Really bad stretch marks

[alexjoppie]

I've been training like crazy to blast the fat and though it's a good thing that it's working, I'm also getting nasty stretch marks. My weight isn't changing very much but over the last 4 or 5 weeks my body composition has changed a lot! My pooch is going away and right around my pelvic area I now have no fat...instead I now have stretch marks.

I'm putting vitamin E cream on them but I was wondering if anyone has a better solution to making these things less noticable.

Input would be most appreciated :)

[sonti]

I've tried everything and nothing works for me (mine are postpartum marks). I think the only cure is time.

[analia]

time won't heal these marks.unfortunately it's unavoidable,specially when you lose much during a short time.
maybe getting tanned would help make it less visual.

[sonti]

Sorry, I meant time would help them fade, not cure them. Not sure why I wrote that - I know I'm in it for life, LOL!

[alexjoppie]

That's all I want is to make them less noticable. Good idea...tanning.
Thanks.

[alexjoppie]

Sorry, I meant time would help them fade, not cure them. Not sure why I wrote that - I know I'm in it for life, LOL!

Yeah they look like they aren't gonna go anywhere. They just look really nasty right now. I had no idea it was going that fast....I'm so looking at it as a good thing!

[JESS91]

Hey, I work at a tanning salon so I thought I might share some of these tips with you if you decide to go tanning.
Beds vary, but you should try a stand up. The standup at my salon is all UVB ray- the most intense, burning ray. It's high pressure and each of the 52 bulbs is 200 watts. So, it will tan all of the pressure points (tailbone, shoulder blades) that lay down beds do not.
Lotions are a key ingredient to improving your skin while tanning, and also keeping your skin from drying out. Look for something with skin-firming ingredients in it. Designer skin makes Gorgeous Gams, which has shave-minimizers and skin-firmers in it. It's suppsoed to be a leg bronzer, but it can be used all over. Another lotion is Monarchy, which is made with real whole milk and honey, so it's LOADED with vitamin D.
Australian Gold also has some GREAT new lotions, which most of them contain the DermaDark bronzer (a clear, odorless bronzer) which doesn't cause your skin color to plateau like cosmetic bronzers will.
I've also heard if you rub any kind of oil (like baby oil) over your stretch marks after you shower, it helps.

Sorry that this was so long, I just know a lot about tanning! :]

[Valjean]

Strivectin is magic in a bottle...

if you can afford it. $140 a bottle

[LissaLynn]

Strivectin is magic in a bottle...

if you can afford it. $140 a bottle

Wowza. It might be worth it if all the hard work in the gym pays off...

[alexjoppie]

Hey, I work at a tanning salon so I thought I might share some of these tips with you if you decide to go tanning.
Beds vary, but you should try a stand up. The standup at my salon is all UVB ray- the most intense, burning ray. It's high pressure and each of the 52 bulbs is 200 watts. So, it will tan all of the pressure points (tailbone, shoulder blades) that lay down beds do not.
Lotions are a key ingredient to improving your skin while tanning, and also keeping your skin from drying out. Look for something with skin-firming ingredients in it. Designer skin makes Gorgeous Gams, which has shave-minimizers and skin-firmers in it. It's suppsoed to be a leg bronzer, but it can be used all over. Another lotion is Monarchy, which is made with real whole milk and honey, so it's LOADED with vitamin D.
Australian Gold also has some GREAT new lotions, which most of them contain the DermaDark bronzer (a clear, odorless bronzer) which doesn't cause your skin color to plateau like cosmetic bronzers will.
I've also heard if you rub any kind of oil (like baby oil) over your stretch marks after you shower, it helps.

Sorry that this was so long, I just know a lot about tanning! :]

Thanks for the tips! Some of those products I don't know if we can even get here. Since I'm in Holland. But I do know I can get Australian gold because I've seen it around. I'll see what they've got.Thanks!

[sunessence]

Argan oil is probably the best thing you can do for stretchmarks. Make sure you buy pure argan oil in health food store, not some commercial cream or lotion that has argan oil in ingredients list - it's too small percentage. You need pure stuff.

Trust me, it's amazing. A bit pricey, but worth every penny. And hurry up! The sooner you start with argan oil massage, the better your results will be!

[alexjoppie]

Argan oil is probably the best thing you can do for stretchmarks. Make sure you buy pure argan oil in health food store, not some commercial cream or lotion that has argan oil in ingredients list - it's too small percentage. You need pure stuff.

Trust me, it's amazing. A bit pricey, but worth every penny. And hurry up! The sooner you start with argan oil massage, the better your results will be!

well this is something I know I can actually get here. I'll give it a try. thanks!

[sunessence]

well this is something I know I can actually get here. I'll give it a try. thanks!

You're very welcome! :)

My two girlfriends got through their pregnancies without any stretchmarks and they swear by this stuff. I'm also on a transformation process myself and I'm using it - right now I've noticed that some deep, but very old stretchmarks on my inner thigh are far less visible. New stretchmarks - none. Ok, I still have a very long way to go, but I hope to keep my skin as supple as possible.

[Devisissy]

Tanning does not work for bad ones. They go from pink to white. There is a cream called Retin-A. It is a prescription only medication. A trip to your doctor and you two can go over your options and if this cream will work for you. Retin-A is not for stretch marks but is the only cream available that showed any promising results. Here is a link explaining the medication and it's uses, side effects, and chemical make up. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0000683

Another option that recently because available is laser treatments. It can be spendy and results are minimal. They are getting better though. Here is all about the laser. http://plasticsurgery.about.com/od/latesttechnology/f/stretch_marks.htm

Any dermatologist would be more than happy to give you a consult or a referral to a plastic surgeon in some cases.

Hope I could help. Sorry I didn't have better news.

[BlowFarAway]

I have personally had a massive amount of them lasered, and to me it was worth it. They were so bad that it made anything other than jeans with long sleeve shirts a nightmare to look at. My biceps had a few smaller ones, and my entire hip/lower abdomen was covered in them. I bought one "package" of sessions (6) and it has completely changed my life. It wasn't being chubby that made me hide my body forever, it was the scars. They are completely invisible now, they still are textured obviously, but I really don't care! :)

[Echo814]

I got my first stretch marks when I was 13 years old from a 4-5 inch growth spurt and going from a small B cup to a DD. They have faded over time and using Coco Butter has helped. Luckily I never got bright red ones, just slightly purple and white. I have seriously looked into laser and might still do it after I drop the last 20 or so pounds.