Stretch Marks & Pouch Before & Afters

I was just going to post this.

I have a client who has lost their "pouch". The problem is the stretch marks associated with the child. I told her there is really no hope. Vitamin E can do some help but it won't repair the mark.

Thoughts?

I know that my stretch marks are pretty damned permanent, but that they will (and have mostly) faded to a white/silver.

It's really the idea of having a lot of excess skin hanging off me that scares me, I don't have the money or courage for a tummy tuck!

Well the second part is pretty simple. Don't set out to lose a huge amount of weight.

Incorporate weight training in your routine. Focus on losing a pound per week. That slow and steady progress will allow your skin to tighten up along the way.

The massive amounts of skin loss comes from those who are:

1. Severely obese.
2. Use drastic measure to drop weight fast.

I have a bit of a belly pouch left and I've come to realize? It isn't fat, it is skin. Skin that stretched both with two pregnancies and weight gain. Unfortunately, it won't go away with diet or exercise. I didn't lose my weight quickly and I did it the right way. Sometimes the skin has just been stretched beyond its limits to return to its normal state.


I accept that this is who I am. I have two kids and I won't ever have a flat belly again nor will I ever wear a bikini again. I'm okay with it.

Perhaps some day - I will have a tummy tuck, but right now I'm too cheap to have cosmetic surgery just to have it.

As for the stretch marks, they've all faded to my normal skin tone and can barely be seen anymore.

I thought zinc would help, too?

I know that my stretch marks are pretty damned permanent, but that they will (and have mostly) faded to a white/silver.

It's really the idea of having a lot of excess skin hanging off me that scares me, I don't have the money or courage for a tummy tuck!

Well the second part is pretty simple. Don't set out to lose a huge amount of weight.

Incorporate weight training in your routine. Focus on losing a pound per week. That slow and steady progress will allow your skin to tighten up along the way.

The massive amounts of skin loss comes from those who are:

1. Severely obese.
2. Use drastic measure to drop weight fast.

I think you'll find that a lot of women end up with the pouch because of how far their skin was stretched during pregnancy. Unfortunately, there isn't a whole lot that can be done to eliminate that excess skin - minus surgery.

I know that my stretch marks are pretty damned permanent, but that they will (and have mostly) faded to a white/silver.

It's really the idea of having a lot of excess skin hanging off me that scares me, I don't have the money or courage for a tummy tuck!

Well the second part is pretty simple. Don't set out to lose a huge amount of weight.

Incorporate weight training in your routine. Focus on losing a pound per week. That slow and steady progress will allow your skin to tighten up along the way.

The massive amounts of skin loss comes from those who are:

1. Severely obese.
2. Use drastic measure to drop weight fast.

I think you'll find that a lot of women end up with the pouch because of how far their skin was stretched during pregnancy. Unfortunately, there isn't a whole lot that can be done to eliminate that excess skin - minus surgery.

I can see that.

I know that my stretch marks are pretty damned permanent, but that they will (and have mostly) faded to a white/silver.

It's really the idea of having a lot of excess skin hanging off me that scares me, I don't have the money or courage for a tummy tuck!

Well the second part is pretty simple. Don't set out to lose a huge amount of weight.

Incorporate weight training in your routine. Focus on losing a pound per week. That slow and steady progress will allow your skin to tighten up along the way.

The massive amounts of skin loss comes from those who are:

1. Severely obese.
2. Use drastic measure to drop weight fast.

I think you'll find that a lot of women end up with the pouch because of how far their skin was stretched during pregnancy. Unfortunately, there isn't a whole lot that can be done to eliminate that excess skin - minus surgery.

I can see that.

Such is life.

I wouldn't give up my kids for a flat belly.

I have horrible stretch marks from medication that causes "thin skin" i'm trying absolutely everything to get rid of them and nothing seems to be working. the only thing i know of is plastic surgery to cut them out and to close the skin. i had some old ones from when i was growing that i had bleached them with peroxide and they had completely faded and didn't bother me, but these bright red ones that actually bleed make me quite embarrassed. im hoping someone has had some success with getting them to fade quickly. as long as they are healed and you dont mind a very mild hint of them the only thing i know of is the peroxide without having to go to a plastic surgeon.

thanks for the help

I'm interested to see some before and afters too. After having two very large children through sections, at only 5'2, plus being obese, Im accepting that there will always be loose skin there...just curious to see what it may look like I guess.

I get what you are saying Dexy about whats the point in losing weight if you still don't like your body, but I guess thats just part of the changes you have from having kids. The kids are worth the loose skin, its just getting your head around the fact that it may be there no matter what you do, unless you have surgery to get rid of it.

You look awesome mrsweigl!

:flowerforyou: thank you

Stretch marks don't go away, no matter what magic lotion or cream you use- it's not worth the money.Before I got prego I was in amazing shape, unfortunately I let myself go while I was pregnant and gained almost 60 lbs. So far I have lost 50 of it 5 months, it has been hard and my body doesn't look the same even though I am nearing my pre-preg weight. I am coming to terms with the fact that I will always have my baby pooch no matter how many ab work outs I do and that is just the way it is. I love my baby and if I have to have a pooch to have her, then so be it :flowerforyou:

I had my son when I was 14 (yeah yeah yeah i heard it all already) and lucky me I didn't get any stretch marks. Well except my boobs since they grew 2 cups, but hey it was gonna happen anyway.

I have a pouch but I'm not sure how much of it is actual skin vs just fat. I'm trying to tone and build muscle right now so we'll see how that changes in the months to come. My mother suggested getting a tummy tuck but told me not to try it until I'm done having kids. So maybe after 1 more I'll get one for sure because I refuse to have a big family. It has nothing to do with "giving up my kids for a flat stomach"

EDIT: Also I think it's funny that the ad to the right was for TriLASTIN-SR Intensive Stretch Mark Complex