Stretch Marks!!

[RK]

This sucks!! TCA's working for you!? Never worked for me.

It#s quite disheartening when other people seem to be able to correct theirs and mine are just stuck there.

Anyway, as for me. I've been applying the Obagi 0.05% 1x a day - and contrary to what I said before, I started applying it to tummy & breasts too (as well as arms). The tube's consequently almost run out already. I thought I wasn't getting any irritation but just started to 2 days ago (on my breasts). Everywhere looks a bit worse if anything, in fact I think I've spotted a few more appearing on my right arm (but I'm not saying that's down to the retin A - probably more the severe stress my body seems to have been under, as I'm breaking out with rashes & all sorts at the moment). I've only dermarollered twice with the retin A, because it started to itch too much (like when I tried with the copper peptides). The obagi cream is very expensive & I'm geting through it too quickly for my mum to keep ordering it from her derm (who has been giving it to her pre face lift), so I cracked & ordered 3 x 35g tubes of 0.1 retin-A from In House Pharmacy....... Purely on price, even if i get import duties it will work out cheaper as the obagi tubes are only 20g. Anyway, I'm just hoping that it will be the real deal & real retin-A, as my mother ordered some HRT from there once which she was convinced was fake (she continued getting flushes etc until she went and saw a private doctor who prescribed her some, so she could tell the internet ones were fake).

Anyway - I mentioned before that I had Accent treatment on my thighs & bum and that it did what it was supposed to do but I don't think touched the stretchmarks/improved them. Hopefully I'll be having Accent on my arms soon & I'll definitely be looking very carefully for signs of any improvement in my marks (though I don't hold out any hope).

At least the Protopic actually got rid of the excema on my face and neck - what a relief to be able to use all my normal products without my face burning & itching & flaking all over the place.
RK

[Guest]

This sucks!! TCA's working for you!? Never worked for me.

RK

Rk sorry to hear it did not work for you, can I ask you the following:

1. where did you buy it from
2. what percentage did you use
3. how many layers did you apply each time you used it
4. did you peel? (some people do not)
5. how many times over what period did you try it

Just trying to work out why it would not work for you when it is working so well for me.

J

[RK]

I bought it from a couple of different people & actually someone from this board sent me the rest of theirs as well (lovely person who seems to have left the board now - Rosie). Anyway, most of it was obtained from Ebay, think I got the last lot from platinumskincare.

The first lot I used didn't seem to do much at all - even at supposed 100%, the stuff Rosie got me worked so I could tell the diff (can't remember percentage) & the last stuff I got was the real deal & 80%< I think. I really can't remember routine but I pretty much used to use it neat (between 40% - a supposed 80/100%). I even used the dermaroller with it a couple of times - one time I did this on my left knee & actually thought the marks did improve, but that's the only time & did it on a very small area.

Anyway - I think I've peeled every area about 6/7 times - sort of 3 times with 4 - 5 weeks inbetween then I left it for months to recover the hyperpigmentation (where there was some) & repeated.

As for no. of layers I applied - it all depended on how long it took to frost. If it was taking its time I applied a second layer, in general it was only one. Mostly it took between 1-3 minutes to frost.

I did peel but it took a long time to happen - roughly 2-3 weeks for it to start peeling & it used to come off quite slowly, which was why I used to then pick bits off (because even after a week it was still shedding & it was quite tempting). I only got hyperpigmentation at the highest strengths & where I picked, so I owuldn't advise it. It does fade though.

I'm impressed you saw a difference after the first peel. I thought I did a couple of times but then about a week or two after the swelling & colour settled down and - hey presto - skin was the same.

I generally 'prepped' the skin inbetween and after using all the same lotions & potions I usually do - mene & moy vit c & glycolic or mdformulations etc etc.

Not a very scientific approach to it all (perhaps) but the honest one.

And when I say I picked at it, it was 'sensible' picking (if that makes sense) - i.e. if I had a large flap of snake like skin hanging off, I wouldn't antagonise it by ripping it off, I'd tear it to where it was flush with the rest of the skin (so just aided the process). I no that's still not very good but I wasn't actively picking at the skin when it was just a bit flaky)... I found with TCA that it tended to come off all most sheet like & sometimes very thickly.

