STRETCH MARKS...

J'Lynn - posted on 12/19/2009

Quoting amanda:

yeah i know how yall feel lol i am only 4'11 and i was 118 before pregnancy, still coulda lost a couple pounds but i looked good in a belly shirt haha... now i wouldnt wear a belly shirt even if i ever get skinny again... but even still... i gained a lotttt of weight cuz i was 20 and stupid thinking that i could eat whatever i wanted and lose it all when the baby was born, i even convinced myself that once i had gained 60 pounds!!! that was the dumbest mistake i've ever made lol... i topped out at 178, exactly 6 pounds gained... its been two years and im still only down to 159( i just lost about 8 pounds in the last month!!!!) i would like to be like 130 again atleast... i doubt ill get back to 118 cuz my body is different now, but i would love to be in the single digit pants again lol j'lynn ur atleast lucky on that front and congrats!! it's so hard to lose weight for women it's not fair! my husband is a stick and has the opposite problem(cant gain anything) so he doesnt understand why it's so hard, and even when i was small, i had to CONSTANTLY work at it, i always got jobs that did lots of walking, etc. ughhhhhh guys are lucky... they just get to have sex, hold ur hand during childbirth, get no scars or weight gain, and then go to work while we either sit at home with their kid or find a job and babysitter, if u can actually find a job worth working after paying a babysitter lol

before i had kids i was 120 and im almost 5'6'  and im ok with the fact my body is different and ill never be able to get back down but i would like to be closer to it then i am now lol. so i know exactly how you feel . and YES guys have it way easy motherhood is not and easy job and not easy on the body...i dont think men could handle it for a second lol

J'Lynn - posted on 12/19/2009

Quoting Jennifer:

Quoting J'Lynn:

Quoting amanda:

lol i wish i had the same opinion about stretch marks u guys do!! i love the fact that i had my son, and i would never wish it different, maybe eating less during pregnancy, but too late for all that. i got all my marks right in the last month, i went to walmart and saw myself in those evil mirrors and BALLEDDDD... i still hate the marks, they are so ugly even if barely noticable... and i have a tiny bit of saggy belly still after two years, and NOTHING helps at all... and i've pretty much given up hope of ever being comfortable with my stomach again... ughhhh atleast i got great boobs!!! haha

Amanda your awesome! im so glad in not the only one :) i love my two sons (2yrs and the other one is 7months) and wouldnt change them for the world but i HATE my strech marks and i feel self consious. i got really bad ones during my first pregnancy i used the lotion and was doing good but 3days before i had him my belly grew 2 1/2 in and no amount of anything can keep up with that. and they are wide i can stick my finger in the strech mark itself and it makes me cry i dont know of anybodys that are as bad. and i hear ya on the belly after my first one i got back down to size but with my second one i got even bigger my second son was a lot bigger then my first one and  ive worked out and my job is pretty active and im always running around with my kids but i still have that darn lil saggy belly...i think its there to stay :( . i wish i could be proud of it but im just not and it doesnt help that my parents and mother inlaw make comments. i admit im bigger then i was before i had my kids but im done to a size 6 and i think thats pretty good. my hips have widen so i know i wont be able to be what i was but i cant change my new bone structure and im perfectly ok with that part. aww...the things us mothers go threw for our children....but its worht it.

Thanks J'Lynn!!! Apparently we are a small group, but I am right with you and Amanda...I'd like to pretend that I'm accepting of my stretch marks, but deep down I am not. I love my boy and I am so glad that I had him but I HATE my stretch marks.  I supose in time I will "accept" them, bc they will always be there, but in the back of my mind I will be thinking, "really? they are STILL there?!" I can dig the c section scar...I'm all about that lol but the stretch marks are pretty ugly....I feel ugly.  I'm sorry to hear that women, who should understand and be supportive of you, are making comments...that has got to be tough. If you are down to a size 6 tho that is absolutely AMAZING!!! I comend you! I still look and feel like a whale!  Before I was pregnant, I was always trying to lose some weight, slim down a bit, I was never super over weight, but I had some extra pounds, and I definitely got the remarks and comments from family members then, so even tho they tell me I look great and to relax bc I just had a baby it's like yea right...what are you really thinking - cuz 50 lbs ago you had your nose's turned up at me for my size! It doesn't matter what others think - if they think we are too big or too small - it's what we feel that really matters. If I don't like my hair, then i will dye it or get it cut. If I think I'm too fat, I will work on losing weight. If I feel I need those hi heels I will buy them lol. (Altho I dunno if I'll ever be able to walk around in hi heels again :) ) but you get my point...lol.

