Stretch Marks & Pouch Before & Afters

SG2856

I have something for you to try may sound a little wierd but I knoiw it works on scares. My dad was told of this after having open heart surg. The ICU nurse told him to use witch hazel. A stretch mark is basicly a scare so it is worth a shot. I used it after my surg for rotator cuff tear as well and my scares look great. The thing that sounds wierd is how you apply it. You can gt straight witch hazel but then you have to find a way to put it on the marks. The nurse told my dad to use Tucks pads with witch hazel this was it is already on pad you dont have to poor it out on anything and you dont get cotten ball mess left all over every were. I placed a pad on each of my scares and let it sit for a few min then took them off and tossed them. Tucks has many things that may work for you if you think about it what is its job that it does causes the reduction of swelling of the area used on. I think you might be surprised at the results may not get rid of them all the way but I think it will make them better and if it doesnt It will not harm you. Good luck and hope you try this and get awesome results.

fiberartist219

You should see a therapist about the body image stuff. Honestly, if you hate your body and don't see the point in being healthy, that is an issue that cannot be repaired with plastic surgery, lotions or weight loss. Losing weight and/or looking good will not make you happy.

What is the point in being healthy? Find something in your life that you love and be there for it. Whether that's a person, or a hobby or just getting out of bed in the morning, you can find something that you love and that you need to be present for. I know when I'm not healthy, I am too tired to enjoy all the fun things in my life, like spending time with my husband, my friends and just showing up to work. I hate feeling sluggish all the time.

Anyway, I'm not a mom, but I can tell you that the stretch marks on my thighs have faded. They are white now and they are not noticeable unless you look for them. My husband used to have bad stretch marks on his belly and those are gone now that he's lost a lot of weight. I don't run around inspecting mom bellies, but everyone is different and you don't know how your body will respond until you lose the weight and see for yourself.

As far as getting pregnant at 14 goes, it sucks that you didn't get to finish puberty (a big change in your body) before getting pregnant (another big change) and see what your body would have looked like without becoming a mother. However, I can tell you as a childfree person that my body has gone through a million changes anyway. I will never be the same shape and size that I was at 14, or 19, or 22, but hey, I'm still gorgeous.

You need to find a way to love yourself for who you are. Let me tell you that weight loss is a lot easier when you love and respect the body that you already have, just as it is.

craziedazie

Everyone telling me about stretch marks, I have mentioned before that I am VERY aware that they aren't going anywhere. I KNOW I'll NEVER be able to show my bare belly.

I'm just terrified of the excess skin. With that, I'll never be able to wear tightish clothes. I'll be forever banished to baggy clothes, and that sucks.

Also, everyone saying "love your body for what it is" "your kids are worth it" rah rah rah I'm sorry but no. I do not like my body. I never got the chance to ever love my body before pregnancy (got pregnant at 14). And as much as I love my kids, no ruining my body doesn't feel worth it. Even though I would never trade them for my old body, when others have twins, huge babies, & several pregnancies and never get excess skin/stretch marks it makes me SO mad.

I guess I'm just unlucky & bitter about it. Hopefully one day I'll accept my hatred for my body & move on!

I can totally relate, I had my son when I was a teenager. I gained 60lbs with the pregnancy and I had never even been overweight before. It was a traumatic experience. I too felt that my body was ruined. I also had an abusive partner who would say hateful things about my body, so I went into a really bad place about my body. It is another kid and 10 years later, and I can promise you that the stretchmarks do fade, the bitter feelings and hate towards your body does fade, and you can most definitely work on that pouch. Point is, I think it will get better for you - I really do. I wish you the best.

