Stretch mark demotivator :`(

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  • chroniclesofthinoholic
    chroniclesofthinoholic Posts: 143 Member
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    These are what i personally feel will help:

    workout!...Don't stop..the more toned you are the better!!

    eat a healthy diet with lots of protein vitamin c and e!! good for your skin......!

    before you shower for an hour or so massage your body ( where stretch marks have a habit of appearing) with olive oil + the contents of a vitamin e capsule +the contents of a vitamin a capsule..

    cocoa butter: moisturize moisturize the more the better! (to prevent)

    aloe vera gel : use this over your already formed stretch marks (I've heard they fade stretch marks in fact)

    remember stretch marks don't fade away in a month...it takes dedication but eventually you will notice they're look less angrier!
    hope this helps!
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
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    I got out of a hot bath last night, looked in the mirror and almost cried. Not only did they look just as bad or worse than before on my thighs, but they had spread higher up to my (very) small "love handles"
    Here's your problem - they looked worse as you'd just go out of a hot bath. As your skin was a nit pinker they showed up more, including highlighting tiny ones you don't normally see. They do fade with time, even if they don't disappear altogether, and losing weight makes them smaller and closer together as you simply have less flesh for them to show on!

    I've never heard a woman criticise another woman's stretch marks, because we nearly all have them, and I've never heard a man complain about them because they just don't notice (unless pointed out by the owner!) and it means he's got a near- nekkid woman in front of him!
  • marsviolet
    marsviolet Posts: 79 Member
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    I got my stretch marks from growth spurts in late elementary school. Am I the only person who loves my stretch marks? I used to pretend that they are scars from a secret surgery to turn me into a cyborg without my knowledge. Ah, the joys of being too young to know what these whitish lines on my hips are. :)

    But, yeah, no one has ever actually cared about my stretch marks.

    HAHA I absolutely love this!!!!!! :D

    Mine have improved drastically since using palmers cocoa butter. I have billions. They aren't going anywhere so I think worrying about them is pretty much pointless. There are worse things to have! :)
  • smit6211
    smit6211 Posts: 15
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    I am dealing with the same thing as you and I am getting ready to go to the extreme to get rid of them.

    I too thought losing weight would help mine, but it didn't in fact losing weight made them appear loose and now the skin where they are is very thin. I have stretch marks on my arms, back, stomach, hips, thighs, but, and behind the knees. I just recently went to a cosmetic surgeons office and signed up for 5 laser treatments.

    They are going to remove (well reduce the appearance) the stretch marks on my arms,back,stomach, and sides.

    If you would like add me and I can send you pictures of the results.

    I have been researching this for a long time and even talked to many doctors there really is only 2 cures for this and that is laser removal or having them cut off via tummy tuck. Every dermatologists has told me the creams and lotions will not work. Maybe for some people it does but it hasn't for me.

    I am sorry that you are going through this. Hope all goes well!
  • Hellavaloosa
    Hellavaloosa Posts: 57
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    [/quote]

    There are worse things to have! :)
    [/quote]

    Indeed, it is disappointing - my lose skin and stretch marks will mean I probably won't ever wear a bikini - but that ain't gonna stop me rocking my toned bod in a one-piece - stretch marks beat a fat gut any day!
  • lilawolf
    lilawolf Posts: 1,690 Member
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    Thank you guys for all of your input.

    My response to some of you is this: Yes, it is mostly for vanity that I am losing weight. I am not, and have never been, heavy enough to affect my health. My cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure, etc have always been fantastic. I would be shocked if any doctor told me to lose weight (especially now that I am down the 7lbs). Certainly the search for my elusive abs is more than is necessary for my health. I may lose a little more to get back into my size ten jeans (probably another 5lbs), and reach a few of my fitness goals (Run an 8 minute mile relatively easily, be able to do 25 real pushups, and 5 deadhang pullups), but I don't know if I really want to aim for the 18-22% body fat that would be necessary for actual abs to show if I have angry red stretchmarks. Giving up some of my boob size for perfect abs that I might not feel comfortable with showing anyway seems like a poor trade. I'll probably let them fade and then see how I feel.
  • missymuffet459
    missymuffet459 Posts: 162
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    I have stretch marks on my breasts (from puberty), on my legs (from my upper thighs to my knees), my arms (these I hate the most), on my stomach (from pregnancy). I have had a plastic surgeon tell me that I have some of the worst skin elasticity he has ever seen (went home in tears).

