This is really embarrasing but I guess thats what these forums are for.

Does anybody else have stretch marks?

I have them all over my tummy and my arms and I just find them so awful. I feel like it dosn't matter how much weight I lose, my body will always be disfigured and disgusting because these marks will never go away.

My arms are so bad that I daren't even wear a t-shirt when its warm.

And its not even like I can blame it on the fact that I have had kids - cos i haven't. I just feel ashamed.

I feel your pain. No matter the weight I've lost (I was 194 pounds at the end of my first year of college---the freshman 30?), I still have gross stretch marks on my hips and legs. I also have cellulite like crazy on my legs (even the parts around my knees). This makes it really embarassing to wear shorts on my normal sized body. It makes me mad that there are people the same height/weight as me who look so much thinner b/c of the lack of cellulite and stretch marks.

One thing to be grateful for, though, is that stretch marks do fade somewhat over time. I mean, it will never be the same as never having stretch marks...but at least now they are a dull white rather than bright pink....

Stretch marks (or the tendency to develop them) are a function of body growth and genetics. They fade to silver after time. This was not your fault, and try not to feel ashamed. You have nothing to be embarrassed about...

It is a common issue sweetie.

I have a lot of them on my tummy and breasts, along with enough scars to officially declare my tummy a roadmap.

*sigh* it sucks.

My brother has them too. He was over 200 pounds at one time and he lost a lot of weight. My brother was less fortunate than me though. I am very very white, so they are a bit hard to see on my arms. My brother is naturally a bronze color and they are very obvious. He is bothered a bit by it, but he's so happy to feel better without the excess weight he just shrugs it off.

Us chickee's are awfully hard on ourselves. We are our toughest critic.

Stretch marks can fade although they never go away and it is not a sure thing that they will fade. I have had stretch marks for so long that they really don't bother me anymore. And I'm rather proud of the ones on my stomach that are evidence that I carried the most beautiful baby in the world.

It is probably best that you just go ahead and make peace with them now.

Like Tracey says, make peace with your stretch marks. Remember that all those beauties we and our men see on magazines are all air blown. I have twins that each weighed 7 pounds at birth so you can imagine the stretch marks!!! Plus my tummy kind of hangs down to form what doctors call an "apron". After my husband left me I was a little bit aprehensive about what the next man would think. I guess I was lucky because my bf wanted to put paint over my tummy and make a work of art out of the print.

I have them where many women tend to have them- boobs, hips... When I got to goal, I noticed them on my lower back! I just noticed them out of nowhere, grabbed my bf and said, "have you seen these????" to which he replies, "well yeah, they've kind of always been there..." Thanks for letting me know... I also have one on my left bicep, which I find really strange. That's probably the one that bugs me the most. They do fade, though, but it takes time. I know they look better on lighter skin, but I always do my best during the summer to "burn" them off

BTW, Teahoney, if that's your pic in your av, I have to say that's the happiest, brightest damn smile I've ever seen!

I have them on the sides of my thighs and my boobs. No kids have come out of me either, so don't feel bad. While I'm not heavy (I'm 6 feet and carrythe weight well), I'm not twiggy like in high school either. I tell my boyfriend i'm just more woman to love He agrees!

Thank you, I was at a wedding in the middle of dancing when that pic was snapped so I was definitely feeling happy at that moment.

I have a few as well, but truly, who doesn't have some sort of unchangeable marking on their body that they wish weren't there? They're not markers of shame or weakness in any way, but when you reach your goals, let them remind you of your success.

I have them EVERYWHERE, including my arms, back of my knees, almost every inch of my torso, on my upper back, my thighs, my shoulders. It's actually easier to list where I don't have them: my hands, feet, and my face. They are everywhere else. They are mainly due to a 100 pound weight gain during my junior year in high school. I plan on getting reconstructive surgery when I finish my weight loss, so hopefully it'll take care of some of them. I never known a female (including friends and relatives) that hasn't had stretch marks. It's the norm. I remember seeing them on all of the really thin girls in high school. And there are some medical procedures now that can lighten them, if you are truly bothered by them.

Don't be ashamed. I'm sure Condoleeza Rice and Hilary Clinton have them. And we know Oprah has to have some.

I have them mainly on the sides of my hips and on my thighs. When I hit puberty I got them on my chest.

As time passes they do fade!

Since I gained my weight over a short period of time (over a period of 4 years) I got several of them. But now, in my 5th year I decided I needed to lose weight. So those short term stretch marks have have basically dissapeared. I have to really look to see them.

The new ones dissapear and the old ones fade.

Now I'm not embarassed to wear shorter skirts or dresses because the ones on my thighs have pretty much gone away!

Most of mine are on my tummy and lower back since i gave birth to a 10lb kid. Now that I am starting to get rid of the weight and extra skin, they are fading on my lower tummy so i barely see them, but I notice the ones on my upper belly after I have had a few drinks. Those suckers are bright red. But one day they will be gone.

mine are all over my tummy and sides, with some fading ones on my boobs. i wish there was a quick fix, but there's not. some say cocoa butter helps, but it's not speedy. everyone has them, though, so please don't feel alone!

Even though I have them, the cocoa butter reminded me of something I do. It might or might not help, but after my bath or shower I slather lotion on and really give it to those areas. I do it as well at other times of the day- except instead of all over I just rub a few pumps of lotion on my tummy and my arms. It makes my feel better anyway.