CarolinaGirlinVA

I have 4 kiddos and last year started using Palmer's Cocoa Butter Oil (not the lotion, the oil). I apply it twice a day usually morning and evening. I also use it around my eyes for tightness due to dry skin. The oil is very lightweight and it has helped fade the stretch marks quite a bit. I do wear a bikini in the summer. The marks are still there, but less noticeable. Anyone who sees me with my tribe of boys is pretty certain where I got my stripes from!

beckylawrence70

No pouch and very few, light stretch marks on my belly, I have two kids, 23 and 21 and I'm 122 lbs!! Sorry I don't have pics.....

Goal_Seeker_1988

Ain't had no kids but did lose 85lbs and have kept it off for over 3 years. I know that I have fat and maybe some of it is loose skin. From my understanding is that if I am able to drop my body fat percentage I can elimanate all most all of my my "loose" skin. Prolly wont look like I have any @ all. As far as the stretch marks don't stress over them!

amartenson

My ex had serious problems with this, and I purchased Strivectin for her, and worked amazingly well, even on 4 year old stretch marks. It's not cheap, but it helped a lot.

Dexy_

As I've said, it isn't the stretch marks I am worried about. They will fade.

It is the excess skin I am dreading.

allison_42

You're 18. I wouldn't be to worried because you're still young and it tends to be easier when younger. I had my son at 19. Still working on losing my "pooch" but I don't have excess skin. I just haven't been working out and haven't been trying to tone my body including my abs. I didn't actually get stretch marks on my belly but I did get them on my boobs (when I was pregnant they grew a cup and half in like 2 months) and those stretch marks are still there

crystaldkelley

I have alot of extra skin due to gaining alot of weight during pregnancy, I dont think ill ever have a flat stomach and im ok with that. It's a part of me. I do know that no matter what you try there is nothing you can do about stretch marks. Once our skin rips there is no unripping it. It will fade over time and ive even learned that tanning helps make them less notcable. Ive had stretch marks most of my life due to growing so quickly and there are less noticable but will always be there. Im open to all advice on how to get rid of the pouch!

crystaldkelley

I have alot of extra skin due to gaining alot of weight during pregnancy, I dont think ill ever have a flat stomach and im ok with that. It's a part of me. I do know that no matter what you try there is nothing you can do about stretch marks. Once our skin rips there is no unripping it. It will fade over time and ive even learned that tanning helps make them less noticable. Ive had stretch marks most of my life due to growing so quickly and there are less noticable but will always be there. Im open to all advice on how to get rid of the pouch!

MrsWife2011

I have a bit of a belly pouch left and I've come to realize? It isn't fat, it is skin. Skin that stretched both with two pregnancies and weight gain. Unfortunately, it won't go away with diet or exercise. I didn't lose my weight quickly and I did it the right way. Sometimes the skin has just been stretched beyond its limits to return to its normal state.


I accept that this is who I am. I have two kids and I won't ever have a flat belly again nor will I ever wear a bikini again. I'm okay with it.

Perhaps some day - I will have a tummy tuck, but right now I'm too cheap to have cosmetic surgery just to have it.

I think in the back of my head I knew this, just didn't want to believe it! Argh! It's exactly this that makes me want to just be fat forever, what's the point in being healthy if I still HATE my body?

If you reduce your risk of heart disease and cancer I think its worth the work. I want a long healthy life If I have to deal with extra skin and stretch marks then oh well its part of me. I haven't had a baby yet but I want that more than anything in the world, if I have to choose between stretch marks, extra skin and motherhood then I choose motherhood.

natacha305

you know what? I am going to the beach and im going to wear a bikini pouch and all.

I live in Miami and thats a pretty bold move, i am so sick of making a goal to have a flat belly before summer, and it never comes.

Im going to do it, i think you should too. just to see how you feel. i always feel better once i get it over with.

I see all my friends posting their beautiful bodies (after babies) on FB and im like wtf whats wrong with my body? everyone is different.