yeah i honestly hate that comment " its ok you just had a baby" or you look good for having a baby" lol maybe im just sensitve but i want to look good for looking good personally. i feel its almost a double edge sword like they are saying well you fat but since you have a kid its ok....i dunno i guess ita all in the tone in which it is given. thanks yout sweet but im still not happy with the way i look i think i could be smaller and look alot better. it is hard with some family not being suportive. my dad is 42 wieghs like 215lbs with less then 2%body fat so hes in the best shape ever although hes never been too mean i always feel so umconfotable around him like im just a huge tub or lard. but i do have a very suportive hubby who always says the right things but i want to be able to look in the mirror and not want to cringe and the strech marks does not make that any easier thats for sure lol. im ok with the fact my body is different and ill never be able to get back down but i would like to be closer to it then i am now . so i know exactly how you feel.

Kristen - posted on 12/18/2009

i never got anyy stretch marks anywhere.. so i dont kno what makes them go away, butt i can tell you that since the day i found out i was prego i used palmers coco butter on my tummy breasts and legs everyday!! so if ur early in ur pregnancy try that! hope it helps!

Cathy - posted on 12/18/2009

When summer rolls around, work on your tan (but use sunscreen) I've noticed that when I was a little tanner, the stretch marks blended in more.

Elle - posted on 12/18/2009

Quoting Amber:

Well there is some new laser type surgeries out there now, expensive, but they are said to work the best out of everything. Over time they become lighter and not as easy to see. I am looking into the laser treatments.

I plan on having laser surgery to get rid of my stretch marks when Im done having kids. Its expensive and most people think its painfull but hubby and I hate my stretch marks. I've had laser work done before and am very happy with the results, well worth the money and discomfort. American Laser Company is wonderful!

Amy - posted on 12/18/2009

stretch marks are pretty much scars... you can't make them disappear... they'll fade color sometimes ina couple months, sometimes a year or two... depends on the person

Camille - posted on 12/18/2009

Exercising the area you have them in could help. It's helped for me or maybe it's just the fact that 10 months have passed.

Amanda - posted on 12/18/2009

yeah i know how yall feel lol i am only 4'11 and i was 118 before pregnancy, still coulda lost a couple pounds but i looked good in a belly shirt haha... now i wouldnt wear a belly shirt even if i ever get skinny again... but even still... i gained a lotttt of weight cuz i was 20 and stupid thinking that i could eat whatever i wanted and lose it all when the baby was born, i even convinced myself that once i had gained 60 pounds!!! that was the dumbest mistake i've ever made lol... i topped out at 178, exactly 6 pounds gained... its been two years and im still only down to 159( i just lost about 8 pounds in the last month!!!!) i would like to be like 130 again atleast... i doubt ill get back to 118 cuz my body is different now, but i would love to be in the single digit pants again lol j'lynn ur atleast lucky on that front and congrats!! it's so hard to lose weight for women it's not fair! my husband is a stick and has the opposite problem(cant gain anything) so he doesnt understand why it's so hard, and even when i was small, i had to CONSTANTLY work at it, i always got jobs that did lots of walking, etc. ughhhhhh guys are lucky... they just get to have sex, hold ur hand during childbirth, get no scars or weight gain, and then go to work while we either sit at home with their kid or find a job and babysitter, if u can actually find a job worth working after paying a babysitter lol

Jennifer - posted on 12/17/2009

Quoting J'Lynn:

Quoting amanda:

lol i wish i had the same opinion about stretch marks u guys do!! i love the fact that i had my son, and i would never wish it different, maybe eating less during pregnancy, but too late for all that. i got all my marks right in the last month, i went to walmart and saw myself in those evil mirrors and BALLEDDDD... i still hate the marks, they are so ugly even if barely noticable... and i have a tiny bit of saggy belly still after two years, and NOTHING helps at all... and i've pretty much given up hope of ever being comfortable with my stomach again... ughhhh atleast i got great boobs!!! haha

