Are you kidding me?!

klkateri
klkateri Posts: 432 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So I've lost just about 30 pounds (Ok, 29 but I like to round up) and roughly 20 inches overall in just a little over 4 months. Awesome right?!

Well, today after getting a little sun on my midsection I notice, STRETCH MARKS?!

I've never had them there before and I mean like last summer when I got sun. Nothing, none.. never. I really don't have any so it threw me off to see that now that I'm a bit thinner I have them.

So what I want to know is (Especially people who have lost a lot of weight), is this typical? Am I going to start finding them now all over the place now that I'm losing weight? Is there anything I can do to lessen there effect?

I want to wear a 2 piece but if I'm all stretch marky I won't and I'd like to be able to flaunt my new, slimmer body not hide it again.
Thanks!!
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Replies

  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    Congratulations on your weight loss!

    It sounds to me like you lost weight pretty fast, which is not always the healthiest way to do it. If you don't work out wile losing and/or you lose it fast, sometimes you will get saggy skin and/or stretch marks.

    Did you work out while losing weight? Do you work out now?

    I don't know, but you might want to give it some time. Start working out too, if you don't already do so.
  • dooniez
    dooniez Posts: 48
    Where are you noticing the stretch marks? I have them on my legs, abdomen and boobs. But don't let them deter you from wearing a 2 piece!!! I bought one as motivation. I look at my stretch marks as a ribbon of what I've been through.
  • k8325
    k8325 Posts: 19 Member
    LOL. I rock my tiger stripes. They are markers of your hard work and endurance as well as your commitment to reaching a goal. For some women they arethe markers of creating and bearing life. Never be ashamed of them! You want to have a bikini body? Put a bikini on that body, pretty lady!
    P.S. on other forums around the interwebs, women have pointed out that their SO's never even notice them and I honestly never notice other people's either. we are our own worst critics!
  • cnickolem
    cnickolem Posts: 15
    I lay in the tanning bed, it helps mask the stretch marks. Might not be the healthiest or safest way but it works for me, and my fat looks better dark, lol.
  • unicorndancefairy
    unicorndancefairy Posts: 2
    My best friend has had 4 kids, and avoided stretch marks with cocoa butter, all day every day.
    I don't know if it will work after the weight loss, but its worth a try.
    I hope you find some solution, so you can strut your stuff.
    :)
    Congrats and good luck.
  • Chilepepper34
    Chilepepper34 Posts: 53 Member
    There is no shame in stretch marks! Congrats on your awesome weight loss!

    Cocoa butter cream always helps them. Even the skinniest and fittest people have them; it's totally normal! (:
  • StarChanger
    StarChanger Posts: 605 Member
    ALL women have stretch marks. ALL men have stretch marks. Even the skinny ones. Even the ones who have been skinny their whole lives. I promise. I see naked bodies of all shapes and sizes daily. Yes, some of us have way MORE stretch marks, but they are not the end of the world, and I promise that if you're otherwise rocking the bikini, no one is gonna notice!
  • BunBun85
    BunBun85 Posts: 246 Member
    There's not much you can do about them. All the creams, oils and other gimmicks are just that, a waste of your money. You're either genetically predisposed to getting them or you're not, seems like you are.
  • TinaLauritsen
    TinaLauritsen Posts: 52 Member
    I have them on my belly as well, they came after gaining weight fast. Managed to get them somewhat away by massaging the fattest Nivea cream onto them every night/morning. :smile:
  • Skoochnski1974
    Skoochnski1974 Posts: 12
    It's not the stretch marks I'm worried about, it's all of the flabby, deflated skin that will be leftover after I lose weight. :grumble:
  • snazzyjazzy21
    snazzyjazzy21 Posts: 1,298 Member
    I have scars on my stomach which I didn't even know were there until I lost weight. I think stretch marks look cool anyway, so I'm not bothered.
  • DianeinCA
    DianeinCA Posts: 307 Member
    You know what a man thinks when he sees stretch marks on a woman?

