# Stretchmarks



## PeanutButterfly (Oct 1, 2010)

Hi everyone,

Im sure there have been other threads addressing this (i'm just too lazy to find them  and I'd honestly like some current information) As BBWs I'm sure most of us have experienced stretchmarks. A recent 40 lb gain has made the ones on my hips and inner thighs worse but today, to my horror, I found new ones under my arms!! A much more noticeable location than my hips. 

My question is this: has anyone here had any success in reducing the appearance of or even eliminating their stretchmarks? From what i've read online there seems to be a greater chance of reduction when the marks are "new" versus when they become a few years old. If you do a google search a plethora of expensive creams will come up claiming to work wonders but i'm not really keen on shelling out over a hundred dollars for something that won't work...

Sooo, since I trust all of you so much more than random people on the internet, any have any tips or suggestions? any help would be greatly appreciated!!


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## TinyTum (Oct 1, 2010)

Sorry, I've never tried to get rid of any of mine. They do become lighter and less noticable with age if that helps.


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## AmazingAmy (Oct 1, 2010)

I've never tried it myself, but plan to: Bio Oil. It's a generic use lotion for pretty much any skin blemish/imperfection, and I know from a lot of friends and reviews that it's commonly used for stretchmarks, whether they be from gaining/losing weight or pregnancy. It's has one of the best reputations out there, and you can get a decent sized bottle for £24 here, which sounds quite cheap if you say you've seen ones for over a hundred dollars. I've no idea how much it is the US though.

(And obviously already do, since I'm getting some with my next wages.)


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## Sandie_Zitkus (Oct 1, 2010)

My husband loves my stretch marks. It's part of being with a fat girl.


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## Emma (Oct 1, 2010)

Sandie_Zitkus said:


> My husband loves my stretch marks. It's part of being with a fat girl.



I don't let them bother me in the slightest, its not the worse thing in the world. I'd be more bothered about hiding my arse than stretchmarks haha Mind you, that doesn't bother me that much anymore either.


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## mossystate (Oct 1, 2010)

The OP is asking for suggestions about how to reduce the appearance of stretchmarks, not whether or not she should like them, or if others should/will like them.

OP...I know a few people who have used Bio Oil for scars. Not sure how they might affect stretchmarks, but they did say the scars seemed to be slightly lighter. I have some Bio Oil, and I was using them on some scars, but got lazy and didn't keep up with it. They say you need to apply twice a dday for at least three months. That's a lot to ask of me. lol


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## AuntHen (Oct 1, 2010)

Yes, the OP is asking for suggestions, but when you open up a topic like this, you are gong to get opinions on the topic itself. Perhaps if she sees that a lot of people just "live with them" she will be OK with or without a "remedy"... 

I think anyone who gains weight during their life has them (even some men). There are of course the exceptions... people who either just do not get them or they have been chubby or fat all their lives and never had the fluctuations or stretching. My little sister is a size 3 and she has them on her hips and rear end (mostly a faded white). I had them on my hips in highschool but then I gained considerable weight quickly after highschool and got them in the places where the weight gained. I wish I had known then to put something on my skin as I gained weight, but ya know... when you are young you just don't always think in terms of "down the road".

Anyway, now they are mostly faded...sometimes white, sometimes that silvery look, sometimes pinkish... I don't know... they just don't bother me really. It's like if you learn to accept your fat, you learn to accept a lot of things about your fat too (like the dimples in your thighs or butt cheeks haha)... <shrugs>

I use lotions now and I have used the bio-oil... it helps keep your skin supple and they fade a bit, but it doesn't remove them altogether. 

Also I think most people who love/like/accept fat people accept things like that about them. If not well, then they probably haven't known a lot of fat people personally IMO. The skin has to accomodate the weight somehow. Some people have stretchier more elastic skin, some don't... 

I say (just like you do with your chub) touch and rub them and embrace them as part of who you are. It beats feeling bad or disgusted with yourself


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## Tracyarts (Oct 1, 2010)

" I say (just like you do with your chub) touch and rub them and embrace them as part of who you are. It beats feeling bad or disgusted with yourself. "

Wanting to change something you don't like about yourself doesn't necessarily mean you feel bad or are disgusted with yourself. We all have the right to determine our own flaws and assets, and choose what we want to embrace and what we want to change. 