Amanda your awesome! im so glad in not the only one :) i love my two sons (2yrs and the other one is 7months) and wouldnt change them for the world but i HATE my strech marks and i feel self consious. i got really bad ones during my first pregnancy i used the lotion and was doing good but 3days before i had him my belly grew 2 1/2 in and no amount of anything can keep up with that. and they are wide i can stick my finger in the strech mark itself and it makes me cry i dont know of anybodys that are as bad. and i hear ya on the belly after my first one i got back down to size but with my second one i got even bigger my second son was a lot bigger then my first one and  ive worked out and my job is pretty active and im always running around with my kids but i still have that darn lil saggy belly...i think its there to stay :( . i wish i could be proud of it but im just not and it doesnt help that my parents and mother inlaw make comments. i admit im bigger then i was before i had my kids but im done to a size 6 and i think thats pretty good. my hips have widen so i know i wont be able to be what i was but i cant change my new bone structure and im perfectly ok with that part. aww...the things us mothers go threw for our children....but its worht it.

Thanks J'Lynn!!! Apparently we are a small group, but I am right with you and Amanda...I'd like to pretend that I'm accepting of my stretch marks, but deep down I am not. I love my boy and I am so glad that I had him but I HATE my stretch marks.  I supose in time I will "accept" them, bc they will always be there, but in the back of my mind I will be thinking, "really? they are STILL there?!" I can dig the c section scar...I'm all about that lol but the stretch marks are pretty ugly....I feel ugly.  I'm sorry to hear that women, who should understand and be supportive of you, are making comments...that has got to be tough. If you are down to a size 6 tho that is absolutely AMAZING!!! I comend you! I still look and feel like a whale!  Before I was pregnant, I was always trying to lose some weight, slim down a bit, I was never super over weight, but I had some extra pounds, and I definitely got the remarks and comments from family members then, so even tho they tell me I look great and to relax bc I just had a baby it's like yea right...what are you really thinking - cuz 50 lbs ago you had your nose's turned up at me for my size! It doesn't matter what others think - if they think we are too big or too small - it's what we feel that really matters. If I don't like my hair, then i will dye it or get it cut. If I think I'm too fat, I will work on losing weight. If I feel I need those hi heels I will buy them lol. (Altho I dunno if I'll ever be able to walk around in hi heels again :) ) but you get my point...lol.

Jennifer - posted on 12/17/2009

Quoting amanda:

lol i wish i had the same opinion about stretch marks u guys do!! i love the fact that i had my son, and i would never wish it different, maybe eating less during pregnancy, but too late for all that. i got all my marks right in the last month, i went to walmart and saw myself in those evil mirrors and BALLEDDDD... i still hate the marks, they are so ugly even if barely noticable... and i have a tiny bit of saggy belly still after two years, and NOTHING helps at all... and i've pretty much given up hope of ever being comfortable with my stomach again... ughhhh atleast i got great boobs!!! haha

Honey, I am right there with you! I can understand how some women love their stretch marchs bc they are marks of being a woman and baring a baby, and I think that is fantastic, and I really wish I could feel the same way, but deep inside, I feel the same as you. Granted I had my baby 4 months ago, so I haven't had too much of a chance to work on losing a bunch of weight yet, but I just know I will have belly bulge and stretch marks forever...I have always been self conscious and over critical of my appearence and now this! I love my baby and would not have wished any different, and I know my husband doesn't care about my size or stretch marks, but it's what I feel that matters - I don't feel comfortable in my own skin. I'm young and should be able to enjoy myself and I feel that I can't - when all the hot girls my age are flaunting themselves at the beach, I will be the one all covered up, looking completely out of place, making sure my baby has enough sunscreen and secretly pondering if my husband is checking them out...after all he is a man no matter how much he loves me. And I got all my stretch marks the last month too. When I first learned I was pregnant I bought some lotions to help but didn't really use it bc I had heard it was mainly genentics that determine stretch marks - if your mom got 'em chances are you would too - and my mom didn't get them...so I was feeling above the law but during my last month, I was getting ready to take a shower and was checking myself over in the mirror and saw them all over my thighs and under belly. I cried big time. So I know how you feel. It sucks to be young (or any age really) and having to compete with society, all the magazines and celebrities - it is too much pressure for women, especially young, impressionable woman - and I curse it all to hell!

