Stretchmarks and Saggy skin

[Nicola1110]

Over the last year ive gained a good bit weight which im desperate to shift. I know I can do this with hard work as ive done it before and have up until recently always been really fit. However ive developed some stratch marks on my thighs and also on my lower stomach. It puts me off losing weight because Im terrified of end up with sagging and permenant stretchmark areas.

Will this ever go down? or wil i be left with sagging? Is there a way to help prevent it?

[goalorientgirl]

Try Bio Oil on your stretch marks - for some people, that works really well. The longevity of stretch marks seems to depend on the person, unfortunately. I've had stretch marks all over my ass since I was 15, and they are clearly not going away. But I know many women who have changed size dramatically and had their stretch marks completely gone in 6 months. Do you have other old stretch marks? If not, you might be lucky and just someone whose body can repair them quickly. You'll just have to wait and see if your body can repair/reabsorb the skin easily - products like Bio Oil can help your skin along, in some cases.

[1972girl]

Over the last year ive gained a good bit weight which im desperate to shift. I know I can do this with hard work as ive done it before and have up until recently always been really fit. However ive developed some stratch marks on my thighs and also on my lower stomach. It puts me off losing weight because Im terrified of end up with sagging and permenant stretchmark areas.

Will this ever go down? or wil i be left with sagging? Is there a way to help prevent it?

At 22 I think the sagging will go away over time, mine did and I lost the weight around 29. The stretch marks I'm not sure about, I have some that never went away but I don't know if there is something you can do to help them along. They don't bother me that much but at 22 I'm sure they would. The older you get the less chance it will not sag.

[Nicola1110]

Thanks ladies. it really is so off putting for me and makes me think whats the point. Im glad to ehar that they could redeem themselves. I got really bad stretchmarks on my boobs when i was about 14 when i suddenly got these huuuuge boobs outta nowhere and its taken til about the last 2 years for them to still properly fade so i guess it will just take time. xx

[oregonchick76]

Thanks ladies. it really is so off putting for me and makes me think whats the point. Im glad to ehar that they could redeem themselves. I got really bad stretchmarks on my boobs when i was about 14 when i suddenly got these huuuuge boobs outta nowhere and its taken til about the last 2 years for them to still properly fade so i guess it will just take time. xx

I understand how you feel, but that's so silly! What's the point? Well, thin and fit ALWAYS looks better than overweight, regardless of stretch marks! Who gives a rats ass that you've got some sagging skin and stretch marks if you're rockin' a 6 pack and shapely shoulders/back/legs?

I'm COVERED in stretch marks from having kids. Saggy boobs too. Someday I'll get a boob job, but the stretch marks are here to stay. And I don't care. Ya'll will be too busy admiring my massive squat to notice :-)

[MimiLondon]

Will this ever go down? or wil i be left with sagging? Is there a way to help prevent it?

One of the girls suggested Bio-Oil...I've used that and I think it definitely does something. I don't reckon you can expect that rubbing any cream on the area will actually get rid of stretch marks or excess skin, but it can make it look a little bit better.

Have you thought about a dermaroller? ...it is a little painful, but it's the only thing that actually worked for me (as in completely GOT RID of the stretch marks, and caused the skin to become smooth and tight and flawless again).

I had quite long stretch marks that went from over my hip bone right down my butt, and outer thighs. I don't why I got such bad ones (I was a bit heavier on and off as a teen, but nothing to warrant the kind of stretch-marks I had. Grr). I tried lots of creams, body brushing, massaging and VelaShape (so expensive, and so not worth it FYI). I considered having laser on them and had some consultations (quotes were around £3000) but I was scared off by the revelation that laser can cause permanent pigmentation issues. Aargh.

My sister got me onto dermarolling (she's a nurse). I was very skeptical, and I'm a bit a wuss too, but she had a breast reduction a few years ago and had actually managed to totally get rid of the scars and stretch marks on her breasts over about a year of doing it at home.