    "Hey, she's naked! I hope I get to have sex."

    Your stretch marks are your body. Love the way it is.
  • KayJaMikel
    KayJaMikel Posts: 341 Member
    Well, i have em too, have 3 kids, but you could also have the 14 or so inch scar that I have on my stomach from open gallbladder removal and also the new belly button I have from same procedure where I had to have a tube coming out of my tummy for 6 weeks. It looks like a 2nd belly button and pops out when I am full (well lately it is popped out all the time like an outie belly button), etc. These won't go away, and might just fade over the coming years, but I really do not care about that, but you will never catch my *kitten* in a kini anyway, so.... Lat wore a kini when i was 16, and just am too modest to wear them.i am an old married lady though, so that is probably why and come from the older school, where I am very shy and keep by body covered at all times. I can be changing in front of hubs, and will tell him to close his eyes. I am very weird that way.
  • KayJaMikel
    KayJaMikel Posts: 341 Member
    Weirdly is my 16-yo daughter has them and she has never been preggo or lost a great deal of weight and her weight has pretty much been the same. She hates them though.
  • 1808kristin
    1808kristin Posts: 23 Member
    LOL. I rock my tiger stripes. They are markers of your hard work and endurance as well as your commitment to reaching a goal. For some women they arethe markers of creating and bearing life. Never be ashamed of them! You want to have a bikini body? Put a bikini on that body, pretty lady!
    P.S. on other forums around the interwebs, women have pointed out that their SO's never even notice them and I honestly never notice other people's either. we are our own worst critics!

    Love your answer! That is some awesome positive post!
  • adorable_aly
    adorable_aly Posts: 398 Member
    Weirdly is my 16-yo daughter has them and she has never been preggo or lost a great deal of weight and her weight has pretty much been the same. She hates them though.

    That's not weird- you can get them through puberty if you develop quickly. I've never been pregnant and significantly overweight, but I've had stretch marks since I was 15 for that very reason, they don't bother me anymore because they have turned silver and I'm so pale that in most lights they aren't very noticeable, when I'm tanned they are more noticeable though.
  • 2013sk
    2013sk Posts: 1,318 Member
    Try Bio Oil - I have stretch marks too, But I don't care... You do learn to love & embrace them.

    Everyone has them somewhere on there body.... Well the majority of women

    I have them on my boobs, hips, and think I have some light ones on the back of my legs.... Oh well!!!!!!!!!
  • psych101
    psych101 Posts: 1,842 Member
    They will shrink and fade with time :flowerforyou:
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    You know what a man thinks when he sees stretch marks on a woman?

    "Hey, she's naked! I hope I get to have sex."

    Your stretch marks are your body. Love the way it is.

    haha I like you...

    OP that is true tho...I have them from carrying my son, from growing to fast as a teen ager and from being fat...I wear a bikini.

    they fade eventually but don't go away so get used to them, learn to love them.
  • daewynn
    daewynn Posts: 8
    I have stretch marks from chest to my thighs thanks to 3 beautiful kids and being active. I wear them now like a badge of honor and show my mommy marks. At one time I used to obsess about how I would never wear a little polka dot bikini or booty shorts ...and then I decided I don't have to. I wear clothes that make me feel good. And yes I wear a two piece...(just not a bikini) and I will wear my daisy duke shorts. I also went and had my belly button pierced ( I have surgery scars there) and then my tattoo. My moment was when I chose to accept my marks and improve on what I have. And when I'm down about my marks..... I consider painting my faded tiger stripes to black just to be unique. =):smile:

    Stretch marks will fade and loose skin will become tight again so long as you take care of your body. Keep positive and keep working at it. It will change.
  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,059 Member
    Everyone has them! I have some around my chest area, and I have them on my thighs as well. I barely notice them now. I've never been overweight either (always been 148-150 or less), but I still have them. Anyone can get them. They show up in growth spurts, when your skin can't keep up with weight gain, from having a baby...everything.