Danielle - posted on 12/13/2009

I tried everything while I was pregnant and nothing stopped them from appearing more and more and more so at 7 months pregnant I just gave up. My son is almost 8 months old and I'd say in the last two months or so is when dark reddish purpleness started to fade away. I read that it usually takes about 6 months anyways. My advice to you is to save your money and just wait a couple more months.

Sharmila - posted on 12/13/2009

My daughter is 6.5months and my stretch marks have not faded even a bit...I guess it is a reality we need to learn to live with. my gyno said that they will fade with time, but never vanish.. he said that it is the mark of motherhood! Sorry,but i can also only declare that time is the only solution.

Tiffeny - posted on 12/13/2009

Try vitamin E oil or tea tree oil

Victoria - posted on 12/13/2009

I know a lot of women are self conscious with their bodies after their babies are born but it helps to hear women talk about it. I grew extremely big the last like 2 weeks of my pregnancy and your right no amount of cream, lotion anything can keep up with that. Fortunately I have a wonderful husband who doesn't care how my body looks BUT I do! :( And I just don't feel comfortable. I am trying to keep a work out routine but with a 4 month old, well you'll know how that works. I had the PUPP's too for a month before my babe was born they were the WORST IN THE WORLD!! Neck to ankle too!! Almost made me never want kids again just to not go through that again...then he was born and everything is great.

J'Lynn - posted on 12/13/2009

Quoting amanda:

lol i wish i had the same opinion about stretch marks u guys do!! i love the fact that i had my son, and i would never wish it different, maybe eating less during pregnancy, but too late for all that. i got all my marks right in the last month, i went to walmart and saw myself in those evil mirrors and BALLEDDDD... i still hate the marks, they are so ugly even if barely noticable... and i have a tiny bit of saggy belly still after two years, and NOTHING helps at all... and i've pretty much given up hope of ever being comfortable with my stomach again... ughhhh atleast i got great boobs!!! haha

Amanda your awesome! im so glad in not the only one :) i love my two sons (2yrs and the other one is 7months) and wouldnt change them for the world but i HATE my strech marks and i feel self consious. i got really bad ones during my first pregnancy i used the lotion and was doing good but 3days before i had him my belly grew 2 1/2 in and no amount of anything can keep up with that. and they are wide i can stick my finger in the strech mark itself and it makes me cry i dont know of anybodys that are as bad. and i hear ya on the belly after my first one i got back down to size but with my second one i got even bigger my second son was a lot bigger then my first one and  ive worked out and my job is pretty active and im always running around with my kids but i still have that darn lil saggy belly...i think its there to stay :( . i wish i could be proud of it but im just not and it doesnt help that my parents and mother inlaw make comments. i admit im bigger then i was before i had my kids but im done to a size 6 and i think thats pretty good. my hips have widen so i know i wont be able to be what i was but i cant change my new bone structure and im perfectly ok with that part. aww...the things us mothers go threw for our children....but its worht it.

Amber - posted on 12/13/2009

Well there is some new laser type surgeries out there now, expensive, but they are said to work the best out of everything. Over time they become lighter and not as easy to see. I am looking into the laser treatments.

Amanda - posted on 12/13/2009

lol i wish i had the same opinion about stretch marks u guys do!! i love the fact that i had my son, and i would never wish it different, maybe eating less during pregnancy, but too late for all that. i got all my marks right in the last month, i went to walmart and saw myself in those evil mirrors and BALLEDDDD... i still hate the marks, they are so ugly even if barely noticable... and i have a tiny bit of saggy belly still after two years, and NOTHING helps at all... and i've pretty much given up hope of ever being comfortable with my stomach again... ughhhh atleast i got great boobs!!! haha

Elisha - posted on 12/13/2009

Quoting Jennifer:

Everyone has been so sweet and helpful so far...THANK YOU!!! I have always been self-conscious about my body but I am slowly but surely learning to accept & love my stretch marks...I'm more proud of my c-section scar tho lol....Thanks to all for being so encouraging!!!

well... I had a HUGE 10lb 9oz baby girl by c-section nearly 5 months ago, and I had the WORST stretch marks EVER. The worst were under my bump and a couple are 2-3cm wide and go the whole length of my belly. They were dark purple and red. Now they are the same size but going a light browny colour so I'm guessing they're starting to fade, but I think if I try to get rid of my flabby pouch belly first that will help the stretch marks fade faster. lol. But in saying that, I love my stretch marks because they are "service stripes" and I'm proud of the fact my body accomodated such a big baby! I'm happy with my man, he doesn't really care about the stretch marks either. I just turn the lights off, haha... Oooh and yes the scars are cool, huh?!

