Stretchmarks - but NO kids

smotheredincheese

Do many people have stretchmark's, particularly on their stomachs, that haven't had kids??
I was overweight as a teen and ended up with them on my thighs, boobs, hips, with the worst of them on my stomach. They used to look like I'd been mauled by a lion but have faded completely now, though in natural light they are still pretty obvious.
I'm close to my goal weight and feeling daring I've bought a bikini to wear on holiday this summer but am feeling a bit unsure about it.
Whenever people talk about stretchmark's it always seems to be in relation to pregnancy and having had kids, how they're proud of them because they are the result of something incredible etc. There's a meme that goes around a lot on facebook about how stretchmarks are 'Tiger stripes' that women have earned by becoming mothers etc.

These things always make me feel worse because the stretch marks on my stomach aren't from something worthy like bringing a child in to the world - I was just fat!

IamEleni

@smotheredincheese Yes othe people without kids do, don't worry about them. People that have been skinny all their lives can have them too, from growing too fast and stuff. I have stretch marks from loosing and gaining weight fast, but they are faded now and barely show. As the time goes by they fade even more and only you can see them cuz you know that you have them. Plus, losing weight to get healthy is something to be proud of and the marks are there to show you that you lost weight .

pandabear_

I think it's normal to get them just from growing up, your body changes. For example, the ones on boobs - I had stretch marks on them before I lost weight, it's just what happens as you grow up. I also have them on my hips and legs. My stomach refuses to lose weight, but maybe eventually I will get them there too!

I wouldn't worry, really everyone has them. This earning stripes thing just seems to be a way to make women feel better about something the media/society tells us is ugly, when it's not and it's natural. A bit like shaving vs. not shaving. There's groups for that to of people supporting people who don't shave, and of course there are magazines that shame celebrities who haven't shaved.

KorvapuustiPossu

Don't feel bad...you lost all the excess weight...you earned your tiger stripes too!!
I also have some on my 'love handles' part even though I was never more then a couple of kg away from healthy BMI + I carry most of my weight in my chunky legs Some people are just more prone to getting them Don't let them get you down. I'm sure you will look great in a bikini if you put on a smile as well

Francl27

Yeah I do. Arms, stomach (mostly over the belly button)... I got them all when I gained a lot of weight back in 6 months when I was 20.

They do fade, but unfortunately they're a great nesting spot for stubborn subcutaneous fat...

kristen6350

Yep. I grew about a foot in a year as a kid. It looks like someone permantently left hand prints on my back right above my butt. There's nothing you can do about them except embrace them.

You don't always gets them by having kids. They can come from being heavy then losing it or growing really fast.

alyssa0061

No kids. I have them all over my stomach. I don't pay them any attention. They're very light. They don't bother me at all

yesimpson

Never had kids and never had a BMI over 25, yet my boobs, hips, inner thighs and bum are all distinctly silvery & stripey in the right light! I grew so fast as a 12 year old - think I went to bed one night as a skinny child and awoke the next day having grown 3 inches and suddenly requiring a size 12 and a 34D bra. I honestly don't think I've ever heard a woman say she doesn't have any. Honestly, nobody else will be looking for them on your body, and if they do spot them they won't care and very likely won't think anything negative about them.

musicfan68

My nephew has stretchmarks around his waist and his back because he grew 6 inches in a very short time. He's well over 6 ft tall at 16 years old. Anytime your skin stretches quickly either due to weight gain or growth, will cause stretchmarks.

willrun4pancakes

I have stretch marks below my hips from growing quickly as an adolescent. It freaked me out at the time, but now I don't even notice.

zyxst

My stretch marks are from being morbidly obese my whole life, not from being pregnant (I didn't get any?). Pretty positive everyone has them as it's part of being human and growing.

I hate the tiger stripes mentality as well.

smotheredincheese

Thanks for the replies everyone, it's good to know it's not just me
Do you ladies with noticeable stretchmark's feel comfortable wearing a bikini though? I'm feeling good about wearing one on the beach but have a horrible (probably irrational) fear that people will stare or comment

jemhh

Stretchmarks are so common. They're not much to think about. I've had a kid but am not a fan of the tiger stripe stuff. It makes me eyeroll-y.

I've never worn a bikini in my life, thin or not. I'm pretty sure I've never even tried one on.

pointguard02

Legitimately have stretch marks on my elbows, and front/back of my knees from growing too quickly. Bikinis are not for me- skinny or fat... but if I was comfortable- I wouldn't let stretch marks stop me!

Mini_Medic

I've got them on my stomach, hips, inner thighs, upper arms/arm pits, breasts, and even small one on my knees. Largest I was 170lbs at 5'3 which comparatively isn't as much to lose as many on here I know but to have that much skin damage with only an extra 50lbs was unreal. Smallest as an adult was 128lbs. When I lost the weight the first time everything tightened up and the skin was pulled more taught and they were hardly visible but cellulite was my concern. I gained all of it back and am now about 2/3 of the way back down at 140lbs. Stretch marks are dissapearing especially since I started lifting weights. It doesn't just change your muscle structure, it also firms your skin above it! First time I just did cardio and the aesthetics weren't there even though I wore a tiny size. Skin will bounce back and the less fat and more muscle underneath greatly improves the skins appearance.

SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage

smotheredincheese wrote: »

Thanks for the replies everyone, it's good to know it's not just me
Do you ladies with noticeable stretchmark's feel comfortable wearing a bikini though? I'm feeling good about wearing one on the beach but have a horrible (probably irrational) fear that people will stare or comment

How to get a bikini body: get a bikini. Put it on your body.

Don't worry about what other people think. If you want to wear a bikini, go for it.

kshama2001

smotheredincheese wrote: »

Thanks for the replies everyone, it's good to know it's not just me
Do you ladies with noticeable stretchmark's feel comfortable wearing a bikini though? I'm feeling good about wearing one on the beach but have a horrible (probably irrational) fear that people will stare or comment

I used to go to a nude beach and never noticed stretch marks. Possibly fresh red ones would be noticeable, but not older ones.

Lest people think I'm not observant, I did notice bruises, and since a lot of my fellow beach goers were into S&M, there were a lot of bruises to notice.

BroScience83

i got stretch marks too...i just tell people "i battled a shark....you should see what he looks like"

frantzcr

They should fade overtime but if you are really self conscious about them for this upcoming vacation you could try a spray tan or something. I've never been over weight and I still have them on my butt. It's just how it is

stealthq

Honestly, with the varying body types I've seen wearing bikinis, you'd probably have to show up naked at a non-nude beach in order to stand out all that much - and that might not do it, either. Stretch marks aren't going to be anything remarkable. I got them as a teenager and was pretty thin. Developed curves too quickly, I guess.

misskarne

Yup no kids and stretchmarks all over the shop. I don't care, now. They're my battle scars, and I'll wear them with pride.

robininfl

I didn't get any from pregnancy, even though I did get hugely pregnant and had big babies. Do have some on my hips from growing though.

I live in a beach state and nobody is going to care if you have stretchmarks in a bikini, that is way within the realm of acceptable good looks here.

zyxst

smotheredincheese wrote: »

Thanks for the replies everyone, it's good to know it's not just me
Do you ladies with noticeable stretchmark's feel comfortable wearing a bikini though? I'm feeling good about wearing one on the beach but have a horrible (probably irrational) fear that people will stare or comment

I would wear a bikini except:
- it's too cold up here to wear any sort of bathing suit
- I have 4" of flab hanging that is not worth torturing the world to show

If you want to wear a bikini, wear it. People will stare and comment, it's what people do. You either learn to ignore it or not give them things to talk about.

smotheredincheese

frantzcr wrote: »

They should fade overtime but if you are really self conscious about them for this upcoming vacation you could try a spray tan or something. I've never been over weight and I still have them on my butt. It's just how it is

Mine are completely faded now, in fact they're paler than my skin tone so a spray tan might be a good idea to even everything up.

bubble_wrap0428

Remember men have stretch marks as well, and they can be from gaining muscle so it's not something to be ashamed of!!! I have them from puberty too, on hips and under arms, and tiny bit on upper thighs. Trust me I hate them too but I've grown to not focus on the so much. I'm still not confident enough with them to wear a bikini, but it's a work in progress. In fact I don't think I'll ever feel completely at ease about them but I won't beat myself up about it anymore.

kthompson601

I have never had kids and I definitely have stretch marks, particularly on my bingo wings (that loose skin/fat hanging under your upper arms, in your armpit). They won't ever go away, which is a bummer, but it's common to have them.

I remember first getting them as a teenager, as I was piling on the weight. I had long dark purple/blue-ish streaks all down my torso. Freaking out, I ran to my mom, thinking I had a parasite or something, and she said, "It's stretch marks, from your skin stretching. It happens when you gain weight." That wasn't enough of a nudge for me to start losing weight, which is a shame, but better late than never!

IGbnat24

I do on my thighs and calves. No kids and never have been overweight. Just from growing--have had them since middle school!

BroScience83

nice abs

nineteentwenty

Dude I've never even been overweight and I'm covered in them. It's just genetics.

jdhcm2006

No kids and I love my stretchmarks. They're a really pretty brown and blend really well with the rest of my skin tone. I have them on my thighs and glutes.

smotheredincheese

kthompson601 wrote: »

I have never had kids and I definitely have stretch marks, particularly on my bingo wings (that loose skin/fat hanging under your upper arms, in your armpit). They won't ever go away, which is a bummer, but it's common to have them.

I remember first getting them as a teenager, as I was piling on the weight. I had long dark purple/blue-ish streaks all down my torso. Freaking out, I ran to my mom, thinking I had a parasite or something, and she said, "It's stretch marks, from your skin stretching. It happens when you gain weight." That wasn't enough of a nudge for me to start losing weight, which is a shame, but better late than never!

I was only about 10 when I got my first stretchmarks, on my legs, and my mum completely freaked out and wanted to put me on a diet. She never had a single one even after having three kids so she just couldn't deal with it. Probably part of the reason I'm so insecure about them!