Nobody should feel any more pressure to embrace something they want to change, then they should feel to change something they want to embrace.

Like so many other things, there are two sides of the coin. 

Tracy


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## AuntHen (Oct 1, 2010)

Tracyarts said:


> " I say (just like you do with your chub) touch and rub them and embrace them as part of who you are. It beats feeling bad or disgusted with yourself. "
> 
> Wanting to change something you don't like about yourself doesn't necessarily mean you feel bad or are disgusted with yourself. We all have the right to determine our own flaws and assets, and choose what we want to embrace and what we want to change.
> 
> ...



I agree with you Tracy *if *it were something you could get rid of/really change, but truthfully unless you have skin grafts or something, you can't change or get rid of stretch marks... they can fade a bit but unless someone knows something I don't, they are there for life 

Please note: I said the words "opinion" and "IMO" in my post 

B


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## CarlaSixx (Oct 1, 2010)

One of my friends uses something from I THINK Clinique...

I just know the thing is called LipoVégétale and the bottle is green and looks kind of like a syringe. There's two parts to the kit and works really well. Each tube alone was 25$ CAD so it would be about that in USD as well. I also know you can buy it in a kit.


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## Inhibited (Oct 1, 2010)

AmazingAmy said:


> I've never tried it myself, but plan to: Bio Oil. It's a generic use lotion for pretty much any skin blemish/imperfection, and I know from a lot of friends and reviews that it's commonly used for stretchmarks, whether they be from gaining/losing weight or pregnancy. It's has one of the best reputations out there, and you can get a decent sized bottle for £24 here, which sounds quite cheap if you say you've seen ones for over a hundred dollars. I've no idea how much it is the US though.
> 
> (And obviously already do, since I'm getting some with my next wages.)



Agree Bio Oil is good my sister used it when she was pregnant and swears by it, i have used Bio Oil and noticed a slight difference though i was a lil lazy and didn't use it everyday if i used it as directed and continued using it i think i would have gotten better results.

I have also heard that Palmers coco butter is good as well, i have purchased this product but have not used it as it has a strong scent, but will be purchasing a fragrance free scent next time..
http://www.stretchmarkexperts.com.au/


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## AmazingAmy (Oct 1, 2010)

Heh, the persistent use part always fails at some point, doesn't it? There are several people in my family who work in either the health or cosmetic industry, and they're always coming home with free (and normally pricey) supplements and beauty products for me to use as part of a routine. I'm sure I'd still be doing half of them if I hadn't had the privilege of getting them for free, but you just _give up_ after a while. 

Also, there's another product for skin imperfections I just thought of, though this one is milder: Bell's Distilled Witch Hazel. It's a mild astringent which I used to use regularly on a clean face at night. Was pretty amazing, but I also used it alongside regular exercise, which may have been making my skin better without the help of the witch hazel. I've never tried it without, but may experiment in light of this thread.

I'll let you know! (Lol, give it a few weeks)


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## Tracyarts (Oct 1, 2010)

" I agree with you Tracy if it were something you could get rid of/really change, but truthfully unless you have skin grafts or something, you can't change or get rid of stretch marks... they can fade a bit but unless someone knows something I don't, they are there for life "

They are there for life, but it doesn't have to be an all or nothing kind of deal. Just minimizing a scar or stretch marks can make a big difference in how much they stand out to you, and how much their appearance bothers you. 

After I had surgery, I hated my scar. It was so dark and bright against my pale skin that it even showed under thin white clothes. It really bothered me so I started using a scar minimizing treatment on it. After a while it faded and smoothed out quite a bit. And that was enough for it to not bother me anymore. It'll always be there. But making it a bit less noticeable made all the difference in the world as to how I felt about it. 

Same with my stretch marks. I grew so tall so fast in my preteens that I had stretch marks on the backs of my knees and the inside of my elbows. At first they were bright red and very noticeable and I hated them and didn't like wearing clothes that exposed them. But once they faded out a bit I was okay with them. They're still there today. If you look close at the inside of my arms you can see them. But they don't stand out like they used to, so they don't bother me. 