RK

[Guest]

I bought it from a couple of different people & actually someone from this board sent me the rest of theirs as well (lovely person who seems to have left the board now - Rosie). Anyway, most of it was obtained from Ebay, think I got the last lot from platinumskincare.

The first lot I used didn't seem to do much at all - even at supposed 100%, the stuff Rosie got me worked so I could tell the diff (can't remember percentage) & the last stuff I got was the real deal & 80%< I think. I really can't remember routine but I pretty much used to use it neat (between 40% - a supposed 80/100%). I even used the dermaroller with it a couple of times - one time I did this on my left knee & actually thought the marks did improve, but that's the only time & did it on a very small area.

Anyway - I think I've peeled every area about 6/7 times - sort of 3 times with 4 - 5 weeks inbetween then I left it for months to recover the hyperpigmentation (where there was some) & repeated.

As for no. of layers I applied - it all depended on how long it took to frost. If it was taking its time I applied a second layer, in general it was only one. Mostly it took between 1-3 minutes to frost.

I did peel but it took a long time to happen - roughly 2-3 weeks for it to start peeling & it used to come off quite slowly, which was why I used to then pick bits off (because even after a week it was still shedding & it was quite tempting). I only got hyperpigmentation at the highest strengths & where I picked, so I owuldn't advise it. It does fade though.

I'm impressed you saw a difference after the first peel. I thought I did a couple of times but then about a week or two after the swelling & colour settled down and - hey presto - skin was the same.

I generally 'prepped' the skin inbetween and after using all the same lotions & potions I usually do - mene & moy vit c & glycolic or mdformulations etc etc.

Not a very scientific approach to it all (perhaps) but the honest one.

And when I say I picked at it, it was 'sensible' picking (if that makes sense) - i.e. if I had a large flap of snake like skin hanging off, I wouldn't antagonise it by ripping it off, I'd tear it to where it was flush with the rest of the skin (so just aided the process). I no that's still not very good but I wasn't actively picking at the skin when it was just a bit flaky)... I found with TCA that it tended to come off all most sheet like & sometimes very thickly.

RK

I am really interested now, so did you not see any improvement at all (long term after the skin had settled down) and how deep and old were the marks you were treating?


It sounds like you have used very strong peels too, yet not really had any results from them. I did a 3 layer peel on my lower legs, and my bum has just had a 2 layer peel. I do not get frosting, but the skin does peel after about 4 days and it takes about 8 to 10 days for the peeling to finish. Each peel is showing improvements on me. However, RK I am taking A LOT of vit c and also recommended doses of zinc and vit b to aid the recovery.

I have had immediate improvement in the depth etc of the marks after peeling. My bum is coming along nicely. My lower legs are definitely significantly better, perhaps I am being too optimistic and the skin will return to normal after a period of weeks?

J

[cr]

Hi RK,
I am so sorry to hear that the TCA has not worked for you. I think this is where, as J suggested, the vitamin/minerals are useful. As well as eating habits, minimizing stress, and exercise are beneficial in order to nourish your body and promote healing. You may be engaging in these factors already and, if so, then it may be that TCA is not the formula for you. I truly believe that we can all greatly improve, and even totally remove our marks, but it will be through a different strategy for each person because our bodies are so different. Sometimes just adjusting one part of your routine can be the factor that triggers improvement. All the Best!!! CR

[sk 81]

I didn't have any improvements I think either with TCA when I did that many months ago, however I didn't persist, I only did it a few times, and the first few were with a high percentage. So I'm thinking maybe lower strengths like 10-20% can be more effective? I don't remember taking any vitamins either. Also, I remember reading recently that's it's good to swab the area with alcohol before the TCA treatment so it removes all surface oils and lets it penetrate better; I hadn't done that either.
Who knows? I've just got a 100% bottle on the mail which I'll dilute down. I'll try to be more systematic this time, and will also top up on vitamins. I was thinking of buying that vitamin formula from Murad, which says can reduce stretch marks about 47% in 8 weeks. Bad thing is that it's expensive (£99 for 4 weeks supply).

[Guest]

I bought it from a couple of different people & actually someone from this board sent me the rest of theirs as well (lovely person who seems to have left the board now - Rosie). Anyway, most of it was obtained from Ebay, think I got the last lot from platinumskincare.

