Fair Skin and Stretch Marks?

[ADubya26]

I have light skin and I have some pretty bad stretch marks on my shoulder/bicep/pec areas. I'm just seeing if anyone else that has a lighter complexion has had any luck with stretch marks by using a certain supplement or cream, etc. Also, does tanning halp for people with lighter skin or just make it worse?

[Adamb83]

OTC creams did nothing for me, except prevent my marks from getting worse.

I was given a prescription cream by my dermotologist (Forgot the name, but will check if you're interested), and that didn't seem to help either.

The only treatment is time. They will fade, eventually.

Tanning will certainly help you hide the marks, so don't worry about how you will look in the summer.

[Adamb83]

Forgot to mention-- If they are getting to be a real problem, you would be well advised to slow down your bulk, or even begin cutting.

[ADubya26]

Thanks for the feedback Adam. Im planning on applying zinc on the marks and tanning, then using some concealer since mine are pretty bad.

[coofoostu]

The cream is Tretinoin (sold as Retin-A).

Arch Dermatol. 1996 May;132(5):519-26. Related Articles, Links


Topical tretinoin (retinoic acid) improves early stretch marks.

Kang S, Kim KJ, Griffiths CE, Wong TY, Talwar HS, Fisher GJ, Gordon D, Hamilton TA, Ellis CN, Voorhees JJ.

Department of Dermatology, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, USA.

BACKGROUND AND DESIGN: Stretch marks are disfiguring lesions usually caused by excessive stretching of skin. We investigated the response of early, clinically active stretch marks to topical 0.1% tretinoin (retinoic acid) cream. In a double-blind, randomized, vehicle-controlled study, 22 patients applied either 0.1% tretinoin (n = 10) or vehicle (n = 12) daily for 6 months to the affected areas. Patients were evaluated by physical examination monthly and by analysis of biopsy specimens of stretch marks obtained before and at the end of therapy in comparison with untreated normal skin. RESULTS: After 2 months, patients treated with tretinoin had significant improvements in severity scores of stretch marks compared with patients who received vehicle (P < .05). After 6 months, eight (80%) of the 10 tretinoin-treated patients had definite or marked improvement compared with one (8%) of the 12 vehicle-treated patients (P = .002). Targeted stretch marks in patients treated with tretinoin had a decrease in mean length and width of 14% and 8%, respectively, compared with an increase of 10% (P < .001) and 24% (P = .008), respectively, in patients who received vehicle. There were no significant differences in various measures of quality and quantity of dermal collagen and elastic fibers in stretch marks when tretinoin and vehicle treatments were compared. CONCLUSIONS: Topical application of tretinoin significantly improves the clinical appearance of early, active stretch marks. The processes that are responsible for the clinical improvement remain unknown.

[JQisBiggerThanU]

I've got a real light complexion and I've got stretch marks on my stomach, chest, lats, arms, and a couple on my shoulders. I used trilastin and strivectin. If anything, the trilastin might have worked.
Here's the thing though, they used to be bad - I mean real bad. They were red all over my body and it looked nasty. But if you just give it time they become really unnoticeable. I've had then for about 2 or 3 years now. At first I got so upset about havin them, but trust me dude - people dont say enough about how much they fade and lighten. You wouldnt believe how unnoticeable they actually become. I don't know how much tanning will help because I heard that everything BUT the marks actually tan - I'm not sure though. But since the marks will evenutally turn dead white, it will blend in with lighter skin. Also the more built/chisled/fit you are, the better. Hope everything works out, dude - don't stress. its not worth it

[segment]

Some people would die just to have your problem of gaining so much so quickly.

The stretch marks would be like a medal for them.

Segment