Stretch Marks!!

[Guest]

Hey! this is to king_fedor. a lot of people write about how low they feel but i was really touched by what you said. I am a 20 year old girl and my ex boyfriend had stretch marks and i can tell you i honestly never thought twice about them. it no way affected how i felt towards him or how attractive i thought he was. I know it might not mean much but i not everygirl out there is going to think badly of you because of your stretchmarks i promise you!
i understand that you somtimes feel suicidal because i do too (not helped by the fact that said boyfriend of four years dumped me last week) but while we're still going, and until that illusive laser is created, i think its worthwhile starting some sort of routine as there are people that have posted success in getting rid. i would be interested in looking at a picture because sometimes i find it hard to guage how bad mine are and it might be the same for you if you had somthing to compare it to?
but whatever, don't give up hope! we're young and thers no way we're not going to get a chance to be free and have fun!

[king_fedor]

Hey! this is to king_fedor. a lot of people write about how low they feel but i was really touched by what you said. I am a 20 year old girl and my ex boyfriend had stretch marks and i can tell you i honestly never thought twice about them. it no way affected how i felt towards him or how attractive i thought he was. I know it might not mean much but i not everygirl out there is going to think badly of you because of your stretchmarks i promise you!
i understand that you somtimes feel suicidal because i do too (not helped by the fact that said boyfriend of four years dumped me last week) but while we're still going, and until that illusive laser is created, i think its worthwhile starting some sort of routine as there are people that have posted success in getting rid. i would be interested in looking at a picture because sometimes i find it hard to guage how bad mine are and it might be the same for you if you had somthing to compare it to?
but whatever, don't give up hope! we're young and thers no way we're not going to get a chance to be free and have fun!

thanks for taking note of my situation. and it is encouraging to hear that there are girls out there who wouldnt mind too much. here is the problem though, i already knew that...but FINDING ONE is pretty much impossible...im 21 years old and time is ticking and i get more and more depressed as each day goes by...i can send a pic if u want, but i have to send it through email because i dont know how else to post pics

[Guest]

Hey! this is to king_fedor. a lot of people write about how low they feel but i was really touched by what you said. I am a 20 year old girl and my ex boyfriend had stretch marks and i can tell you i honestly never thought twice about them. it no way affected how i felt towards him or how attractive i thought he was. I know it might not mean much but i not everygirl out there is going to think badly of you because of your stretchmarks i promise you!
i understand that you somtimes feel suicidal because i do too (not helped by the fact that said boyfriend of four years dumped me last week) but while we're still going, and until that illusive laser is created, i think its worthwhile starting some sort of routine as there are people that have posted success in getting rid. i would be interested in looking at a picture because sometimes i find it hard to guage how bad mine are and it might be the same for you if you had somthing to compare it to?
but whatever, don't give up hope! we're young and thers no way we're not going to get a chance to be free and have fun!

thanks for taking note of my situation. and it is encouraging to hear that there are girls out there who wouldnt mind too much. here is the problem though, i already knew that...but FINDING ONE is pretty much impossible...im 21 years old and time is ticking and i get more and more depressed as each day goes by...i can send a pic if u want, but i have to send it through email because i dont know how else to post pics

She is right, I am not trying to depress you more than you already are, but if you do not start a routine for your skin your marks will probably get worse (mine most certainly did, at your age I only had them on my bum and back of calves, I now have them over a large proportion of my body). Get a routine and start taking vits each day asap. At least then you will stop more developing and hopefully improve or remove the ones you already have.

J

[rice]

times not ticking that quickly! at least your still young enough to do somthing about it. sure send it to me... my email is rice20@hotmail.co.uk

[rice]

also i am the person who wrote previously its just iv set up a username now..

[Guest]

Hi - can anyone recommend an alternative to emu oil for using with acids and copper peptides - I know it's the best oil to use but I just can't bring myself to use it. Would olive oil do the job?

