What can you do about STRETCH MARKS

[claddaghmom]

I got them really really bad w/ DD. On my inner thighs. My outer thighs. My sides. My stomach. Oh they are everywhere. They are deep, thick and blue/purple.

They are not going away! And they are so long and in so many places that even a modest swimsuit doesn't hide them.

Short of surgery, what are the tricks?

[Blucactus]

Ok, I think since they are still that color and not silvery-white, they are pretty new? I would treat them like I would any scar healing in a prominent place--you can put vit e firectly on them, and I've heard of people using coconut oil or shay butter to keep them moisturized as they 'heal' too. IMHO you can try to diminish their appearance, but I think you'll be left, at best, with smaller marks than they are now, I haven't heard of them disappearing, though I would be happy if someone came along and corrected me...

I have them bad, too, first pregnancy I gained 60 pounds and got them on my from my hips to my knees. No kidding. Hips, belly, pelvis, inner thighs, outer thights, back of the knees. I did nothing for them (wish I would have) and they faded to deep, silvery pale grooves in my skin.

[claddaghmom]

Originally Posted by Blucactus

Ok, I think since they are still that color and not silvery-white, they are pretty new? I would treat them like I would any scar healing in a prominent place--you can put vit e firectly on them, and I've heard of people using coconut oil or shay butter to keep them moisturized as they 'heal' too. IMHO you can try to diminish their appearance, but I think you'll be left, at best, with smaller marks than they are now, I haven't heard of them disappearing, though I would be happy if someone came along and corrected me...

I have them bad, too, first pregnancy I gained 60 pounds and got them on my from my hips to my knees. No kidding. Hips, belly, pelvis, inner thighs, outer thights, back of the knees. I did nothing for them (wish I would have) and they faded to deep, silvery pale grooves in my skin.

Well, I suppose I'll take silver grooves as opposed to what I have now.

So it is just from the newness then?


And I did try all the goodies...oils, lotions, external and internal vit. e...didn't make a difference. Once day I was a cute pregger woman and the next day I was stretch armstrong.

I really wouldn't mind if they didn't show outside of a rather modest swimsuit (skirt, straps, full coverage, etc). I mean, unless I wear a t-shirt and shorts to the pool....

[heatherweh]

I think learn to love them or at least accept them is really all that can be done. I hear that they will lighten and appear less um...divoted with time. Check out this website- it made me feel better (compliments of someone else on the boards after I was feeling lousy about my new mommy body).

http://theshapeofamother.com/about-this-site/

I tried moisturizing during pregnancy and everything too, I really think its more of a genetic predisposition (thanks Mom- well yes thanks for having me I guess they're my fault in her really not vice-versa).

[lifeguard]

Time will fade them. How much time - depends on the person but they will fade. Unfortunately they won't go away. I'm very prone to them & even got stretch marks from growing in puberty. Blah!

[tanyalynn]

I don't know of anything to do with my current crop of stretch marks. I've read a couple old nutrition books that linked stretch marks to being low in zinc, I know I was quite low, so I'll be supplementing extra if/when my next pregnancy comes along.