to rib cage.

Obsessing about it does no good. Some of us just have more delicate skin, that tears easier under stress. It's the price you pay for stretching the skin so much. You can't change the past, all you can do is keep it from happening again in the future.

The reality is you have stretch marks....the reality is also that you've loss a tremendous amount of weight and done something really good for your health and your life...the reality is that there is nothing you can do to change the past and worrying about it brings nothing positive to you life at all. I wish I hadnt smoked for 15 years...I have premature lines all around my eyes and mouth....it seems like a new wrinkle everyday. So what! I'm eating healthier and exercising...I feel better than I have in years. My face glows and I smile a lot now. Its all a matter of priority....in the grand scheme of things...how important are stretch marks? Do they define who you are as a person? I know you're aggravated, but try to dwell on the positives in your weight loss. Dwelling on the negatives will have a very negative impact on your quality of life.

Stretch marks. I've had them on my hips and breasts since Jr. High.... I ended up being blessed with DD breasts and what I've heard called good 'child bearing hips' by the time I hit 8th grade so I've had them my whole life. With weight gain I now have them on my stomach and upper arms where the 'arm waddle' lives....as well along with some spider veins on one of my thighs.....and up against my not-so-sun kissed extremely pale & pasty Irish complexion looks particularly horrid. I don't have any pregnancies to thank for my marks...purely developing a very womanly figure at a young age and weight gain

So what. They have never stopped me before...and I tell you when I hit my goal 100lbs lighter and my tummy is flattened and my legs are toned you bet you're A$$ that I won't let that stop me from showing it off. My marks are a part of me, part of what makes me who I am. I'll never be 'perfect' and I don't want to be.... I just want to feel good in my own skin and emanate so much self confidence that no one will ever pay any mind to some silly little marks.

When I first wrote the original post, I was obsessed, I will admit it - I was traumatized because that is when I first noticed them. Now I have had time to "get over it" as you all believe I should.

I still hate them, HATE THEM. And I have done loads of research about it, joined other forums, talked to other people, etc. the only thing in this world at the moment that makes any difference to stretch marks (white ones) is the things I mentioned above.
* Fraxel
* TCA/glycolic peels.

I am saying this in case anyone is interested. As for those of you who don't care about them, that's cool too.

I have tons of stretch marks all over. Unless they are new there isn't really anything you can do. I used to be really upset about mine but I don't care anymore. Hope you get to a place where it isn't a big deal anymore too.

when I previously lost a ton of weight (got down to about 175) I got stretch marks from the weight loss. I was indcredulous, and asked my doctor how this could be. He said that as I had lost a lot of elasticity from gaining weight, as I lost weight the skin sagged. The weight of the sagging skin cause it to stretch further causing more, new stretch marks.

I some people get them getting big AND get them when losing. Some are blessed and never get them, some only get them when they gain, and some of us get them going up and coming down.