[Guest]

I have had massive improvements already. I think tca just must not work on some people. I am considering ordering 30% tca next time I get it. Its hard for me to say when the marks will be gone, but I would think it would be this year at the latest. I will definitely post if they return, but here is the thing, I plan to do at least 2 peels after I believe I have completely removed them, just to make sure they are totally gone. Out of interest, on the whole do they go forever or return debate, I have posted that question for Dr Pickart on skin biology, though I think he is already of the belief that you can completely remove them and they will not return. We shall see what he has to say.

I really hope that mine do not return, because if they don't then it means that many other peoples won't too.

J

I'm the person who posted the glycolic/tca routine around p410 or so!

I'll say it once more & once more only. TCA results for scarring are or anything of that nature is PERMANENT. TCA is only semi-permanent for RECURRING conditions....Meaning acne, wrinkles etc, etc. Scarring isn't recurring, it's a permanent condition. So the results you get are permanent. What TCA won't do though, is shrink loose skin back in. So if you've a baby & have a lot of loose hanging skin. It'll burn away the marks & to a degree it'll tighten the skin back in. But it'll never go back in completely. So if this is your problem, then use some sort of skin firming/tightening cream, lotion or potion as well.

The problem with TCA is that when your first start using it. It can seem like they're gone because of the redness that occurs, only for the skin to get back to normal in a few weeks & you see them still there. The other one is for some, it seems to make them worse with a little bit of temporary hyperpigmentation & then they panic. Stop the routine because it obviously isn't working & any it's back to square one. Problem is it does work, but it takes time & patience!

There is one reason that someone might think the marks come back after a few months. This is because the marks are so deep. Everytime you peel, your talking away the surface layers. Good skin grows, the older damaged layers beneath get pushed up further & further every time. If someone sees they are gone. They may be on the surface, but as your skin sheds. The healthy skin will be taken away & if there are any marks still lying underneath, they will begin to show through again.

It's not that the marks have returned. It's simply they were never fully removed in the first place! This is why you should continue to do a few peels after you think they're totally gone. They may be on the surface, but if there is any traces left underneath. There is a possibility that it will show back through in the coming months/years as it slowly gets pushed up to the surface.

Once you remove damaged tissue. It DOES not grow back, it's gone for good. You just need to keep peeling & peeling. Even when you think they're totally gone because it's not worth taking the chance that there could be any bits of scar tissue left underneath the good healthy skin. Anything that shows up after peeling simply means you didn't get all the scar tissue. So you'll need to do a few further peels again to remove whatever is left of the original damaged tissue.

[Guest]

I have had massive improvements already. I think tca just must not work on some people. I am considering ordering 30% tca next time I get it. Its hard for me to say when the marks will be gone, but I would think it would be this year at the latest. I will definitely post if they return, but here is the thing, I plan to do at least 2 peels after I believe I have completely removed them, just to make sure they are totally gone. Out of interest, on the whole do they go forever or return debate, I have posted that question for Dr Pickart on skin biology, though I think he is already of the belief that you can completely remove them and they will not return. We shall see what he has to say.

I really hope that mine do not return, because if they don't then it means that many other peoples won't too.

J

I'm the person who posted the glycolic/tca routine around p410 or so!

I'll say it once more & once more only. TCA results for scarring are or anything of that nature is PERMANENT. TCA is only semi-permanent for RECURRING conditions....Meaning acne, wrinkles etc, etc. Scarring isn't recurring, it's a permanent condition. So the results you get are permanent. What TCA won't do though, is shrink loose skin back in. So if you've a baby & have a lot of loose hanging skin. It'll burn away the marks & to a degree it'll tighten the skin back in. But it'll never go back in completely. So if this is your problem, then use some sort of skin firming/tightening cream, lotion or potion as well.

The problem with TCA is that when your first start using it. It can seem like they're gone because of the redness that occurs, only for the skin to get back to normal in a few weeks & you see them still there. The other one is for some, it seems to make them worse with a little bit of temporary hyperpigmentation & then they panic. Stop the routine because it obviously isn't working & any it's back to square one. Problem is it does work, but it takes time & patience!

There is one reason that someone might think the marks come back after a few months. This is because the marks are so deep. Everytime you peel, your talking away the surface layers. Good skin grows, the older damaged layers beneath get pushed up further & further every time. If someone sees they are gone. They may be on the surface, but as your skin sheds. The healthy skin will be taken away & if there are any marks still lying underneath, they will begin to show through again.

