Curious... did anyone get stretch marks?

So stretch marks are notoriously associated with pregnant women. I am not pregnant, nor was I ever pregnant. I began to see stretch marks around age 10 on my thighs as I started to gain weight... they then appeared on my arms, hips, and pelvic area. Did anyone get massive or a large amount of stretch marks as they gained (or lost) weight? I sometimes see success stories on MFP with pics of people with ZERO marks! How is this possible?!

Another question: if you successfully lost the weight, did you get more stretch marks? Did they gradually fade? How do you deal?!

Replies

  • Sublog
    Sublog Posts: 1,296 Member
    Most pictures you see stretch marks are present, but just lost in the picture. Stretch marks fade back to skin tone over time and unless you're in very hard lighting with a quality camera, they are hard to spot.
  • sabriel
    sabriel Posts: 44 Member
    I was also curious about this as I didn't have any at all until I lost weight. I always thought it happened from getting bigger not smaller.
  • thesinga
    thesinga Posts: 1 Member
    I have the same type of stretch marks that you are describing. I started to develop them sometime in my teens and they have progressively gotten worse as I have gained weight. I don't expect them to get any better as I lose weight but I'm not really bothered by them either. I'm more focused on feeling better in my body at this point than how it looks to other people. Good luck!
  • Mgrogers09
    Mgrogers09 Posts: 61 Member
    Ive had them pretty bad as well. Once i stopped yo-yoing they fade- daily moisturization helps them fade fast IMHO
  • purpleipod
    purpleipod Posts: 1,147 Member
    Stretch marks are just as common in people who lose/gain weight than they are in pregnant women. I started getting them before I even really gained weight, around 13 or so. My mom had them too.

    Edit: Also, I might mention in my before pictures that I've taken in bra/underwear, you can't see a single stretch mark on me, but I can sure promise you they are there. Just hard to see in the pictures.
  • Ohjeezitskim
    Ohjeezitskim Posts: 129 Member
    I remember when i was ten I asked my mom what they were and she said it's from either gaining weight to fast or losing weight to fast.I hate them, they are hard to get rid of.. I have some on my thighs that are still light pink after a year... when are they going to go back to my skin color!
  • sarglava
    sarglava Posts: 206 Member
    I remember asking my dad the same thing. He said he "didn't know". (which may have been true...) I hate them as well, but I'm not embarrassed by them. It's annoying when people ask you what they are (like they don't know!) and just shrug cause I can't bring myself to say, "It's cause I'm fat, duh."