Im sorry i dont have any good advice, i notice that when i pig out a bit my belly is the first thing to begin to grow, but whne i work out i also notice it go down, especially after I do spinning.

try wearing a faja (gurtle?) not sure how to say it in english but it helps the belly go down alot for me when i wear one of those rubbery sweat things to the gym.

cbl40

I've had two C-sections. You can tone and lose the weight, but the wrinkly belly won't go away without surgery. You just learn to live with it and focus on other positive attributes you have!

sarallong

I have 2 beautiful children that I delivered through C section.....9 years later I am FINALLY able to book my appointment to get a mini tummy tuck!! I am so excited. I work REALLY hard on being healthy and have been unhappy with my 'pouch'...I could care less about my stretch marks but the sagging skin makes me embarrased. I am ONLY doing this for me. So I can feel like 'me' again. So I can be naked in front of my husband and not feel self concious.

sarallong

I have a bit of a belly pouch left and I've come to realize? It isn't fat, it is skin. Skin that stretched both with two pregnancies and weight gain. Unfortunately, it won't go away with diet or exercise. I didn't lose my weight quickly and I did it the right way. Sometimes the skin has just been stretched beyond its limits to return to its normal state.


I accept that this is who I am. I have two kids and I won't ever have a flat belly again nor will I ever wear a bikini again. I'm okay with it.

Perhaps some day - I will have a tummy tuck, but right now I'm too cheap to have cosmetic surgery just to have it.

I think in the back of my head I knew this, just didn't want to believe it! Argh! It's exactly this that makes me want to just be fat forever, what's the point in being healthy if I still HATE my body?

the point to the exercise and feeding your body with the right fuels is to actually learn to love your body or come to terms with it. no surgery in the world can do this. there is no 'perfect' body, thats why magazines still air brush and movies are editied. the type of perfection you're looking for is found on a software disc somewhere in cyber space called photoshop. i'm so fed up of all mums going on about body image, what are you passing on to your kids? you were giving an amazing gift, a child and you came out of child birth with no permanent complications and you moan about something as little as saggy tummy skin and wearing a bikini. There are worse things in the world than not looking perfect on the beach.
This is what the media do, they make you feel so inadequate as a human being and some of it is your fault because you let them. i had a big baby and i have excess lose skin, i was over 14 stone after i had him and made the decision to become healthy, fit and strong for my family. like you i expected to get my body back to what it was pre pregnancy and why wont i? hiedi klum did it, kate moss did it even jlo did it. so of course i would. big mistake, i'm an average woman, my wages do not depend on how i look, and so i cant justify spending thousands on my body. you shouldnt. its just so ugly to be that vain. focus on the good things in life, the great things in life. you're alive, you helped mother nature in the life cycle and now your a mum. be healthy and fit for the sake of it. and love your body with the saggy skin and all.
vanity is just that!

Having a "big baby" Is NOTHING compared to a C- section...The scar, the loose skin, the torn muscles...there is no comparison. So, ya...we are in love with our children and beyond happy that they are healthy. But wanting to have your body back doesn't make us vain...it makes us human!

katmix

Bump

Dexy_

A lot of people talking about c-sections, just mentioning that both my delivery's were natural. But my pouch is still very real & worse than my sisters, who has had 3 c-sections all within a year of each other.

valieanneb72

I have heard about the dry brushing help reduce cellulite.... or vigorous scrubbing while in shower..... it is like plowing the land to get the corn to grow, I guess ! LOL Im Not a farmer... but My dad always told me to rake the dirt in the yard too and it will stimulate the grass to grow. I think I lost focus on what I was trying to say LOL

dolphin9803

After carrying twins, and then about a year later my youngest, my body is far from perfect, it took me awhile to come to terms with the fact that I will never have a perfect bikini body again, but you know what, that's okay.

I found this fabulous poem and wanted to share it it's from this blog...

http://birthwithoutfearblog.com/2012/01/19/stretch-marks-wear-them-with-pride



the poem up close:

This was lovely!!

HAHAHA!! I love this expression!! And D*mn right

Edited: because apperanetly I can't spell...lol