Stretch Marks -- question!!

austindog2
austindog2 Posts: 128
in Health and Weight Loss
I was reading an article about stretch marks today, and I want input from all of you wonderfully successful people who might have experience with this! The article said that red stretch marks are the newest and therefore can be healed; however, once they turn white, they're only removable with plastic surgery or cosmetic procedures.

What do people know from experience? Thanks in advance!
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Replies

  • austindog2
    austindog2 Posts: 128
    *bump* :)
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,428 MFP Moderator
    Even though mine weren't huge, I was able to get rid of my stretch marks through weight lifting. And as a 20 year old, you should have NO problem getting rid of any.
  • darkmouzy
    darkmouzy Posts: 227 Member
    I was wondering this too! I hope this is the case!
  • MaryPhillips90
    MaryPhillips90 Posts: 236 Member
    *Bump

    Ever since I was a kid and growing up (I remember being 12!) I was always very slender, but any growth spurt put white stretch marks on me. I recently gained 22lbs (and have lost 10 now) I still have them!
    I don't think they will ever go away :(
  • kwest_4_fitness
    kwest_4_fitness Posts: 820 Member
    I've heard Mederma and Bag Balm are two relatively effective OTC treatments for minimizing the visibility of stretch marks. I haven't tried either, but I'm getting to a stage in my weight loss where I'll be giving one, the other, or both a try.
  • beckylawrence70
    beckylawrence70 Posts: 752 Member
    The red and purple will eventually lighten up but the "streak" will be there forever!! No cream in the world will get rid of them, lasers don't work either......the only way to remove them on your lower belly is to have them cut out by a tummy tuck. Get used to em if you have em cuz they're not going anywhere! :(
  • TinkrBelz
    TinkrBelz Posts: 866 Member
    Well, I have not had any success at getting rid of the stretch marks, but I have made them look better.... not as noticeable.

    Loosing the belly fat helps a lot (because I had loose skin too after 6 kids) But, as they fade to white, my tan helps them to blend in more.

    Also I dry brush my skin and eat coconut oil and rub coconut oil on my skin. I have been doing this for a month and they look a lot better. I was in a bikini at the beach and my 27 year old SIL (I am 42) was shocked at how much better my tummy looked. She kept on saying how good it looked. Now, it is not as good as her tummy...but a lot better than it was last year!!
  • sarafil
    sarafil Posts: 506 Member
    I've never heard that you can get rid of stretch marks, sorry. They fade over time and can become barely visible, but as far as I know the "streak" is always there.
  • Il_DaniD_lI
    Il_DaniD_lI Posts: 1,593 Member
    I pretty much woke up one morning in the 8th grade with D cup boobs - needless to say I got stretch marks from this. They were purple and I had them for a few years then they disappeared.

    I have white ones on my inner thighs that I have had ever since I went through puberty.
  • CanDurkin
    CanDurkin Posts: 63
    I posted a similar question a while ago and from the responses I received I decided to try Mederma. My stretch marks from having my kids are probably never going to completely go away, but since starting the Mederma I have seen a big difference in how prominent they are. I am really fair skinned (although I can tan) and I know that if I start tanning they will be even less prominent than they are now, so that's my next step.
  • missprincessgina
    missprincessgina Posts: 446 Member
    The only way to get rid of stretch marks for good is using a laser. You can read more about it here:
    www.stretchmarks.org/