Same with my acne scars. I had severe cystic acne in my younger years and for a long time wouldn't go out without at least some makeup to minimize them. But after finding some products that worked to fade them, I'm fine going out bare-faced now. My skin isn't flawless, but it's not as discolored as it used to be and that's good enough. 

At least in my experience, minimizing things like surgery scars, acne scars, stretchmarks, have made a big difference in how much they bother me. Not getting rid of them, just minimizing them has been enough.

Tracy


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## AuntHen (Oct 1, 2010)

Tracyarts said:


> " I agree with you Tracy if it were something you could get rid of/really change, but truthfully unless you have skin grafts or something, you can't change or get rid of stretch marks... they can fade a bit but unless someone knows something I don't, they are there for life "
> 
> They are there for life, but it doesn't have to be an all or nothing kind of deal. Just minimizing a scar or stretch marks can make a big difference in how much they stand out to you, and how much their appearance bothers you.
> 
> ...




well this was an awesome reply and thank you because in that respect you are very right... 

I will add for the OP, the bio-oil will really help with *prevention *of more, and when my sister was pregnant she avoided any on her stomach with *Palmers cocoa butter formula massage lotion for stretch marks *(yes that is the full name haha)


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## littlefairywren (Oct 1, 2010)

PeanutButterfly, I had a friend who would burst open a large capsule of vitamin E, and use the oil from within to rub on her stretch marks after the birth of her bub. (She used it nightly just before bed btw). She said she was happy with the results, so that may be another option for you to try


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## MizzSnakeBite (Oct 1, 2010)

PeanutButterfly said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> Im sure there have been other threads addressing this (i'm just too lazy to find them  and I'd honestly like some current information) As BBWs I'm sure most of us have experienced stretchmarks. A recent 40 lb gain has made the ones on my hips and inner thighs worse but today, to my horror, I found new ones under my arms!! A much more noticeable location than my hips.
> 
> ...



CastingPearls recommended Carol's Daughter Scar Butter in another thread.

http://www.dimensionsmagazine.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1436821&postcount=17

Here's that entire thread:
http://www.dimensionsmagazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=69691

I've tried Mederma on stretch marks, and on old and new surgical scars, and was not impressed at all. It didn't even help a tiny bit.

I think I might try Bio Oil since that might help my super dry skin too. I'm pretty sure I saw a $2 off coupon on their site, and it's on sale at Walgreen's too. 

P.S. Nothing will get rid of them.....other than cutting them out, and then you're left with a surgical scar. lol


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## Dromond (Oct 2, 2010)

Men get stretch marks too. I used to have a lot of them, but they have faded over the years until they are almost invisible. Almost. The color has faded away, leaving just the stretch in the skin. That will never go away, I don't think.


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## AmazingAmy (Oct 2, 2010)

Dromond said:


> Men get stretch marks too. I used to have a lot of them, but they have faded over the years until they are almost invisible. Almost. The color has faded away, leaving just the stretch in the skin. That will never go away, I don't think.



This is hopeful to hear!

I know a lot of men and women here are fond of stretchmarks, but for me personally I'm not too proud. I think it's because they just feel like _damage _to me. Like my skin is gonna tear.


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## Dmitra (Oct 2, 2010)

Do tattoos do well over stretchmarks? No tattoos here so no experience and I haven't (yet) held down an inked person to inspect them. 

Not that that OP would want tattoos, of course, just curious.


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## Inhibited (Oct 2, 2010)

Dmitra said:


> Do tattoos do well over stretchmarks? No tattoos here so no experience and I haven't (yet) held down an inked person to inspect them.
> 
> Not that that OP would want tattoos, of course, just curious.



Thats a good question, am thinking it would make them stand out more though, 
as i have fair skin the white kind aren't as visible, but if i got a spray tan they would be more visible... am thinking any kind of colour would make them stand out more.... but i could be wrong, wouldn't be the first time..


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## luscious_lulu (Oct 2, 2010)

I just saw an ad for Bio-oil and they said it was for stretch marks.