C. - posted on 12/13/2009

Quoting Janine:

If your stretch marks are dark then you still have a chance to get rid of them. Once the lighten its over, your stuck with them.

Nope. Stretch marks are caused by your skin stretching so fast that the Collagen and Elastin don't have time to catch up, causing them to break, resulting in the scars. Just like any scar, they will not go away indefinitely no matter what you do about it or when you do it. They may fade to where you can hardly notice them, but that's it. They do not just go away.

C. - posted on 12/13/2009

They will fade on their own.. No creams or oils can get rid of them or even fade them. It happens naturally.. Nothing you can do about it. It can take weeks up to a year or more for all of them to fade. Some of this is due to genetics.

FayAnne - posted on 12/13/2009

bio oil works great!!

CAROLINA - posted on 12/11/2009

Quoting Jennifer:

I had P.U.P.P.P too!!! Annoying as hell, but mine cleared up completely...I just have stretch marks to worry about...

Yes it was soo Anoying n mine went away bout 2-4 dayz after Jeremiah was here.. and funny I also had a C-Section!! LoL Luckily my Dr was also a Cosmetic Surgeon so I have a pretty small scar.. He said it was smaller but He couldn't pull Jeremiah's 9 pound butt thru it so He had to make it slightly Bigger! =p

Susie - posted on 12/11/2009

bio oil does help but i knw hw ya feelin i gt stretch marks wiv my first 6 years ago and wiv my daughter 4 mnths ago i didnt gt any new ones but my old ones went red ive been usin bio oil and it is helping mine so its worth trying. good luck

Michelle - posted on 12/11/2009

girl your marks are still fresh !!!!!! TIME will make it go away as much as it possibly can. from my personal experience all those creams are a waste of money. they give an illusion that they are doing something for us when its simply our body doing what its gonna do anyways. with time they will get lighter.

Sharalyn - posted on 12/11/2009

Use St. Ives Collagen Elastin...it smells nice and helps your skin. Also Vitamin E Oil.

Janine - posted on 12/11/2009

If your stretch marks are dark then you still have a chance to get rid of them. Once the lighten its over, your stuck with them.

Donna - posted on 12/11/2009

Quoting Donna:

ARRGGHHH STRETCH MARKS! I know some mums that have never had one stretch mark and i unfortuantly had their share! I had lots,all on my tummy. my eldest calls my tummy a water melon! NICE. Its all about your genes i think. If your mum got them, high chance you will. I used every cream and lotion going. Nothing. I will say though one thing that helps them fade. SUN. Go out and sunbathe, with suntan cream of course, as yours are still a bit new be gentle on them. They will redden for first few days then slowly turn a browner colour, over the years they do fade, but only nasty surgery will remove them, not sure how though! It really is the answer you didnt want. TIME! lol!
All i can recommend is learn to love them. They are your babies. As the greek bloke from Shirley Valentine film said, 'These are the marks of life, dont hide them!' x

p.s these stratch marks will NEVER go, i asked my doc, you can fade them, im sure one out of all the many creams must do something! But they wont go completely. They are tearing of the layers of skin. A scar effectively. Dont hate them. Like any other scar just ignore them. x

Donna - posted on 12/11/2009

ARRGGHHH STRETCH MARKS! I know some mums that have never had one stretch mark and i unfortuantly had their share! I had lots,all on my tummy. my eldest calls my tummy a water melon! NICE. Its all about your genes i think. If your mum got them, high chance you will. I used every cream and lotion going. Nothing. I will say though one thing that helps them fade. SUN. Go out and sunbathe, with suntan cream of course, as yours are still a bit new be gentle on them. They will redden for first few days then slowly turn a browner colour, over the years they do fade, but only nasty surgery will remove them, not sure how though! It really is the answer you didnt want. TIME! lol!