    I did go to my cosmetic surgery and asked about getting rid of stretch marks. It was informative. I haven't decided if I'm going to have them removed or not.
  • hellokity040411
    hellokity040411 Posts: 27 Member
    Bio Oil!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! removed all my stretch marks where i used it!
  • bizgirl26
    bizgirl26 Posts: 1,795 Member
    I have tried lots of different things and it is a waste of money!! You might have a chance when they are brand new but once they are whitish in colour they are there for good. Sorry
  • galegetsthin
    galegetsthin Posts: 1,340 Member
    I have horrible stretch marks. My upper abdomen, my hips and thighs, my lower back, my armpits, boobs and even the backs of my knees. Some of them have faded to the point that I don't even notice them anymore. The ones on my belly, thighs and armpits are the ones that i hate the most. I have been using the Palmers "firming" lotion with cocoa butter and doing the skin brushing and rubbing coconut oil on them. There has been a noticeable difference. I mean, they are still there, and will probably always be there, but they are not quite as bad, and the loose skin on my belly has even firmed up a bit. They will always be there, but I think this is helping. My boyfriend says it looks a lot better. (2 months) But he may be saying it partly to ensure his nookie quota remains where it is. He says that they are not that bad, and I have them because I was heavy and then had a kid, I have worked hard to get where I am, and he dares anyone to say anything about them, because he will have to tell them how far I have come and then promptly punch them in the teeth...... But what I am doing seems to help. Also, I will go a week or so where I dont lose ANY weight, but my skin shrinks up some..... like it takes all the calories and throws them to skin renewal.
  • Reeny1_8
    Reeny1_8 Posts: 277
    Bump
  • bizgirl26
    bizgirl26 Posts: 1,795 Member
    Oh and I tried Bio Oil , it didnt work for me
  • katielauren2001
    katielauren2001 Posts: 171 Member
    Laser is not always effective. Use a mix of natural and essential oils - there are many that help to repair skin and regenerate cells. Vitamin E creams also haves healing properties and body butters such as coco butter and shea butter are said to be beneficial. I'm using a few creams at the moment and massaging the area twice a day should help to improve the appearance of stretch marks over time and prevent new ones.
  • deadstarsunburn
    deadstarsunburn Posts: 1,337 Member
    Mine were red then got white and I can only really see them if i pull my skin.

    I noticed i felt less bad about them as i lost weight. =]
  • Snow__White
    Snow__White Posts: 1,650 Member
    Bio Oil!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! removed all my stretch marks where i used it!
    WoW do you have b4 and after pics?
  • aimelee
    aimelee Posts: 216 Member
    At least in my experience...the redness fades, but the texture of them will be there forever. I never had any really until i got pregnant. I put on fancy lotion twice a day every day during my pregnancy and still got them like crazy in the last 4 weeks. My son is 2.5 now and while they have faded considerably, they are definitely still there and i dont think anything but surgery would make them go away. unfortunately!!
  • hellokity040411
    hellokity040411 Posts: 27 Member
    Dont have any before, i dont think,lol but i used it right after my pregnancy and it got rid of them, might be why it helped bc i didnt wait to use it, but worked amazing , also used it for circles under my eyes, worked for that too
  • SPNLuver83
    SPNLuver83 Posts: 2,050 Member
    I call BS. Red, white, it doesn't matter. A scar is a scar is a scar. If you put lotion on red ones it *might* help smooth them out a little, but once your skin is torn there will be a scar though. How bad they get all depends on genetics.
  • katielauren2001
    katielauren2001 Posts: 171 Member
    Also eating plenty of fruit and vegetables and drinking plenty of water should help (around 8 glasses of water a day are recommended)
  • marieautumn
    marieautumn Posts: 928 Member
    the only thing i found to get rid of my stretch marks is time and sun. mine were really deep red after child birth. i had them on my breasts, but after having a breast augmentation, the skin stretched too accommodate the implant and those marks pretty much disappeared. the ones on my stomach went away after a couple years and are only visible if i dont tan for a few weeks. even when visible they arent too bad as they turned silver.
  • odusgolp
    odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
    I've learned to embrace my stretchmarks as a badge of honor :)
  • Bentley2718
    Bentley2718 Posts: 1,689 Member
    Stretch marks are stretch marks. The article was correct that the red/purple ones are the newest, and they do usually fade to a white color given time (the same way that scars usually fade in color, because that is what stretch marks are). But regardless of the age of your stretch marks, there is little that can be done for them. There are some laser techniques I have heard of, but I have no idea how well they work.
  • Bentley2718
    Bentley2718 Posts: 1,689 Member
    Even though mine weren't huge, I was able to get rid of my stretch marks through weight lifting. And as a 20 year old, you should have NO problem getting rid of any.

    How exactly does weight lifting remove scaring from your dermis?
  • coconutbuNZ
    coconutbuNZ Posts: 578 Member
    Stretch marks from my pregnancies. Try Bio Oil, won't get rid of but will definitely help fade the marks.
  • hellokity040411
    hellokity040411 Posts: 27 Member
    bs on me?
  • marieautumn
    marieautumn Posts: 928 Member
    Even though mine weren't huge, I was able to get rid of my stretch marks through weight lifting. And as a 20 year old, you should have NO problem getting rid of any.

    How exactly does weight lifting remove scaring from your dermis?

    maybe tightening the skin made them less noticeable?? other than that i cant see what effect lifting would have on your skin?

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