    I HATE them. I LOATHE them. I have tried for years to get rid of them. Even though they are white I have been so embarrassed by them.

    But you know what? I am learning to live with it. I go to the pool and I am not disgusted by other people's stretch marks. They don't even bother me. So why am I so worried about mine?

    There is nothing I can do at this point. I would rather be skinny and fit with stretch marks than fat with stretch marks. It is something I just have to deal with. I hate it when people say "you have earned those stripes". No thanks! I would rather have a different reward. But I am at the point where I realize there are more important things in life to worry about.
  • okidoki7
    okidoki7 Posts: 151 Member
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    unfortunately stretch marks are just that...there is nothing you can do to get rid, trust me i have plenty of my own, after 5 pregnancies i've a good array of them, in varying colours, sizes etc...and whilst i don't love them, or even go as far as saying i like them, they are probably the one part of me that i don't mind, as i have accepted them !!!!!!!!!!! even 4 years after having my last child, some are still quite pink, but im confident they will fade, and right now im in no hurry to wear a bikini lol...

    whack on some cocoa butter/bio oil and carry on exercising, it will help...please dont stress over things you cant change, also as op says stun everyone with your abs, so they dont even notice the SM's...
  • shelleyspots
    shelleyspots Posts: 89
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    I got them during puberty. An incredibly unfair result of a speedy development in my bustline. They have been gone for years. Not entirely, but so faint, that you'd have to look for them to see them. Hope this helps.
  • DivineRED1
    DivineRED1 Posts: 134 Member
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    Palmers Cocoa Butter lotion has helped mine go away.
  • sallywilson06
    sallywilson06 Posts: 269 Member
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    ohh Stretch Marks, if they are still purple and you lose the weight they might just go away on their own. Once they fade to white you're toast.
  • blackcoffeeandcherrypie
    blackcoffeeandcherrypie Posts: 486 Member
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    Bio Oil is really great for impoving the appearance of stretch marks. It fades them, smoothes the skin and makes them appear less 'angry' looking. It also helps with those crinkly bits where the skin has been really stretched. Can't recommend it enough.
  • seed_of_wonder
    seed_of_wonder Posts: 202 Member
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    i think it is impossible to not have stretch marks
    learn to accept them
  • SchminkyPuss
    SchminkyPuss Posts: 9
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    Just wanted to say that I can totally understand where you are coming from. I'm lucky in that I only got a couple on my tummy during 2 pregnancies, and just a few on my breasts as well. But I have them all over my thighs. I mean, the only bikini that could cover them up would need to be knee length! lol.

    I have found that bio oil has helped them to fade a little, and they look less noticeable that's for sure.

    But I just have to shrug my shoulders and say "that's life!" I can't get rid of them and i'm not going to let them ruin my goal of getting back into a size 10!
  • ceajules
    ceajules Posts: 123
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    I have been working out non stop since January and today I actually looked at my tummy my stretch marks are worse and more of them but my belly is much smaller I will accept that and they arent who I am

