Stretch Mark Success Stories!

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this was taken about 2 months ago, at around 12-13 months post partum. I had some pretty gnarly bright red stretch mark scars, but I used Elastin 3 and it worked amazingly well.



It was not cheap, about $50 a bottle, but by the time the bottle was empty, I looked like my profile pic. Genetics comes into play I'm sure, and they will always still be there, little silvery scars ruining my abs forever, but they are barely noticeable, and I'm really glad I used the stuff. I wish I had bought 2 bottles though, (one bottle is exactly enough for JUST the stomach) for the few stretch marks on my hips and thighs. They are still a little pink.

I wouldn't call my stomach a success just yet... Lord knows I'm certainly not quite happy with it but I'm working on it. I have reached my weight loss goal (150 lbs) but found that my stomach fat is still stubbornly clinging on so I have continued my weight loss in hopes of shaking it. (140 lbs as of today and its still there *sigh*) My stretch marks were admittedly never very dark and had faded a bit after I had my first child almost 5 years ago but I had another baby 9 months ago so they are more visible now, I'm pretty hopeful they will fade again but really my stretch marks aren't what drive me crazy. I'm much more concerned about the loose wrinkly skin and layer of fat over my abs. Anyway... Here ya go. I'm 25 years old and 5'5. My top pregnancy weight was 198 lbs both times, My highest weight when not pregnant was about 177 lbs and my current weight is 140 lbs.

9 months ago:


today:

I looked like that when I had my baby. He is now 37 but was 10 pounds, 15 ounces when he was born. How big was the baby?

I heard that peppermint was supposed to tighten skin - as in take peppermint tea and apply directly when cool. (If you apply boiling hot, then stretch marks will be the least of your worries, I suppose.)

Perhaps taking the old teabag after you've drunk the tea and then dabbing it on your skin might work?

(This could be broscience but what have you got to lose?)

My first was 8lb 3oz second was 9lbs 2oz. I have some saggy skin, but as you can see in my most recent pic it isn't much. The only thing that seems to cut down the saggy skin for me is cutting body fat. Less body fat and more muscle seems to stretch the skin and return it to it's prior form. I also use cocoa butter now and then, though my baby doc was pretty clear on preaching cocoa butter won't prevent or fix stretch marks and that they are more of a genetic trait than anything. However they do say cocoa butter helps with skin elasticity? I just know with less body fat I am closer to my goal and I am sure when I reach goal body fat % of less than 18% I will have very light lines as opposed to wide gaps. (That's how it was after my first baby)

My son was 10'15. I went to many doctors. They told me surgery. I was 24 at the time. I worked my *kitten* off. I am also 5'5/ I went down to 115 at one point. At 62 they are still here. Surgery is the only option to get rid of the skin or so I was told by doctors. Think of all those obese people on BL, they all get skin surgery. I never had the money. If I could go back I would find the money. Good luck. It has always bothered me.

Yeah you were a tiny thing, a 9lb baby for me as a 5'8" female was nothing really. A 10lb baby would probably only leave a little extra skin. I find it very annoying that people that are over weight can get surgery but they do not offer such surgery to women that have had child birth and simply want to return to their prior form. I sometimes do get depressed about my stretch marks, they bother me because I know people will judge me for wearing a two piece, and some will even openly put you down (I had a female once tell me if she had stretch marks like me she'd hide her body in a one piece) and it hurts but as I've gotten older I have learned to just deal with it. I still have moments where I wonder "What did my belly look like before babies?" I don't remember, I had my first at 19, and I was never fit prior to babies, just average shape so I didn't have abs and was a few extra pounds. I just try to avoid the subject.

Cheers to you deary, I wish they would've done something for you, many do not understand the burdens that we bare for life. Not that babies aren't worth it, but child birth is really underappreciated in society and perfection often seems to mean to many (especially those without babies, or lucky enough to have the tiger stripes from bearing them) that they can judge what you should and should not do. I realize this is just the way life is, and life isn't fair but sometimes it would be so nice if people understood.

2alongcame_molly can you post a before pic and a close up after pic of stretch marks to see how good the results are? I am only five months post baby, and am not unhappy with my stretch marks, but would do anything to get them back to where they were before baby #2 so pics please!

I'm afraid I never allowed a camera anywhere near me, let alone shirtless, in the first year of having my baby, so no 'befores' are available. And my camera stubbornly refuses to focus close enough to capture what they look like now. But if you can't see them in my profile pic, it stands to reason nobody will at the pool or the beach either, because I don't let strangers get THAT close to me, lol.