From the time I started rolling I would estimate that in 2-3 months they had improved about 30 or 40%. The effect was obviously cumulative though, because I kept rolling twice and month and it took me just over a year to remove them completely.
I'm very happy (and grateful to my sister, obviously) because the whole area is so smooth and tight that it looks better than it did before the stretch marks arrived. It was well worth the investment, for me. It might be worth a try for you?

Btw. I bought 2 rollers over the year (cause they wear out after about 6 months). They cost me £55 each ($80).

[goalorientgirl]

Have you thought about a dermaroller? ...it is a little painful, but it's the only thing that actually worked for me (as in completely GOT RID of the stretch marks, and caused the skin to become smooth and tight and flawless again).

From the time I started rolling I would estimate that in 2-3 months they had improved about 30 or 40%. The effect was obviously cumulative though, because I kept rolling twice and month and it took me just over a year to remove them completely.
I'm very happy (and grateful to my sister, obviously) because the whole area is so smooth and tight that it looks better than it did before the stretch marks arrived. It was well worth the investment, for me. It might be worth a try for you?

Btw. I bought 2 rollers over the year (cause they wear out after about 6 months). They cost me £55 each ($80).

I've never looked into dermarollers before - were your stretch marks old or new? If it works on old stretch marks (ie. My teenage bum growth stretch marks...), I'd certainly be interested in looking into it...

[MimiLondon]

I've never looked into dermarollers before - were your stretch marks old or new? If it works on old stretch marks (ie. My teenage bum growth stretch marks...), I'd certainly be interested in looking into it...

My stretch marks were mostly old. I started getting them at about 14 (so unfair!), and I only discovered dermarollers at 24, so I was working with ones up to 10 years old.
I had some different types of them as well. The ones over my hips and outer thigh were very deep and long. the ones on my booty were short and shallow and lighter in colour, but they were EVERYWHERE! Horrible. I wouldn't wear anything other than boy-leg bikinis or boardshorts...so embarassing.

[goalorientgirl]

My stretch marks were mostly old. I started getting them at about 14 (so unfair!), and I only discovered dermarollers at 24, so I was working with ones up to 10 years old.
I had some different types of them as well. The ones over my hips and outer thigh were very deep and long. the ones on my booty were short and shallow and lighter in colour, but they were EVERYWHERE! Horrible. I wouldn't wear anything other than boy-leg bikinis or boardshorts...so embarassing.

I've got th exact same situation - got them when I got my hips/butt when I was a teenager (and I was never heavy), and they are absolutely everywhere... They definitely make me feel very self conscious in a bikini but I had sort of just expected I had to live with them since they were already so old. I just looked up reviews for dermarollers and it all looks quite good. I'll order one and see what happens in a few months. Thanks!

[MimiLondon]

I've got th exact same situation - got them when I got my hips/butt when I was a teenager (and I was never heavy), and they are absolutely everywhere... They definitely make me feel very self conscious in a bikini but I had sort of just expected I had to live with them since they were already so old. I just looked up reviews for dermarollers and it all looks quite good. I'll order one and see what happens in a few months. Thanks!

No problem!
I hope it works for you. I'm really glad I found out about it, and also that I stuck with consistently over the year, as it definitely had a cumulative effect. I am SO happy to be stretch mark free...I never thought would happen

[thedogdidit]

I bought a dermaroller a few years ago but have never had the courage to use it! I had totally forgotten about it until this thread. I'm gonna have to give it a go.

I'm in that same boat -- stretch marks all over my butt and thighs since puberty and yet I was never overweight nor underweight -- I've been essentially the same size for 30 years.

Now off to find that little torture device.

Oh, by the way, what length needle is yours?

Thanks for bringing this up MimiLondon!

edit: another question.. did you put anything on before or after? Any topicals?

[MimiLondon]

I started out with a 1.5mm needle length, and rolled hard and thoroughly twice a month. After six months it was time to order a new roller so I switched to a 3mm, and used it only every 3 weeks.
I don't think you need a super-long needle length, but I chose those because I was working on fatty areas of the body (ie. my boot-ay) and I wanted to breach the dermis so the underneath layers would also be remodeled and any cellulite would disappear too. Which it did.

