Old Stretch marks & Too much Skin!

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lfell6
lfell6 Posts: 24 Member
in Motivation and Support
I am not a huge frame of a person and went 12 days overdue with my son so had pretty horrific Stretch marks, I then failed to lose weight after I had him and instead just gained it, when I finally braved the weigh-in when he was 9 months old i was 20kgs more than before I was Pregnant.
I lost 15-17 of those kgs over 6 months through diet and exercise and my son is now 5 1/4 so it was about 4 years since i lost the weight.. The last year or two I have gotten really serious about my fitness and compete in running, mountain biking and triathlon events so am pretty fit and toning up, my body fat was recorded a month ago at 25% and i want to drop down to 18%, however the stretchmarks are all still there (although much lighter they are still terrible looking) as my body fat drops the skin gets saggier and it is somewhat depressing... does anybody have any great ideas on how to make the skin re-gain some elasticity ? I take fish oil daily but due to bad eczema there are very few creams I can apply :(

please help!

Replies

  • Iron_Lotus
    Iron_Lotus Posts: 2,295 Member
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    Tummy tuck
  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
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    I use a derma roller and E vitamin on my stomach but outside time and patience, I do not think that anything can help outside surgery.

    Sorry
  • shadowkitty22
    shadowkitty22 Posts: 495 Member
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    Does the derma roller hurt? I've been considering it myself but the idea of intentionally puncturing myself with all of those needles just does not sound appealing.
  • xcmum
    xcmum Posts: 136
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    I know how you feel. I've had 2 kids. After my last one i got a lot of stretch marks - she was 9lb 3 and i'm only 5ft short.

    Anyway she is coming up 2 and i still have the stretch marks, not as bad as when she was born but my skin is very saggy around my stomach and i haven't toned up yet. *I am at my goal weight however*

    I have heard weights training works but haven't tried it myself as i am running or cycling 6 days a week and i like to have a rest day.

    Good luck with toning it's not easy at all!
  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
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    Does the derma roller hurt? I've been considering it myself but the idea of intentionally puncturing myself with all of those needles just does not sound appealing.

    Well it is not pleasant but it is not horrible too. You can use an EMLA cream to numb the area but I don't bother.
  • SlimReggieBack
    SlimReggieBack Posts: 121 Member
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    Same problem here Im a guy and I had hit a huge growth spurt and weight gain in the past when I was younger also use to scratch my skin a lot and it led to a lot of them all over but Im planning on getting tattoos as a full body cover up theres really nothing to help them to be honest no cream helps unless youve just gotten the marks and their red and dermaroller might help a little Ive used it but I didn't take really much care of the roller and it led to needles positions getting changed so I got rid of it.
  • kittiebittie
    kittiebittie Posts: 39 Member
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    There are more hardcore products that you can get from Sephora. If you go online, you can better see which one works or doesn't work by the ratings by other people. I haven't done it because. . .it's a little pricey for me at the moment. Many products they have. . .usually creams. . .are said to work. Otherwise, cocoa butter everyday! My stretch marks diminished in apprentice a little from using it.
  • emstethem
    emstethem Posts: 263 Member
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    I don't know if i'll bother your condition, but maybe Mederma cream? I've heard good things... http://www.mederma.com/
  • SlimReggieBack
    SlimReggieBack Posts: 121 Member
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    Ive gotten special prescribe Tretinoin cream which is said to be much powerful then over the counter creams but the dermatologist said If I use it twice a day they can fade a little either within 2 weeks a year or more depending on your skin but Im still going for the tattoo idea to help camouflage them do not waste money on creams my mistake I ran through $1k trying all the creams they said would help and it does not.
  • lfell6
    lfell6 Posts: 24 Member
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    Thank you all for your advice! is nice to know it isn't just me! Struggling, I couldn't afford a tummy tuck even if i could bare the thought of having an op just for pure vanity! plus my stretchmarks go from above my belly right down to below my bikini line so the tummy tuck may help the skin but it would still look quite bad,,..

    I have never heard of a derma roller? I guess that's the problem living in little old new zealand!
    Has anybody else tried it? If it really works then I guess it could be worth a shot??
  • technobunny
    technobunny Posts: 131
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    emu oil.
    my daughter has eczema, and it is the only thing that helps the dryness. it penentrates the 7 layers of your skin and is non comedogenic. google it, it's really really good for stretch marks, scars, piercings, tattoos, etc.
  • lfell6
    lfell6 Posts: 24 Member
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    I know how you feel. I've had 2 kids. After my last one i got a lot of stretch marks - she was 9lb 3 and i'm only 5ft short.

    Anyway she is coming up 2 and i still have the stretch marks, not as bad as when she was born but my skin is very saggy around my stomach and i haven't toned up yet. *I am at my goal weight however*

    I have heard weights training works but haven't tried it myself as i am running or cycling 6 days a week and i like to have a rest day.