Very reasonable argument, I'm sold. I want to try it now, it's worth 50 dollars!

We could be tummy twins!!! My top weight pregnant was 198 for my first pregnancy and 186 for my second. They were 3 yrs 10months apart. I averaged around 150lbs between the pregnancies and am 5'7 1/2" tall. My goal is 140lbs and to tighten everything I can, seems like I've lost a lot of muscle mass over the last 6 years. There's a pic of my belly from two days ago on my profile. I'm not sure if its set to private but you can always just send a friend request
(Oh & I'm approx 19months post partum)

We are tummy twins! Our kids are almost the same age as well and get this. I went to college for graphic design... and never finished. Lol.

Haha! That's crazy, we have similar goal weights too thanks for the friend request!!

Love these! My son is almost 10 months, and while mine are fading, its the saggy tummy skin that bothers me more. I gained 50lbs with him (he was 8lbs 4.5oz), and have lost that plus another 15lbs (assuming my ticker still isn't updating). I tried to take a picture but it doesn't seem to be working, I don't think I can get close enough to the bathroom mirror lol.

I wish I could find my picture the night before I had my son. I was sitting down and my stomach had an Entemmans cake box on top of it. It was a shelf. I was huge. This was in '76, no elaborate technology. The doctor thought twins. The weirdest is that I SMOKED. I had natural childbirth with my 11 pounder. BTW, he is 37. He is 5'8 and weighs 145. Can you imagine? He has no asthma or allergies as they now say he would. Go figure. I still believe it is all genetics. However, once again the stretch marks always and still bother me..no one else but me. It dosent matter what others think and yes I always covered them up. At 62, I still find them gross. I wish I had had the surgery.

yes they are white, but that wrinkled look to my tummy is tiny stretch marks actually. Its odd ,Im proud of my new body I wouldn't give up my children for a stretch mark free lighter self any day,I gained 30 lbs with my first and 11 lbs with my 2nd pregnancy I had gestational diabetes during my last pregnancy because of my weight. Never again will I be that size.

@ambiedawnz thank you. I won't lie I bought my chest in 2008. After my son in 2003 (first baby age 19) I went from a full C to a Barely B and when I lost weight closer to an a. So in 2008 I had a breast enhancement. 6k on payment. Now in Cali they do it for like 3k at accredited Drs. I will say with my second baby due to the implants I did get a few extra stretch marks where chest is concerned due to being a larger size but they still look good.

Look very natural to me! I'm an A barely a B cup in some bras and my bust didn't change during either pregnancies. No getting bigger or engorging.. Had trouble with milk supply too. I know totally off topic lol. I've always pondered getting implants but I'm always back n forth about it.
As far as creams/lotions go for stretchmarks I had decent results using Mustela. They have a few different types, I think the one I used was double action or intensive action. I didn't have a problem with color since mine were the silvery color, but I felt the Mustela cream helped with texture and tightness. It's by no means a miracle cream but I liked it.

Warning big BIG 41 week single baby nekkid BIG belly!
First pregnancy before & after (you can see my stretch marks!)

Forth pregnancy & current (started working out 8 wks ago & my youngest is 2.5):

I still very much have a "mother's apron."
I do not show a people a good view of my stomach. This is a big step. Please be gentle! Work in progress! *Fixed pics

You all have such beautiful tummies!

i have stretch marks too and they suck i miss that perfect body i had when i was 17 beautiful tummy with no stretch marks but thats what having babies does for you but not in a bad way its just something we ladies have got to accept no biggie

Ladiesssss, I know the feeling because I have stretch mark ALL over my belly.

But.... I always tell my self:

Lady, you're a tiger.. YOU EARN THOSE STRIPES!!

Warning big BIG 41 week single baby nekkid BIG belly!
First pregnancy before & after (you can see my stretch marks!)

Forth pregnancy & current (started working out 8 wks ago & my youngest is 2.5):

I still very much have a "mother's apron."
I do not show a people a good view of my stomach. This is a big step. Please be gentle! Work in progress! *Fixed pics

awesome photos! i think you have done an amazing job.. your first AND fourth after photos look great! i hope for my belly to look like that this year!! (I only have 1 child 25 months but i have more stretch marks than your pic shows and i gained between 65-75lbs during prenancy... the last 10 atleast was water retention in the last week).

Your photos give me something to look forward to. if you dont mind me asking, do you have any sag or droop to your belly?