I found it painful over my hip bones, as there is less fat there. My sister told me to suck it up (lol!), but actually I bought some numbing cream from the chemist that people use when they get tattoos, and I used that on the parts that would hurt.

I also tried it on my face, but it hurt like a mo-fo, and I couldn't be bothered slathering my whole face in numbing cream. Meh.
I think shorter needles would be a way smarter choice if I decide to take a second run at my face...

I didn't use any topicals/special creams, but my sister did use some Vitamin C serum...I just didn't really bother shelling out for that because she had told me it's more beneficial to take a multivitamin (with plenty of Vit A, C and E) than to apply any of those things to the surface of the skin.
This makes sense to me really, because the whole idea is to stimulate the body to form new tissue, which it will make from the available resources contained IN the body.

I guess it can't hurt to apply Bio Oil or something, but I just stuck with a good multivitamin.

[goalorientgirl]

I started out with a 1.5mm needle length, and rolled hard and thoroughly twice a month. After six months it was time to order a new roller so I switched to a 3mm, and used it only every 3 weeks.
I don't think you need a super-long needle length, but I chose those because I was working on fatty areas of the body (ie. my boot-ay) and I wanted to breach the dermis so the underneath layers would also be remodeled and any cellulite would disappear too. Which it did.

Oh good, I just bought a 1.5mm needle length roller online! My butts got enough padding I don't think it'll be too painful, hips and front of thighs might be a little iffy. You only need to do it a few times a month? I've read some reviews of people doing it several times a week... That, I might not like.

[MimiLondon]

Oh good, I just bought a 1.5mm needle length roller online! My butts got enough padding I don't think it'll be too painful, hips and front of thighs might be a little iffy. You only need to do it a few times a month? I've read some reviews of people doing it several times a week... That, I might not like.

Yeah, people definitely disagree on how to do it. Some people say do it daily and lightly, others say go for broke no more than twice a month...

Before I did it I researched the process under it's medical name (micro-needling/CIT) and the proper medical studies showed it to be VERY effective. I learned a lot from reading the medical notes in the studies:

1. The process of forming new collagen cells actually is a 40 day cycle.
- this explains the cumulative results, and also why some people do it for a week and then give up because they didn't see a change. From the time you roll (and trigger the 'minimally invasive wounding') the inflammation that triggers new cell proliferation begins. It takes weeks for the new and undamaged cells to form and lodge where you rolled.

2. All (absolutely ALL) of the medical studies I could find used a strong and deep roll (some so strong that there was quite a bit of surface bleeding after! Note. I did not do this!). The studies mostly focused on causing real aggravation in the sub-dermal layers (so rolling hard) NO more than once a month. And in some study cases, once every few months.
- If this is how the pros are doing it (and the method they are using even in all cases, whether it's acne scarring, burn victims, stretch marks or wrinkles) then that seemed like the best option.

3. It seemed to me that the reason the studies focused on causing heavier trauma more infrequently is because of the length of the collagen tissue cycle, which is around forty days. Rolling lightly every day seems rather pointless when compared to the alternative. It makes more sense to cause enough trauma (and reach below the epidermis, which light and frequent rolling would not) and then back off and let the healing cycle take place. I can't see any benefit to stimulating the growth cycle daily, and doing it too often may prevent the inflammation from healing; which is when the magic happens...
- I rolled no more than twice a month, and always waited until the skin felt completely normal and no inflammation remained before I rolled again to trigger another collagen rebuilding phase.

4. Needle lengths were much longer in medical trials than most people are using at home. This might explain why some don't see the incredible results that the study before & afters would indicate.
- Things like cellulite, and stretch marks that are indented, are signs of damage in the dermal layer (like the skins structural support layer). A needle that's too short is just gonna roll around irritating the epidermis without causing damage and triggering cell growth in the basal layers. And that's really the main reason cellulite and stretch mark creams have limited success - we're applying topicals to the epidermis, when it's actually the dermis that is damaged. The pricey lotions and potions aren't able to get the fancy ingredients into the layer where they'd be useful...

