REALLY REALLY bad strechmarks - what can i do? plz help!!

[louloubell84]

MY stretch marks are so bad, i have them on my breasts, hips, stomach and all down my legs. I went from a size 8 to a size 12 in my last trimester and i feel so ugly. They hurt when i touch them, i cant stop thinking about them.
I have no libido because i feel so ugly, im 21 and used to be so confident, now i just cover up. I hate looking in the mirror, and no matter what i do they dont seem to be getting any better - what can i do??? i spend so much money on creams - but they dont help.
Please help me, i feel like an alien has taken over my body.

[OldieMum]

So sorry you feel bad about your stretchmarks. They do fade, eventually, to a silvery colour and I can't imagine that they will continue to feel painful. I don't think there is much you can do, though. When I see mine, I just try to think how glad I am to have my DD and that she was a such big, healthy baby. Sorry I can't help more.

[JoolsToo]

Please don't waste any money on 'magic' cures - they don't work and unfortunately there's not a lot you can do about it.

Lots of women have stretch marks some worse than others. I have felt like you but they do fade with time - mine are whitish now and I hardly notice them - dh certainly couldn't give two hoots about them.

Having felt like you are now - there's not a lot anyone can say to make you feel better - but what I can say is that you will begin to feel better about yourself in time.

[DillyDally]

I do have to say the decleor prolagene really helped me and within a week, the marks looked a whole lot better - not gone but a lot less obvious
It is quite pricy £28 a bottle - but it helped me and lasted for 6 months plus

[logic]

Agree with joolstoo completely. Creams don't work. I had them terribly with ds, all over my stomach, hips and thighs. They are now a silvery colour and while I totally understand your panic, you will learn to live with them and even forget that you have them! Partners really don't care and they will remind you of your beautiful baby. Try not to worry.

[knowhowitfeels]

what would work best for boobs? i have marks on them and so know how you feel. im dreading summer because i want to wear strappy tops but need to make sure they are covered enough so no one can see the marks

[DillyDally]

The prolagene will only work on relatively newish scarring by the way - I have boob stretch marks from puberty that are with me to stay no matter what

[fairyfly]

A tan!

[PrettyCandles]

I didn't mind terribly when I saw that I was developing stretchmarkks. It was only well after the birth - when I could see all of my tummy and thighs again! - that I realised just how extensive they were. I had ten times more than I had thought I had. At first the do look red and angrily obvious, but they do fade - though it can take months. It took me ages to work up the courage to go to the gym...I felt fat and wobbly and ugly (becuase fo the stretchmarks). But when i actually went and got changed in the communal changing rooms I realised that I ddin't give a damn. Those stretchmarks felt like a badge of honour: I have carried and given birth to a child, and I feel so proud of myself.

How long ago did you have your baby?

[dropinthe]

I feel exactly the same as you but you are young honey and have alot of time for them to go! Im 35 and mine arent just marks they are great deep ravines across my belly-I too am completely ashamed of them although always think of Shirley Valentine's bo saying(in best Greek voice)..."you musnt be ashamed of these marks...cant remember the rest just know its hilarious!!

[louloubell84]

Thank you all so much - i know they will fade eventually - it has only been five months, but they just seem so wide and deep - they are still pink so maybe that decolor cream dillydally mentioned will work, but where can i buy it?
I am usining a foundation called Dermablend, it is great for covering stretchmarks on my breasts, i even used it on my legs and managed to wear a skirt, look out for it in boots. Also there is a spray u can buy on Ebay called Nyce Legs - that works as a spray on foundation to cover blemishes.

[Kidstrack2]

So sorry to hear your story of unsightly stretchmarks. I am 23 and when I was 17 I too suffered. I had my ds, I was a size 8 and I went up to a whopping 13stone when my usual weight was 81/2stone he did weigh in at a healthy 9lbs 2oz and to top it off I had a c-section,so I have a big ugly scar too I was stretched all ways. At the end of pregnancy my strech marks were bleeding and they hurt. I was so busy with the baby I didn't have time to think about doing anything about the strechmarks but it did get me down.When ds was about 9months I started going to sunbeds for 6mins twice week and I also started using Bio Oil once a day. After 3 years they were silvery lines and we then decided to have another baby I used Bio Oil from the start and I got no new stretch marks. My dd is nearly 2 and I still have the orignal stretch marks but they are silvery. I buy nice clothes that cover my tummy to meet my jeans I just couldn't wear short tops but I am happy with that. I now have joined my local gym and trying to tone up my tummy and legs I know the stretch marks will never go but all in all I have two beautiful children and to me it was worth every stretch mark. I'm sure u will start to feel better soon just concentrate on yourself and the baby and make a little time for yourself even just to try out the local sunbeds. Ps Bio Oil costs 9.95 from most chemists.

[QueenEagle]

I was 23 when I had my 2nd baby who weighed a whopping 9lb 14oz. I developed huge wide stretchmarks which go up to half way between my belly button and my boobs. They have not got any worse with each pregnancy since thankfully. I'm now nearly 35 and am still prone to periods of loathing my belly so much I wish I could afford cosmetic surgery, but then in the cold light of day think the risks of surgery are too great.

I am lucky enough to have a fantastic husband who adores me, our sex life is brilliant because he sees beyond my scarred belly. He worries he is too fat - he is but I still fancy him like mad and adore him too. Just proves men have insecurities too. It's taken me a long time to feel confident again about my body even though I have those days when I could cry because I hate them so much - I'm sure my DH's attitude towards it helps. I look upon it now as a fair exchange - a few stretchmarks for 5 happy, healthy kids.

[PrettyCandles]

The marks can take up to two years to fade to the vaguely silvery invisible colour, and you don't develop any more with subsequent pregnancies.

Your body has changed in many ways as a result of having a child - I know my ribs and hips are wider - and some of the changes may even be for the better (my nipples are larger and I like it). But some of the changes aren't so nice - stretchmarks and fallen arches for me. Take your time to get used to your new body. There's lots to discover...and you may find new things that you do like about yourself.

[biglips]

i only had my baba 5.5 months ago and i developed stretch marks when i was 8 months pg... when i was pg i was putting on - at every shower - johnsons baby oil before the stretch marks starting to show but that didnt work, so now i use Vit-E oil from holland & barretts, it cost no less than £6 for a small bottle and the stretch marks are fading too - mine still abit pink with silvery look but at least im doing something about it.

[biglips]

and my baba was a 9lb 1oz

[lemonsquash]

if it's any help I've been using elemis cameila oil every day after a shower on my bump and boobs and thighs as was convinced I would get them (already had some on tops of thigh which have faded a bit since using it) and so far nothing new yet (39 weeks now). BUT my big problem has been that I have a tattoo low on my bump between my hip bone and belly button which has totally stretched. Not sure what to do with it when the baby arrives.
But like others have said here I think it is also something to be a proud of in your body, it's maybe just different than you thought. It's only now that I have started to 'enjoy' having a bump (and the fact the boob fairy arrived!) as I had a really fixed idea of how I liked my body to be before. Maybe I'm a (very) late developer but it's certainly changed the way I feel about myself. Hope it helps a bit

[flix]

take a good supplement of zinc and bioflavonoids, they are both good for skin elasticity. you won't be able to get them together in one bottle and take the maximum dose esp for the first month.

[HUNKERMUNKER]

Creams containing zinc are good - try sudocrem (seriously - worked a treat on mine).

[Carmenella]

Hi
Sorry to here about how you feel hard enough coping with baby I really dont know if there is anything that will take them totally away. I use Avon stretch mark cream made them less obvious but they will go silvery in time. As for libido candlelight and dimmer switches are a god send