The first lot I used didn't seem to do much at all - even at supposed 100%, the stuff Rosie got me worked so I could tell the diff (can't remember percentage) & the last stuff I got was the real deal & 80%< I think. I really can't remember routine but I pretty much used to use it neat (between 40% - a supposed 80/100%). I even used the dermaroller with it a couple of times - one time I did this on my left knee & actually thought the marks did improve, but that's the only time & did it on a very small area.

Anyway - I think I've peeled every area about 6/7 times - sort of 3 times with 4 - 5 weeks inbetween then I left it for months to recover the hyperpigmentation (where there was some) & repeated.

As for no. of layers I applied - it all depended on how long it took to frost. If it was taking its time I applied a second layer, in general it was only one. Mostly it took between 1-3 minutes to frost.

I did peel but it took a long time to happen - roughly 2-3 weeks for it to start peeling & it used to come off quite slowly, which was why I used to then pick bits off (because even after a week it was still shedding & it was quite tempting). I only got hyperpigmentation at the highest strengths & where I picked, so I owuldn't advise it. It does fade though.

I'm impressed you saw a difference after the first peel. I thought I did a couple of times but then about a week or two after the swelling & colour settled down and - hey presto - skin was the same.

I generally 'prepped' the skin inbetween and after using all the same lotions & potions I usually do - mene & moy vit c & glycolic or mdformulations etc etc.

Not a very scientific approach to it all (perhaps) but the honest one.

And when I say I picked at it, it was 'sensible' picking (if that makes sense) - i.e. if I had a large flap of snake like skin hanging off, I wouldn't antagonise it by ripping it off, I'd tear it to where it was flush with the rest of the skin (so just aided the process). I no that's still not very good but I wasn't actively picking at the skin when it was just a bit flaky)... I found with TCA that it tended to come off all most sheet like & sometimes very thickly.

RK

I am really interested now, so did you not see any improvement at all (long term after the skin had settled down) and how deep and old were the marks you were treating?


It sounds like you have used very strong peels too, yet not really had any results from them. I did a 3 layer peel on my lower legs, and my bum has just had a 2 layer peel. I do not get frosting, but the skin does peel after about 4 days and it takes about 8 to 10 days for the peeling to finish. Each peel is showing improvements on me. However, RK I am taking A LOT of vit c and also recommended doses of zinc and vit b to aid the recovery.

I have had immediate improvement in the depth etc of the marks after peeling. My bum is coming along nicely. My lower legs are definitely significantly better, perhaps I am being too optimistic and the skin will return to normal after a period of weeks?

J

Sorry to say this, but your skin looks better just now, however after a few weeks. Once the redness dies down, the skin won't look as good as you initially thought. The marks, will be better, just not as good as you previously thought. However, you are doing multiple level peels & doing them quite quickly together, so it's entirely possible that you could get results much quicker. In the end, it comes down to how good your skin can heal itself & how agressive you are with your methods. The key is getting results without going too far. I slowly started off at 15, worked my way up to 30% & I found that amount was the one that hit the spot perfectly.

Marks can be removed, it's simply a matter of sticking with it. Minimum you'll need is 4 peels. Maximum should be around 8. Perhaps 10 if they are really bad. So don't get your hopes up & think of it as a long term project. This way you won't get discouraged or disappointed if the process takes longer than you were hoping for. If they do go quicker than expected, then you can only end up extremely happy.

[RK]

J - I got excited/nervous at one point because most of the time when using the TCA I was also using copper peptids & oils & I made things worse - I thought that was the first stage in getting them better but months (almost a year) of using CPs (Super Cop & Trireduction 2x a day) did nothing. When I got pregnant I stopped using them. I tried the peels without CPs after the pregnancy and, well, no improvement.

As for vitamins, I can safely say I take *hit loads. I regularly take:

2000-3000 vit c a day (I bruise easily too, so seem to need a high amount)
60mg Zinc
High strength natural Vitamin E (boots)
MSM/RoseHip & Chondriotin & Glucosamine with added minerals
and Juveness / Nourella / Perfectil (whatever works out cheaper depending on offers at the time).
& 100mg Iron.

I'm vegetarian so need the added iron.