    They came when I had my son and they they havent gotten worse since losing weight and working out
    most people have them

    you are still beautiful and no one will see your marks just you
  • Seriousmom3
    Seriousmom3 Posts: 164
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    I have horrible stretch marks. I mean they are just as red as the day I got them. Mine came from being pregnant with twins in Jan. 2011. I have them in the same areas you mentioned. Nothing I tried has lightened them at all. I'm not trying to discourage you, but I would be glad if I had stretch marks over abs and toned thighs, instead of the deflated balloon thing I've got going on now. Just keep working out and maybe one day they will fade, and if they don't, maybe one day you won't care because you look so awesome anyway.
  • cm1458
    cm1458 Posts: 742 Member
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    I understand where you are coming from. I've got them too... along with a bunch of excess skin..I know, for some, Stretchmarks can be very upsetting. I used to let mine bother me and I used to think the same thing you think. Stretchmarks are nothing but battle scars and I don't think I know anyone who doesn't have any. I'm sure this is an over used quote on MFP but "Your body is not ruined. You are a tiger who has earned her stripes"
    That quote helped me so much to get over the feelings I used to have about my stretch marks. I put everything on them to try to get rid but nothing worked. But I'm okay with that now and I hope that, eventually, you will be, too.
    As tall girls, we are more prone to get them anyway. I'm about your height (5'8.5) and I have tons and tons of stretchmarks. Everywhere. Some go all the way from my hips to right above my boobs. along with a bunch of excess skin..
    I started at 263 and I am currently about 160 (maybe a little less...havent weighed in a while...)
    I found the strength to change what I could and I accepted the things I could not. I dont allow my stretchmarks to bother me, and Neither should you :) congrats on the weight loss! :flowerforyou:
    This is half rant, half request for advice/encouragement. I appreciate your time

    The stretch marks on my thighs were a big contributor to my "I need to lose weight breaking point'. I bought boy short style bathing suit bottoms to cover most of them, but I was hoping to get back into bikinis as they faded to white and my abs started coming out of hibernation. The stretch marks were on my inner and outer thighs, in the area that would be covered by short shorts. They seemed to be getting lighter as I lost weight, but I got out of a hot bath last night, looked in the mirror and almost cried. Not only did they look just as bad or worse than before on my thighs, but they had spread higher up to my (very) small "love handles" This won't be covered by boy shorts let alone a bikini. Maybe I should stop losing weight. I look good in clothes and I think most would consider me thin to normal. If a bikini will never look good, why bother???? Even at my biggest, I was only borderline overweight according to BMI, and had a respectable amount of muscle. Why do I have stretch marks? I have used almost an entire bottle of Mederma, but not sure if it is helping... I am also losing weight slowly, about a pound a week, with some heavy duty weight training/toning.

    Height: 5'9"
    Starting/highest weight: 172.3
    Starting BF%: 30.2

    Current weight: 165.6
    Current BF%: 29.3

    Goal weight: ~150
    Goal BF%: ~22%
  • Contrarian
    Contrarian Posts: 8,138 Member
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    Pretty much everyone has stretch marks. You have to learn to accept them, because although they will fade with time, they don't go away.
  • miriamwithcats
    miriamwithcats Posts: 1,120 Member
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    I got out of a hot bath last night, looked in the mirror and almost cried. Not only did they look just as bad or worse than before on my thighs, but they had spread higher up to my (very) small "love handles"
    Here's your problem - they looked worse as you'd just go out of a hot bath. As your skin was a nit pinker they showed up more, including highlighting tiny ones you don't normally see. They do fade with time, even if they don't disappear altogether, and losing weight makes them smaller and closer together as you simply have less flesh for them to show on!

    I've never heard a woman criticise another woman's stretch marks, because we nearly all have them, and I've never heard a man complain about them because they just don't notice (unless pointed out by the owner!) and it means he's got a near- nekkid woman in front of him!

    Ditto this. Hot tubs, hot baths, hot showers are going to make them temporarily more noticable. And nobody but YOU ever will notice them EVER!
  • Wreak_Havoc
    Wreak_Havoc Posts: 597
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    And from left field comes........ A guy's opinion..

    I had a gal tell me once that she felt her stretch marks were her battle scars from life and that she was proud of them. I thought they were kind of sexy. So.... With that said, only one more thing to say. Never give up, NEVER surrender!

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