It's not that the marks have returned. It's simply they were never fully removed in the first place! This is why you should continue to do a few peels after you think they're totally gone. They may be on the surface, but if there is any traces left underneath. There is a possibility that it will show back through in the coming months/years as it slowly gets pushed up to the surface.

Once you remove damaged tissue. It DOES not grow back, it's gone for good. You just need to keep peeling & peeling. Even when you think they're totally gone because it's not worth taking the chance that there could be any bits of scar tissue left underneath the good healthy skin. Anything that shows up after peeling simply means you didn't get all the scar tissue. So you'll need to do a few further peels again to remove whatever is left of the original damaged tissue.

I pretty much agree with your theory which is why I decided to do extra peels once I think they have gone. it makes sense, but you know what some are like on here, they will start the old, the marks will return debate up again. Thats why I have posted the question on the skinbiology site. It should resolve the argument once and for all.

I am having such good results using tca, but I can also see now that I would never have gotten rid of them using light acid peels, even with my thin marks it is taking multiple layer peels to get improvements.

Thanks for posting!

J

[Guest]

I'm the person who posted the glycolic/tca routine around p410 or so!

I'll say it once more & once more only.

Thank goodness!

[sk 81]

I also agree with this theory. Thanks! I've had both things happen to me, one is the masking of my marks with the redness making them temporarily look better, and the other making them look worse because of the surrounding hyperpigmention. I've had one peel recently so far, as I can't do more because of my microdermabrasion treatments (which I believe is a waste of time and money; footfiling seems 10 times more effective to me). What I haven't tried is multiple layers (and also taking lots of vit C). This could make the difference.

Thank goodness!

Huh?

[cr]

Just to add for anybody who is trying to tighten loose skin, I have had great results tightening my skin after pregnancy by using peels (glycolic and TCA), dry skin brushing, needling, copper-peptides, emu oil, vitamins/minerals, and exercise. I am not sure which one really did the trick, or a combination of all, but just to give hope to those who are also working to tighten their skin. I am 5'3", gained 40 lbs. while pregnant, most of the weight was carried in my stomach due to having a big baby, and after 2 years since delivering my son, my skin is firm and taut again. It took a long time, but if you saw my stomach even a year after having my son, the skin had lost its elasticity, but now it is firm and tight again. Sorry to get off the subject of stretch marks but often these run hand in hand. Best, CR

[mogdor]

Hey everyone, first post here. I'm a 31 year old guy from the US and have very bad stretch marks all over from being on prednisone long-term. I'm pretty sure I have it worse than most of you so I definitely feel your pain! Anyway, I've been reading through the thread and it's giving me hope, though I gotta admit, some of these remedies sound pretty complicated, not to mention painful! For now I'm just trying out this bio-oil stuff I found at walmart, anybody have any success with that?

[kraym]

quote]Hey everyone, first post here. I'm a 31 year old guy from the US and have very bad stretch marks all over from being on prednisone long-term. I'm pretty sure I have it worse than most of you so I definitely feel your pain! Anyway, I've been reading through the thread and it's giving me hope, though I gotta admit, some of these remedies sound pretty complicated, not to mention painful! For now I'm just trying out this bio-oil stuff I found at walmart, anybody have any success with that?[/quote]

Mogdor,
First off, as for your bio-oil question, sorry no, I haven't heard anything convincing about its effects. But I wanted to chime in that I share your issue... 6 years of prednisone use left me ripped head to toe with stretch marks as well. I've been off the drug for 4 years, and still feel like I'm seeing new ones everyday, but my doctors think it's largely due to the weight loss I saw after going off the drug. It's hardest during the summer when it feels like literally everyone else can expose gloriously normal skin; it gives me moments of feeling truly disfigured. And it angers me that this isn't a side effect that my endocrinologist reviewed with me prior to prescribing the drug. This forum has been a godsend, allowing me to look past the current marks and into the future of normal-ish skin. I've been doing the dry brushing, emu oil, and copper peptides and seeing some results. Nothing remarkable. I want to start TCA peels, but I'm motivated to finish losing weight, and with all the sweating and friction that come with the exercising, I feel like the TCA-affected skin would be more injured. I need another 6 months to whip myself into shape. I'm assuming that's necessary based on what I'm reading here. Anyone routinely jogging, swimming, etc. while doing peels?