For those promoting the raw food diet.... let's just say that before I suffered from my eating disorders I started off on that route - platefuls of steamed veges for dinner. Yes, nutrients like that are important but for anyone trying it, I think my killer was a severe lack of protein (I was very young & didn't understand things properly). Protein/Zinc & Good Fats.

My marks aren't (in general) vey deep, the ones on my hips are the deepest, all the others tend to just be fine white streaks - but LOTS of them everywhere. I think the TCA would help with the depth of the marks, but only whilst it's taken the surrounding skin down to about the same level..I'm not sure about once that's grown back, but maybe you could maintain with a cream like Mene & Moy (though I find that after long term use of the Advanced C my skin starts to look a bit yellow around the skin creases & I have to stop).

I think it's the whiteness that's so hard to change (unfortunately for me).

There's a chance I could have a very mild form of EHlers Danlos......... but there's also a good chance that I may have just messed my body up by having control issues as I was growing... I went from being chubby (size 12+) to binge eating out of stress/family problems (when I was about 12-14) and going up to a size 14+, and then being bulimic (using laxatives) for quite a few years before developing fairly severe anorexia for a maintained period of time - around 4 years to varying degrees. Considering I was still developing whilst all this happened I probably just screwed myself up. When I first started losing weight it went first of all from places like my ankles and wrists.. oddly.. so I think maybe people burn different types of energy up first (Rather than metabolising fat).
I'm 6ft 1.5" and at my worst went down to 7st 10lbs.

I'm just hoping my daughter doesn't suffer from these damn marks, as I missed out on a modelling career due to them (& pathological shyness at not wanting to show them off). I don't really want her to spend years of her life obsessing over somehting like I have

[Guest]

J - I got excited/nervous at one point because most of the time when using the TCA I was also using copper peptids & oils & I made things worse - I thought that was the first stage in getting them better but months (almost a year) of using CPs (Super Cop & Trireduction 2x a day) did nothing. When I got pregnant I stopped using them. I tried the peels without CPs after the pregnancy and, well, no improvement.

As for vitamins, I can safely say I take *hit loads. I regularly take:

2000-3000 vit c a day (I bruise easily too, so seem to need a high amount)
60mg Zinc
High strength natural Vitamin E (boots)
MSM/RoseHip & Chondriotin & Glucosamine with added minerals
and Juveness / Nourella / Perfectil (whatever works out cheaper depending on offers at the time).
& 100mg Iron.

I'm vegetarian so need the added iron.

For those promoting the raw food diet.... let's just say that before I suffered from my eating disorders I started off on that route - platefuls of steamed veges for dinner. Yes, nutrients like that are important but for anyone trying it, I think my killer was a severe lack of protein (I was very young & didn't understand things properly). Protein/Zinc & Good Fats.

My marks aren't (in general) vey deep, the ones on my hips are the deepest, all the others tend to just be fine white streaks - but LOTS of them everywhere. I think the TCA would help with the depth of the marks, but only whilst it's taken the surrounding skin down to about the same level..I'm not sure about once that's grown back, but maybe you could maintain with a cream like Mene & Moy (though I find that after long term use of the Advanced C my skin starts to look a bit yellow around the skin creases & I have to stop).

I think it's the whiteness that's so hard to change (unfortunately for me).

There's a chance I could have a very mild form of EHlers Danlos......... but there's also a good chance that I may have just messed my body up by having control issues as I was growing... I went from being chubby (size 12+) to binge eating out of stress/family problems (when I was about 12-14) and going up to a size 14+, and then being bulimic (using laxatives) for quite a few years before developing fairly severe anorexia for a maintained period of time - around 4 years to varying degrees. Considering I was still developing whilst all this happened I probably just screwed myself up. When I first started losing weight it went first of all from places like my ankles and wrists.. oddly.. so I think maybe people burn different types of energy up first (Rather than metabolising fat).
I'm 6ft 1.5" and at my worst went down to 7st 10lbs.

