Fresh stretch-marks: Any suggestions?

[uzra_hashmi@rediff]

I have got fresh stretch-marks at quite a few places after my third baby. My douls-cum-masseur says that perhaps they would remain with me for the rest of the life as they are quite deep. I am particularly worried about those above the navel as they can clearly be seen whenever I don a Sari where the area around the navel can be seen. Shall be thankful for any suggestions to remove or even reduce them short of plastic surgery?
Uzra

[~Heyokha~]

: I have new ones WELL above the navel.....

[AugustLia23]

As far as I've seen, once you get stretchmarks, they are your for good. Creams and such will help to reduce the appearance of them, but they will just get lighter if anything, they will still be there. Even plastic surgury(laser) will only lighten them, not make them actually disappear. If I am wrong somebody please correct me.

[yeahwhat]

Short of a tummy tuck that removes that skin, I think you're stuck with them. They will lighten over time though and be much less noticable.

[kerikadi]

Learn to love them

Keri

[channelofpeace]

They lighten to a silver, but your skin will have that stretchmark texture, if that makes sense. I find them discouraging sometimes, but they also remind me of the awesome and wonderful job my body did nourishing my baby

[Llyra]

Man, oh, man I sure wish there was something you could do about them. My stretch marks from the twins are outrageous.

BTW, does anyone know if loose skin has a chance of ever snapping back? I have, in addition to stretch marks, terrible loose skin on my belly like i can pull it out to where it was when I was 5 months along, and I'm wondering if I'm stuck with it for life or not.

[heldt123]

Those slivery lines will be there for good.

[Meg_s]

yeah.. I have scary marks that go all the way up to my ribs. You have them forever. Period. Though they will fade to silver and not look too bad!! The appearance can be improved OVER TIME by dry brushing but beside your genetic ability for your skin to heal that is really the only thing short of removing the skin itself... (I've done extensive research into tummy tucks because my belly skin is so hideous) But they can only remove so much skin and it's generally below the belly button. The skin above the belly button gets pulled down so you have your marks still, they're just a little lower and then you have a scar from hip to hip where they sew you back up again after removing a patch of skin from your lower belly.

Loose skin.. some people's loose skin does tighten up considerably, it's mostly genetics and another thing that contributes is nutrition. Dry brushing helps loose skin to a degree...and the more fat there is under the skin the worse it will look, since the skin is not tight and keeping the fat firm it all just sort of schwabbles around and makes the appearance way worse than it could be.

I have been reading a monster thread in a skin forum about stretch marks. People have been saying good things about vicks vapo rub improving the appearance?? I'm 4-6 weeks away from birth and will give it a try. It's certainly cheaper than all of the other innefective strategies out there so I might as well.

[uzra_hashmi@rediff]

Thanks mommas for confirming my understanding (also fears) about stretch-marks. Sometimes I wonder how much a mother has to bear after a pregnancy / childbirth -- stretch-marks, scars, sags, bites, decreased pleasure-sensitivities, calcium deficiency, etc. etc., not to mention excruciating pains, risks to life and health, loss of leisure and free-time, caring for progeny for rest of life, etc. Indeed, quite a price for giving a child to yourself, a father and family. Yet, we find the balance of choice in favour of conceiving and rearing a child / children.
Uzra

[AugustLia23]

Originally Posted by uzra_hashmi@rediff

Thanks mommas for confirming my understanding (also fears) about stretch-marks. Sometimes I wonder how much a mother has to bear after a pregnancy / childbirth -- stretch-marks, scars, sags, bites, decreased pleasure-sensitivities, calcium deficiency, etc. etc., not to mention excruciating pains, risks to life and health, loss of leisure and free-time, caring for progeny for rest of life, etc. Indeed, quite a price for giving a child to yourself, a father and family. Yet, we find the balance of choice in favour of conceiving and rearing a child / children.
Uzra

Yep, all part of being a woman. IMHO, I wouldn't trade my children for my pre-stretchmarked body.

[Mama K]

Originally Posted by uzra_hashmi@rediff

Thanks mommas for confirming my understanding (also fears) about stretch-marks. Sometimes I wonder how much a mother has to bear after a pregnancy / childbirth -- stretch-marks, scars, sags, bites, decreased pleasure-sensitivities, calcium deficiency, etc. etc., not to mention excruciating pains, risks to life and health, loss of leisure and free-time, caring for progeny for rest of life, etc. Indeed, quite a price for giving a child to yourself, a father and family. Yet, we find the balance of choice in favour of conceiving and rearing a child / children.
Uzra

Oh, but they are absolutely, totally worth it and I would do it a million times over...

[KiwiZ]

In addition to the above wonderful posts, we are hardest on ourselves, aren't we? I've seen women in bikinis with stretchmarks who I thought were sexy and confidant, headturners