I've heard really good things about it, but I have not tried it. Generally my stretch marks fade quickly.

Good luck.


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## Punkin1024 (Oct 3, 2010)

I've dealt with stretch marks most of my life. Outside of laser surgery, they won't go away. I do recommend with the others, Palmer's body lotion for stretch marks. I use moisturing lotion (several different kinds - mostly scented) on a daily basis all over to keep my skin moist and supple. These seem to help keep more stretchmarks from occuring. If you want to continue gaining or stay the same, I recommend getting into a habit of using moisturizing lotions - your skin will thank you for it. I will admit that I've not tried the Bio Oil, so I have no opinion on it, though it seems to be good stuff from what I've read from other posters in this thread.


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## thatgirl08 (Oct 3, 2010)

I've never had laser treatments but I know a few people who have and they've gotten pretty good results.. better than I've seen with anything else. It's extremely expensive though.. I'm not sure of the exact cost but I got laser hair removal (done by the same place that did the laser treatment on stretchmarks) and it was like $1500ish for all of my appointments and I know the treatment for stretch marks is more.


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## AmazingAmy (Oct 3, 2010)

Punkin1024 said:


> ...I do recommend with the others, *Palmer's body lotion* for stretch marks...



Come to think of it, my sister uses Palmer's and she has the most beautiful skin I've ever seen on a fat girl (she'd try and kill me if she ever knew I'd called her that). She's tried a lot of things in her line of work in the cosmetics industry, but even with all the £100+ things she tried she's never more enthusiastic than when talking about Palmer's.


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## Donna (Oct 8, 2010)

CarlaSixx said:


> One of my friends uses something from I THINK Clinique...
> 
> I just know the thing is called LipoVégétale and the bottle is green and looks kind of like a syringe. There's two parts to the kit and works really well. Each tube alone was 25$ CAD so it would be about that in USD as well. I also know you can buy it in a kit.



The stretch mark cream I have from Clinique is called CX Stretch Mark Cream. I wonder if LipoVégétale is the French-Canadian name for it? Sounds a lot fancier than CX. The CX works relatively well, though, in fading the appearance. I was using Celtrixa, which had little to no effect on mine (but it did a hell of a job lightening my hip surgery scar from thirty years ago.)


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## CastingPearls (Oct 8, 2010)

I just started using Bio-Oil this week and if I could swim in it I would because my scars and discoloration are fading before my eyes. It is truly a miracle product.


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## NJDoll (Oct 14, 2010)

Wow this Bio Oil sounds pretty good. I will need to try this myself. 

OP I find that coco butter is a great help with stretchmarks, I don't know if that's just me; but I was pretty happy with my results when I put it on daily. Also, you might not like to do this, but I will throw out the suggestion. I find that the stretchmarks on my body are least visible when I am tan. I don't use a tanning bed in the winter nor do I have access to beautiful weather during the Winter months. I use a lotion called " Natural Glow" by Jergens. It's a daily moisturizer, that "delivers an amount natural glow." I love it and use it daily and find that my stretchmarks are hidden by the allusion of a tan.


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## PeanutButterfly (Oct 19, 2010)

Thanks everyone for all your wonderful suggestions! They're definitely a big help  When I have more time to devote to myself, probably over winter break, I think I'll give that Bio Oil stuff a try. I believe its like 13 dollars at Walmart and even if it does nothing for my stretchmarks it still couldn't hurt.


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## CastingPearls (Oct 19, 2010)

PeanutButterfly said:


> Thanks everyone for all your wonderful suggestions! They're definitely a big help  When I have more time to devote to myself, probably over winter break, I think I'll give that Bio Oil stuff a try. I believe its like 13 dollars at Walmart and even if it does nothing for my stretchmarks it still couldn't hurt.


If you're able, try to get it from Amazon.com cos you'll save a lot of money.
I paid $25 for a 2 oz. bottle in Rite-Aid and then paid $27 for a 6.7 oz bottle from Amazon. I think the original 2 oz. was only $12.75 on Amazon.