I'm just hoping my daughter doesn't suffer from these damn marks, as I missed out on a modelling career due to them (& pathological shyness at not wanting to show them off). I don't really want her to spend years of her life obsessing over somehting like I have

Personally I think that those of us with lots of stretch marks are deficient in minerals and vitamins, it may be that our bodies do not absorbe them properly. I remember many years ago going to a homeopath about another problem and after tests they said I was deficient in zinc (I think it was zinc it was a long time ago when I was in my teens). Don't give up RK, it may be a case of getting the right combination for you to get results. I have always had rubbish skin since my teens that has progressively worsened. My skin is also very soft, like baby skin, which I have been told many times, though I don't know if that is a factor. I could tell I was not a good healer because any scabs etc would take a long long time to disappear on me, the skin would stay scarred for months and months. Since making all these changes and using the acids etc my skin seems to be better at regenerating and if I get the odd spot or something and pick it (yes I am a picker) it now heals much more quickly than before.

I know what you mean about your daughter though, you will have to find a way to warn her, without scaring her, into looking after her skin and taking lots of vitamins as she hits puberty. Make sure she sees your stretch marks and let her discuss what they are with you so that she will watch for and let you know if she starts getting the same problems. They always say prevention is better than cure.

I'll keep you updated on how I get on, it could be I am being too optimistic and the marks will not go, I have a few more peels to do before I will know the answer to that.

J

[RK]

My skin is also very soft - people (especially x-boyfriends) have often commented on that... weird huh? It's also something that people suffering with Ehlers Danlos get told, as well as some other collagen disorders.

[Guest]

I'll keep you updated on how I get on, it could be I am being too optimistic and the marks will not go, I have a few more peels to do before I will know the answer to that.

J

You have got the right attitude which is half the battle. I hope you are successful. My experience will peels has been they look great for the first several weeks and months but once the skin is allowed to completely heal after several months of no peels, the little buggers pop right back out. And I don't mean new ones. They are the same old ones that were just masked by all the chemical reactions from the peels. Also the hyperpigmentation tends to help hide the marks too, so once you solve the hyperpigmentation problem the marks then become more noticeable again.

[sammypip]

hi all

im 15 n i got them all over my legs

i had them on my hips and thighs but they have mostly cleared up now, but its really embarrassing for me in p.e and what not its really noticeable on my legs

I tried Bio-oil but its not working well

Can anyone help?

[Guest]

It's true that hyperpigmentation and inflammation can mask the problem. I experienced it myself with a couple of peels and needle rolling. However, I refuse to think that peels cannot offer reduction long term. I remember when I was in my home country a couple of years ago, I consulted a local beautician, I asked her if she has ever treated stretch marks and she said she had many cases including many difficult ones with very deep and wide ridges that were all cured and the tissue got so strong that would never give new marks where the old ones were. She said she used a special sugar scrub. I tried it myself there a couple of times and it was REALLY REALLY rough, I peeled after a couple of weeks, but unfortunately I had to leave and didn't complete the program.
At the moment, I've also decided to attack them internaly too, with homeopathy: I've just ordered silicea, graphites, and thiosinaminum, all indicated for scar dissolving. Silicea specifically was tried by some acne scar sufferers and they almost immediately noted a tingling in the scarred areas followed by healing and improvement. I'll also use big vit c doses.

God I hate those things!!

[RK]

Not to be a pessimist, because I do really want to find a cure for these things, but having been to numerous spas/doctors & clinics & laser specialists, they all promise that what they're doing will help/has helped many other people... swear blind in fact... And I used to trust them (most of them) because you want to put your faith in the next big thing. 9 times out of 10 I think they were probably lying when they claimed so and so saw a great improvement and do you know what bugs me even more than the straight out lies? It's the 'office handling' they do on you 'there's such a big improvement, don't you think'. So many people have claimed that my marks have improved but that, because I see them everyday I can't properly judge... umm?!! All I can say is my mother never saw these claimed improvements either.

[Guest]

hi all

im 15 n i got them all over my legs

i had them on my hips and thighs but they have mostly cleared up now, but its really embarrassing for me in p.e and what not its really noticeable on my legs

I tried Bio-oil but its not working well

Can anyone help?

Hi

You can start taking vitamins and minerals (vit c, zinc and vit b) just take the recommended doses each day and continue to take them from now onwards. Perhaps buy a microdermabrasion cloth (you can buy them on ebay) and use it a couple of times per week on all your skin to keep it nice and healthy. Moisturize your skin every day. The idea is just to stop yourself getting more marks, when you are older there will probably be a cure so don't worry about them too much. Also remember most people have stretch marks somewhere, even men usually have some (on bum or lower back or both) so just concentrate on not getting any more.

J