    Don't be insecure; rock them! You've made great progress so far, and that's worth showing off.
  • KayJaMikel
    KayJaMikel Posts: 341 Member
    Weirdly is my 16-yo daughter has them and she has never been preggo or lost a great deal of weight and her weight has pretty much been the same. She hates them though.

    That's not weird- you can get them through puberty if you develop quickly. I've never been pregnant and significantly overweight, but I've had stretch marks since I was 15 for that very reason, they don't bother me anymore because they have turned silver and I'm so pale that in most lights they aren't very noticeable, when I'm tanned they are more noticeable though.

    Wow, I really never know about puberty. I will tell her. They don't bother me, but I am an old married lady. They do bother her. I got her that cocoa butter, but she doesn't put it on enough to be beneficial. It is mainly her belly. Me I have them belly, thighs, not boobs though cause my boobs are not all that massive. Between that and my scar, even though that doesn't bother me really either, the scar bothers me more.
  • klkateri
    klkateri Posts: 432 Member
    Thanks all!!

    I did some research this am and come to find out you can have them when you are heavy and then as you lose weight they will show up. So apparently this is quiet normal. they are right on my stomach and I think I was just surprised that even with working out I'm getting them. I did show them to a friend of mine today and her remark was "What stretch marks?!" so I guess maybe I was just in the right light and the right angle to see them lol!!

    Well I'm not going to let them detour me from my steady weight loss or, even rocking that two piece.. maybe even this summer... still fat and all!!
  • KeepGoingKylene
    KeepGoingKylene Posts: 432 Member
    I have more now after losing the weight and I didn't lose it quickly. Don't let a bunch of stretch marks bother you, we all have them! As you can see in my profile pic, I'll be rockin a bikini this year, stretch marks and all (and still belly fat lol) :drinker:
  • CitizenXVIII
    CitizenXVIII Posts: 117 Member
    I'm at the age where most of our friends have kids, but none of them are in school yet. Seen plenty of friends who are flat-belly, bikini-rocking moms with stripes from the kiddos. Kinda think it's sexy. Like a battle scar marking doing something amazing. War wound from a battle worth fighting.
  • evilangelwings
    evilangelwings Posts: 14 Member
    ALL women have stretch marks. ALL men have stretch marks. Even the skinny ones. Even the ones who have been skinny their whole lives. I promise. I see naked bodies of all shapes and sizes daily. Yes, some of us have way MORE stretch marks, but they are not the end of the world, and I promise that if you're otherwise rocking the bikini, no one is gonna notice!

    This. I have never been majorly overweight (only a few pounds), and I have stretch marks all over, just from puberty. And as someone else pointed out, my BF never noticed!
  • klkateri
    klkateri Posts: 432 Member
    It's taken me a very long time to come to terms with the scars on my knee from my replacement mostly because it a consent reminder of pain and stupidity. I guess I feel that the stretch marks are going to be a constant reminder of being so overweight.
  • zoeysasha37
    zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,088 Member
    I have them, to me it's really not a big deal. But if I do need to try to cover them for whatever reason, sunless tanner works well. Go get a spray tan, then rock your bikini :-)
  • stacyg1979
    stacyg1979 Posts: 26 Member
    100% Pure Organic Shea butter and Bio Oil.... Literally I grease up at night..... it keeps you skin extremely moist and lessens the effects of stretch marks.... I usually alternate each night... Bio Oil then the next night Shea Butter

    Mind you the Shea butter is really thick but ...IT WORKS
  • elisa123gal
    elisa123gal Posts: 4,333 Member
    I can understand why you're alarmed. I'd hate it if all of a sudden I had them..and last year I didn't.

    I'd go with intensive use of lotions intended for preventing stretch marks during pregnancy. I'd google and research on the net to find the best product and start using it right now..to prevent any more.

    on a calming note…i'm sure you are noticing it more than any one else would.

    slow down your weight loss..and give you skin time to get into condition..

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