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## Tau (Oct 20, 2010)

I suffer from really severe eczema and what I've been using to calm the swelling on that has almost completely eliminated my stretchmarks too. I use aqueous cream and buy sandalwood oil and mix that in. I use it for bathing and for moisturising. Once a week I use another mixture of the cream, the oil and tumeric - a yellow spice - and this (while pungent) works wonders for the eczema and the stretchmarks. This is useful if, like me, you end up allergic to bio oil.


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## LalaCity (Oct 22, 2010)

The thing about bio-oil is that it doesn't really get rid of the stretchmarks, it just sort of plumps them up so that the striations are less visible and the whole area looks smoother. It also seems to reduce redness. I think it's something you'd basically have to apply every day for the rest of your life (or at least until the stretchmarks fade on their own with time), but it's harmless, inexpensive, and makes your skin soft, so if you can stick with it you may well feel a lot better about accepting yourself, stretchmarks and all. 

Very often just seeing even a _little_ improvement is enough to make you feel psychologically so much better.


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## PeanutButterfly (Mar 8, 2011)

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to give you all an update. My stretchmarks actually faded on their own! Kinda crazy but I'm really happy about it. Maybe it's just my young age and oily skin (I very rarely get dry skin, even in the winter so I guess its good for something) that did the trick but they're almost completely gone. All the redness has faded and the lines have started to fill back in. I've also been at a stable weight, no gaining or losing more than 5 or 6 pounds since I originally started this thread so maybe my skin just needed time to adjust? The ones on my hips are fading too but not as rapidly. Anyway thanks for all your advice! And for anyone struggling with the same issue time was the best healer of all for me.


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## bonified (Mar 10, 2011)

Bio oil stops them looking angry & nourishes the skin, it's good stuff and worked wonders on scars & fading the stretchies a lil on my stomach. I notice if my skin is dry, then the stretchies are more apparent. 

In summer I rub down a lot with hemp seed oil after showering which is 2 -4 times a day when it's hot hot. Hemp oil with its essential fatty acids, Omega 6, Omega 3 and GLA is miraculous for soft skin, hair & all cell functions. It's also good to eat it too, works inside yr body & out. All natural, no chems. But there is food grade and cosmetic grade. 

http://www.hempco.net.au/shopping/catalogue_list.asp?txtcategory=476


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## J34 (Mar 30, 2011)

I am not to fond of my stretchmarks. Its been like 4yrs since I've gotten any new ones, then I gain around 5lbs and all of a sudden 4 red marks appear on my stomach, taking over from where the old ones left off. I'm going to try that Bio Oil and see if it helps.

Also are some people or skin types more prone to stretchmarks than others? As an example, I've gotten stretchmarks on my shoulders, although I don't know why, since its not like I am gaining any excessive weight.


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## CastingPearls (Mar 30, 2011)

J34 said:


> I am not to fond of my stretchmarks. Its been like 4yrs since I've gotten any new ones, then I gain around 5lbs and all of a sudden 4 red marks appear on my stomach, taking over from where the old ones left off. I'm going to try that Bio Oil and see if it helps.
> 
> Also are some people or skin types more prone to stretchmarks than others? As an example, I've gotten stretchmarks on my shoulders, although I don't know why, since its not like I am gaining any excessive weight.


Some people and some skin types indeed are more prone to stretchmarks--the thinner and/or naturally dryer the skin the more prone you are. 

A lot of us have stretchmarks on our shoulders or even upper arms in areas that don't seem stretched. In fact, many thin people have them. They'll fade to silver over time. Bio-Oil and cocoa butter can help. If your skin is very sensitive--try the Bio-Oil in a small spot first because some people upthread have reported reactions.


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## J34 (Apr 1, 2011)

CastingPearls said:


> Some people and some skin types indeed are more prone to stretchmarks--the thinner and/or naturally dryer the skin the more prone you are.
> 
> A lot of us have stretchmarks on our shoulders or even upper arms in areas that don't seem stretched. In fact, many thin people have them. They'll fade to silver over time. Bio-Oil and cocoa butter can help. If your skin is very sensitive--try the Bio-Oil in a small spot first because some people upthread have reported reactions.



Yea most of my old ones have faded. It does seem that my dry skin is what has increased my propensity for stretchmarks. Thanks for the advice there, I will try it out.


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