Any advice for stretch marks?

britishswenglish
britishswenglish Posts: 23 Member
edited November 22 in Health and Weight Loss
I've had stretch marks since puberty, but when I was younger they were only where my thighs touched so I thought they were just a result of friction from walking. It wasn't until two years ago when I gained 10 pounds within a couple months and eventually lost it in a few weeks that I realised I was getting these lines all over my upper thighs and asked my doctor about it, who said they were probably a result of the weight change and recommended stretch mark cream.

I've been using skin oil on the stretch marks fairly regularly since April (give or take a week when I was on vacation or it was just too hot outside) but I haven't noticed any improvement. I also find the instructions on the bottle really vague so I have no idea if I'm using it correctly. Has anyone had any success with getting rid of stretch marks? I don't know how long I should expect to wait for results or if I should even expect them at all. Any help is appreciated!

Replies

  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    edited July 2015
    Nothing gets rid of stretch marks, sorry, they are permanent

    But they do fade in time ..I don't think any cream or potion will work, but I did buy into bio-oil once ...

    If it helps my pregnancy stretch marks are not pigmented at all, but they are still there in certain lights
  • ariamythe
    ariamythe Posts: 130 Member
    What rabbitjb said: sadly any creme that promises reduction is a temporary fix at best, using hydration or some topical chemical to temporarily reduce the look/color. I've got my own to struggle with, sometimes in the worst places, like at the place where the arm meets the torso (not on the shoulder, but lower down the arm). Constant reminder of what I was doing to my body all those years of obesity.
  • smotheredincheese
    smotheredincheese Posts: 559 Member
    Oils and creams will make your skin smoother and softer in general but nothing can get rid of stretch marks. They're not on the surface of your skin like other scars, they are layers deep so anything you apply topically can't really touch them. They do fade in time and weight loss and exercise has really helped tighten my skin up which has made them less noticeable.
  • britishswenglish
    britishswenglish Posts: 23 Member
    Thanks a lot for all the responses - guess I will not keep my hopes up that they will disappear! At least I'm very lucky that they are just bright white instead of dark red or something more noticeable, and high up enough that only short-shorts will reveal them. Since I noticeably started losing weight over the last year it seems my thigh fat is going to be the last to go, hopefully afterwards exercise will help hide the scars a bit. Thanks again!
  • labohn91
    labohn91 Posts: 113 Member
    edited July 2015
    dont-worry.jpg

    I have them on my shoulder, knees, arms, lower back, stomach, they are just marks nothing bad about them.
  • britishswenglish
    britishswenglish Posts: 23 Member
    ^ I think I'm printing that out and hanging it on my wall :)
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    Time fades them, but they will always be there. Sorry.
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
    My advice is to ignore them :)
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    They can fade to white, but other than costly laser surgery I haven't seen anything that helps them too much. Even laser surgery which is EXPENSIVE, you can still tell they were there. There are also some heavy-duty TCA peels and micro-needling that can help as well.

    laser-stretch-mark-removal-on-belly.jpg

    This is the best i've seen in before/after. Notice, these can only really help fade them. AND it depends on the color/texture of your skin.

    It's not worth it to do anything other than except them for what they are. Best of luck!
  • youdontknowwhatyousaw
    youdontknowwhatyousaw Posts: 221 Member
    Embrace them; they're not going anywhere.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    Learn to accept them. Short of surgery, they're not going anywhere. You can rub coconut or vitamin E creams on them all day for a year, they'll still be there.

    Some people consider them a badge of honor, which a very healthy and happy outlook. I try, but just consider them something that's there, so no point stressing over them. I would like to be proud of them, though. :)
  • spzjlb
    spzjlb Posts: 602 Member
    Yup. Be happy that you are healthy and that your body works well. In the grand scheme of life, stretch marks are amongst the least of our concerns. I've got them, too. Be happy with yourself :)
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Learn to accept them. Short of surgery, they're not going anywhere. You can rub coconut or vitamin E creams on them all day for a year, they'll still be there.

    Some people consider them a badge of honor, which a very healthy and happy outlook. I try, but just consider them something that's there, so no point stressing over them. I would like to be proud of them, though. :)

    I don't think I could ever get to that point, myself, but I've learned to just not look at them.

    Also helps to know that most people have stretch marks, whether it be from puberty-related growth, pregnancy, weight changes related to athletics, whatever.
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