I think it's probably up to you how often you roll, and how hard, but certainly the medical trials are a good indication that thorough dermal remodeling has been achieved with the once a month, really go-hard method. And the results take time, but are cumulative and permanent...definitely worth the time investment for someone like me, who really thought my lower body was ruined forever, and was facing a life hiding under sarongs and avoiding the beach!

[MimiLondon]

I found a picture that shows what I was trying to explain (hope it shows up properly, I've not put a picture up before!).

SO in the diagram you can see the Epidermis (which is our visible skin layer) is quite thick, and below it are the dermal layers. Tiny wrinkles and fine lines can be resolved just by penetrating the epidermis, but for scars, pitting, cellulite and indented stretch marks, you must reach the papillary dermis, as you see in the picture. Wounding there causes the collagen cascade that remodels the under-layers as well as the surface tissues, and gives you nice new skin on a new smooth base.

The good news is that you can trigger the collagen cascade again and again, provided you leave time for it to heal after each go. So, when your skin is remodeled you also have a thicker collagen layer than before, which will continue to help PREVENT cellulite (yay!) and improve the 'tightness' of skin for the future.

EDIT. Ok, won't let me post a link or an image!

Let's be sneaky! Chuck the www in front of this...

.arabeauty.com.au/images/needling1.gif

[thedogdidit]

I actually bought mine for wrinkles/fine lines, so i think the needle length might be too short. I can't remember the length I decided on at the time.

I think I had kind of given up hope for my stretch marks since I've had them so long. The fine lines are much more recent ...

It almost seems pointless at my age to get rid of the stretch marks, all of that emotional suffering (and they do so mess with your mind, don't they?) has already happened. Lol. But if I can get rid of them, hey, I'm trying for a bikini body again so why not try for stretchmark free, too?

How many days after rolling is it still visibly noticeable that you've rolled? I mean, I assume you're pretty red and blotchy after rolling, right?

[MimiLondon]

How many days after rolling is it still visibly noticeable that you've rolled? I mean, I assume you're pretty red and blotchy after rolling, right?

I used deep needle lengths (1.5 and then 3.0mm) and rolled the area as thoroughly as I could manage without wimping out. I spent about 5 mins on each leg/hip/butt side.

Right after I rolled I hopped in a cool shower for a few minutes because my sis' (the nurse) told me to rinse the area with clean water whenever you break the skin. The cool water probably helped to calm it down a bit, so I'd recommend doing that.
The area looks very agitated (like a million teeny tiny red dots, that looks like you got a rash) right after you roll. It was actually not painful, but it was a bit itchy/stingy for around 20-40 minutes. I just put on some baby lotion moisturizer if it felt too itchy and it calmed right down.
For the rest of the day it will still be red and dotty, but by the next day the skin was no longer sensitive or rash-like. I could still see some of the little dots for a couple of days, but they aren't red anymore and neither is the skin.

I mostly rolled on Sundays, and by Tuesday it'd be fine to wear shorts around the place and no-one would know unless they decided to carry out an up-close inspection of my upper thighs. Luckily, no-one ever did that

[goalorientgirl]

I found a picture that shows what I was trying to explain (hope it shows up properly, I've not put a picture up before!).

SO in the diagram you can see the Epidermis (which is our visible skin layer) is quite thick, and below it are the dermal layers. Tiny wrinkles and fine lines can be resolved just by penetrating the epidermis, but for scars, pitting, cellulite and indented stretch marks, you must reach the papillary dermis, as you see in the picture. Wounding there causes the collagen cascade that remodels the under-layers as well as the surface tissues, and gives you ice new skin on a new smooth base.

Thanks for the research. Before I bought mine I did a quick pubmed search of dermarolling/micro-needling and it does indeed sound promising. I'll let this forum know how it goes after a few months. Thanks again.

[MimiLondon]

No worries, hope it works out well

[silverlining84]

Interesting. I'm going to do some more reading about this. I have a total of 3 stretchmarks that I absolutely hate. Not lots but i'd be happy if I could get rid of them. Let me know how it works for you!