[Fattycake]

Okay, here's my embarassing story. I've battled my weight pretty much my hole life. but a big part of it was after my dad died, So I have pretty large stretch marks. I mean thick, and long.. The worst I've seen so far-most of them are on my stomach.
But here's the story,
I went to visit my boyfriend. We went to the store with his mom( A woman who claims she doesn't have not one single stretch mark), I bought some new pants. She wanted to know how they fit, I showed her.. then she said lift up your shirt, I said no, It's embarassing. But in the end I had to lift it up anyway and when she saw them she jumped back and exclamed, "Oh my gooood!" ... And then I walked away... and cried.
Have any of you been through this type of thing? And how do you deal with yours?

... Sorry if this grossed anyone out.

[FreeSpirit]

Mine are long and go all of the way up to my stomach and there's not even an inch space before the stretch marks on my breasts start. I have them from my armpit all of the way down to my elbow on the insides of my arms, and they're all over my thighs and behind. Really... there's nothing you can do about them. You just need to learn to come to terms with them.

[froggie83]

Originally Posted by Fattycake

Have any of you been through this type of thing? And how do you deal with yours?

stretch marks or moms?
i have a few on the 'underpart' of my stomach where they're pretty deep red, i had them on my hips but those ones have faded quite well for some reason.
boyfriend put his foot in his mouth once when he was talking about a friend of his who had been away and came back about 4 stone heavier - "he actually has stretch marks on his stomach!! it's bizarre!" yup, i'm also about 4 stone overweight, with stretch marks...

i've seen stretch marks on skinny girls though (the relatively thin, silvery kind though). apparently you can get them during puberty too.

[aware210]

i havent had any stretch marks from weight gain, but i got them when i went through puberty, wich was horrible.. my breast, my hips and my thighs were covered with bright red stratch marks.. they have all faded now though to silvery white lines, and im pale so it blends in well with my skin, but it was so horrible then, i couldnt wear shorts for like 5 years because they were all the way down to my knee. (i have huge thighs)I am sure your stretch marks will fade too, as your skin heals.

[kestrel]

I have a lot of them on my inner thighs and underneath my upper arms (by the flying squirrel wings ) that have been there since I put on 100 lbs in two years back when I was 19-21. I'm now in my mid-30s and they're pretty much the same color as the rest of my skin, but the texture of the skin there is different and they look like deep gashes. As I lose weight, the skin in those areas just gets weirder and weirder, makes it kind of challenging to shave the bikini area. I have stretchmarks from my pregnancies (3 pregnancies, 9-10 lb babies) but they aren't nearly as bad as the ones from my weight gain.

[Fattycake]

lol, thanks everybody :]

[WVUFan86]

I even have them on the backs of my knees from growing so tall so quickly when I was a kid. But once they fade really only I notice them...they will get better. I too am so pale that I hardly see them, but I've also read before that getting a spray tan can help blend the silvery ones. I'm not sure whether that works or not.

[krock614]

Personally I have never met somone that doesn't have at least one strech mark. I have them all over. A lot on my stomach from pregnancy. I've come to terms with the fact that they are going to be there forever and doesn't bother me anymore. Once they start to fade I think you will feel better about them. Also I can't believe anyone would be so mean about them, especially your boyfriends mom. Sorry for that. I guess some people don't think about others feeling before they speak.

[TJFitnessDiva]

In time they start fading....I have a lot of them on my stomach from carrying 3 kids I have shed a few tears over them at first but as time goes on, while they are still there, the good news is that they fade to the color of the rest of your skin. The only difference is that they have this shimmer effect lol

[lumifan4ever]

Funny thing about my stretch marks, i've never really paid them much attention. I mean, i know i got them..somewhere...i just never really paid them all that much mind. I don't remember them ever being red...or anything. I think i mainly have mine on my hips...and inner thighs. Shoot, i think i even remember playing with my stretch marks on my inner thighs when i was bored sitting somewhere (obviously i had shorts on). yeah...i'd just run my nails down the little grooves. I just have never really given stretch marks much thought. And i know i've noticed them on other people before...but again, never really gave them much thought. I guess i just always figured they were as natural as having boobs. Never gave much thought to when i got em, how big they were...

But i'm really sorry your bf's mother didn't have more class than to recoil in such shock. Their stretch marks for gosh sakes...not snakes!!!! Some people are just so stupid. I'm sure she has them too. What an idiot. Sorry.

But know that they will get better over time. And you won't even notice them anymore either. Well...you might...but you'll come to terms that they are just there... You can either be fat and have stretch marks, or you can be thin and have stretch marks. I definately choose to be thin and have them.

On a side note...if it makes you feel any better...think of it this way...stretch marks can be covered up and hidden with clothing. I had acne as a teenager and therefore i have alot of scars. I can't leave the house without a complete face of makeup on. I have a lot of red undertones in my face so if i go out without makeup on, it's like a neon sign saying...look here...i'm all red and dented!!! I'm very self conscious of my face. So, i'm sure i sort of know how you feel. (i was teased alot in school for my acne).

[kestrel]

Yes, I don't really give them much thought anymore. I think the ones on my inner thighs bother me most, but ehhh there's nothing I can do about them. Most people don't see them and if my DH is close enough to be seeing them up close and personal, then I'm probably not thinking about stretch marks at that point. And he's never even said anything about them or asked what they were.

[Fattycake]

You guys have made me feel so much better! Thank you! :]

[Michelle98272]

Sweetie, I'm sorry she was so rude to you!! What she said/did was uncalled for!
That being said...my stretch marks were horrific: several inches wide, angry red and all over from right under my boobs to my pubic bone. I got them when I gained 100 lbs with my first pregnancy and another 40 with my second. My oldest child is 18 and my youngest is 8. They are all but invisible now. You can see that my skin is not smooth or tight but the red color of the marks is gone and they've filled in a little. They never go away unless you get a tummy tuck and they cut the skin off but they do get better!!

Unfortunately, stretch marks fade or almost disappear but ugly, mean spirited, thoughtless people don't.

[shcirerf]

The stretch marks on my abs are horrid. From pregnancy. I had twin boys that weighed over 6#'s each.

They fade with time. The wrinkles don't but Oh, well.

One time in public swimming pool dressing room a teen age girl asked me if I'd been in a fire, that's how bad they were at first. I told her it was from having babies, hope I scared into abstinence until marriage.

[nelie]

I would say your boyfriend's mom is rude and she probably has stretch marks and denies it or she is just very gifted. Even my 140 lb, 5'11" husband has stretch marks.

I've had stretch marks since I was a child so they have always been part of my life. Honestly, they don't bother me. They do get a bit better with time but its just me.