    Good luck with toning it's not easy at all!


    Well done on getting to your goal weight!
    I try and fit in at least one weights session a week as i'm much the same run/bike/swim 6 days a week, I try and do a good 15-25 mins on my core each day though, I am getting toned up now and obviously looks much nicer than before and fingers crossed when I loose the last few kgs and burn the final amounts of belly fat it will look ok in a trikini but its that damn pouch above the bikini line that will always be a curse I guess!
    No Bikinis for Lizy this summer! , just have to be happy with what we have I suppose :)
  • lfell6
    lfell6 Posts: 24 Member
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    I have come to terms with my stretch marks and sagging skin. I am no longer 20. Plus my man loves me and thinks I am hot :)

    I do feel bad for my son, he is 11 hitting puberty and going through a huge growth spurt. He has purple stretch marks all over. I know they are normal and will fade I just dont want mean middle school kids picking on my sweet kid over something he has no control over :)

    For us grown women, as long as your man finds you sexy, dont worry about it :)

    Happy to read this!! Go you! Wish I could feel the way you do and hopefully one day I can :)
    No man in my life other than my little boy :) not that I am complaining as I love my life but my self body image is a big thing for me and I find it hard to feel confident about my body around the opposite sex! silly i know! need to learn to love myself!

    Sorry to hear about your son! I really hope the marks fade away soon! such a terribly bad design is skin! and so unfair how it happens to our kids! fingers crossed he grows up and out of them soon x
  • lfell6
    lfell6 Posts: 24 Member
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    Ive gotten special prescribe Tretinoin cream which is said to be much powerful then over the counter creams but the dermatologist said If I use it twice a day they can fade a little either within 2 weeks a year or more depending on your skin but Im still going for the tattoo idea to help camouflage them do not waste money on creams my mistake I ran through $1k trying all the creams they said would help and it does not.

    Bet your tats will look great :) I have been thinking about getting a silly saying or something near mine just to make me more confident about them
  • TinaBaily
    TinaBaily Posts: 792 Member
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    Ive gotten special prescribe Tretinoin cream which is said to be much powerful then over the counter creams but the dermatologist said If I use it twice a day they can fade a little either within 2 weeks a year or more depending on your skin but Im still going for the tattoo idea to help camouflage them do not waste money on creams my mistake I ran through $1k trying all the creams they said would help and it does not.

    Bet your tats will look great :) I have been thinking about getting a silly saying or something near mine just to make me more confident about them

    Maybe something like this; "I'm a tiger! Wanna hear me roar?"
    I've had 5 kids and been obese for years due to gaining so much during the pregnancies, bad eating habits, and mental demons. I've come to terms with them. It might help you to know that as time goes on they fade quite nicely. My "baby" is 15.5 years old and my oldest, with whom I got the majority of my stretch marks, is 26. It wasn't good to bloat up 30 pound's worth of fluid in 2 week's time thanks to pre-eclampsia! Yikes! I'm just happy we both survived the ordeal. The very light silver marks just prove I'm a proud mother. :happy:
  • kowajenn
    kowajenn Posts: 274 Member
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    My son is 19, weighed 11 lbs, 7 oz at birth, and I still have the lovely silvery stretch marks to tell the tale. They are ugly, but no one sees them except my husband and me and I don't think they are a big deal anymore. My skin is definitely saggy, but I keep it moisturized and I think it looks a little better than it once did.

    The same kid is now 6'5" and when he went through his growth spurt during puberty he had stretch marks all over his lower back. They have completely faded and you'd never know he had them. Maybe it has something to do with him growing up rather than out?
  • lfell6
    lfell6 Posts: 24 Member
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    Thanks for your messages TinaBaily and Kowajenn.

    Glad to hear all the positive feelings towards it :) I guess because my sons Father (and being his child I would have thought it would make it less hideous seeing as he got a beautiful son from it!) made me feel so badly about it that it is hard to think I will attract a man again, with my body anyway. I am perfectly comfortable with my body when my clothes are on! but I can't ever see myself wanting to get naked in front of anyone ever again! I have had relationships since and they assure me they are fine with it but I can't help but think they would prefer a better version and my insecurity ruins the relationship. It is all very silly which is why I decided to write a blog so people can make me snap out of my silly thinking! :)

    And 11 lns 7 oz!! that is one big baby!! Not surprised he is now 6'5" :) well made!! :) glad his stretch marks went away, wouldn't wish that on anybody especially a child who has no control over it!

    Tina , glad to hear you and your baby survived the pre-eclampsia unscathed what a terrible ordeal it must have been for you both!

    Thanks again for all your messages :)

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