All i can recommend is learn to love them. They are your babies. As the greek bloke from Shirley Valentine film said, 'These are the marks of life, dont hide them!' x

Melanie - posted on 12/11/2009

Body shop stretch mark reducer is quite good, they helped mine fade quite a lot, still have them though and always will!! The sun helps too... not that im recommending sun exposure, but a little!! My little boy is 3 and i have just learned to live with them now!! x

Erika - posted on 12/11/2009

Quoting Jennifer:

Everyone has been so sweet and helpful so far...THANK YOU!!! I have always been self-conscious about my body but I am slowly but surely learning to accept & love my stretch marks...I'm more proud of my c-section scar tho lol....Thanks to all for being so encouraging!!!

Awww... I have always been self counscious too. It's not easy being a girl. We go through so.. much, but well worth it when we see our babies!!!

Erika - posted on 12/11/2009

I wish I had an answer. I'm just waiting for mine to slowly fade away. I only got a couple with my first pregnancy, but I got a lot more with my second. I've tried a lot of things, but nothing has really worked. Best of luck.

Erika
http://www.4MyFamilyandMe.com

Jennifer - posted on 12/11/2009

Everyone has been so sweet and helpful so far...THANK YOU!!! I have always been self-conscious about my body but I am slowly but surely learning to accept & love my stretch marks...I'm more proud of my c-section scar tho lol....Thanks to all for being so encouraging!!!

Jennifer - posted on 12/11/2009

Quoting Jennifer:



STRETCH MARKS...



I have done a lot of research on how to reduce the appearance of stretch marks...I have come to accept the fact that they are permanent and will never completely go away but I want the "reddish/purplish" coloring to go away!!! I had my baby 4 months ago, I use stretch mark lotion like crazy...any other suggestions other than "time"...?

Jennifer - posted on 12/11/2009

I had P.U.P.P.P too!!! Annoying as hell, but mine cleared up completely...I just have stretch marks to worry about...

CAROLINA - posted on 12/10/2009

Yeah My Son will be 2 in Feb n I'm so used to mine I've learned they're Not goin any where n only there because I carried a 9 pound lil Monster in there!!! =p But yeah they're dat silvery color like the other Ladies have mentioed.. I've become SoOo comfortable with them I even wear bikini's now!! They totally do lighten up fairly soon after.. Mine did after about 5-6 months after.. n they were Bad cuz I had PUPS (Itz a nasty Rash dat Only 1 in 5,000 women get while pregnant.. "I know I'm Lucky rite!") towards the end of My pregnancy n Yeah they were purply~red cuz I had started scratching with a hair brush under my belly so yeah just give it some time! ;)

Patricia - posted on 12/10/2009

My dear, they will fade!!! The reddish purple will fade sooner than the marks, but they fade as well. They probably won't ever disappear but they won't be bad at all. My son will be 18 months old on the 23 and I had REALLY bad stretch marks. Now, they are sort of silvery, but barely noticeable. Use a lot of lotion, and maybe some with some tint but not too much because scar tissue doesn't take to tanning lotions and tinted lotion like healthy skin.

By the way, I LOVE my stretch marks. They are my service stripes. I am proud of them. Give it just a little more time. I promise, they won't be so bad after a year or two.

Brittney - posted on 12/10/2009

Quoting Jennifer:

I have tried bio oil...i guess maybe I am not using it often enough...I tend to use palmers stretch mark cream more..

Ps- I use that stuff too and it doesnt really work for me either... :(

Brittney - posted on 12/10/2009

I was told by an employee and mother who works at babys-r-us that shark liver oil really helps reduce them. I am going to try this stuff! I have them too and would like to see the reddish purply color go away as well. If you find something that does work let me know!

Jennifer - posted on 12/10/2009

I have tried bio oil...i guess maybe I am not using it often enough...I tend to use palmers stretch mark cream more..

Kerry - posted on 12/10/2009

The purple colour eventually fades to a silvery colour and it is barely noticeable (this happenned to me after about a year or so) I used to put on fake tanning moisturiser and that hid it pretty well if i had a special occasion. But yes, unfortunately time is the best cure, another one of mother natures mistakes! LOL

Rachelle - posted on 12/10/2009

Have you tried bio oil. My bub is 7 weeks now and mine are fading. I really think it helps. Good luck