My other strategy that I'm thinking of introducing is to try to replicate the castor oil wrap method, but with a health club twist... I read that heating pads (like those used in the method posted on the long hair forum) get to around 175 degrees. Since I've tried that method and it's a huge pain to get all my various body parts coated in oil, wrapped in plastic, then strapped in heating pads (such a great look, btw, which inevitably guarantees unbidden visitors to ring your door bell), I didn't keep up with that strategy. But sitting in the dry sauna at the health club made me check out the temp... 175 degrees! I'm thinking that post swimming, I can lube up with castor oil, park myself on a towel in the sauna, and roast for a good 20-30 minutes with the hope that castor oil will have some positive effect on my marks.

Just a note, you're not alone with this. I'm sure there's a lot of us as prednisone is a highly prescribed drug.

[RK]

Hi...


Well I kind of thought 'why not' when J told me to try once more... I took the bottle of TCA I had left (Oh - I didn't get it from platinum skincare, I read the bottle - it's from Yavonnae. Not sure if I've said this already but wanted to be honest). Anyway - the percentage was 100% - not wanting all the hyperpigmentation I got from the last set of peels (which I still have) I diluted it down to about 30-40%. I applied it only to the backs of my arms to start with - this area is now almost completely peeled & nothing has improved A few days after doing that peel - I received my Retin-A 0.1% from Pharmacy2u (3 tubes). I took the newly diluted TCA (the backs of my arms hadn't peeled yet) & applied it to my tummy (which has been looking a bit worse recently), biceps, & hips. Because the backs of my arms have now almost finished peeling without result, I don't expect the other areas to be any better either.

HOWEVER - I'm now applying Retin-A everyday to certain areas (all the areas mentioned above, plus breasts, bum, & knees).

This is expensive but it's not something I've actually tried before & it is the only internationally lauded product that can help, so..... I don't have the money to afford DeepFX at the moment, so.......

Again.. I'm also considering ordering Trilastin to apply over the top of the Retin-A, but am a bit undecided now...

I will also continue doing TCA peels (if this lot doesn't cause my hyperpigmentation - it didn't frost at all at this percentage, so I don't think it will).

Unlike my previous post where I said I'd use the dermaroller with the Retin-A, I've decided not to, as I had too much irritation with the Obagi 0.05% & roller when I tried.

I still want to get some more Accent treatments done.

As for the guys with stretchmarks all over their bodies. Please do not worry TOO much. If you're after an airhead like someone of Beauty & the Geek, then, yeah, you probably wont get one, but for the average (and still beautiful) girl, it really wouldn't be a problem. Trust me.

I look okay with clothes on, have been asked to model etc but with clothes off about 50-60% of me is covered in marks too - perhaps more after the pregnancy... & they do cause me a lot of day-to-day trauma.. but guys generally don't notice them, or don't care & don't say anything when it comes to 'bedroom' time. I think the only thing that pisses them off is obsessing over them to them (so that they're forced to notice). & I'd imagine that would work the other way round too.

& Tracy - I'd love to know what the 6 month verdit on the ACtive FX treatment was too.

Many thanks,

Rhianna

[Guest]

Hi...


Well I kind of thought 'why not' when J told me to try once more... I took the bottle of TCA I had left (Oh - I didn't get it from platinum skincare, I read the bottle - it's from Yavonnae. Not sure if I've said this already but wanted to be honest). Anyway - the percentage was 100% - not wanting all the hyperpigmentation I got from the last set of peels (which I still have) I diluted it down to about 30-40%. I applied it only to the backs of my arms to start with - this area is now almost completely peeled & nothing has improved A few days after doing that peel - I received my Retin-A 0.1% from Pharmacy2u (3 tubes). I took the newly diluted TCA (the backs of my arms hadn't peeled yet) & applied it to my tummy (which has been looking a bit worse recently), biceps, & hips. Because the backs of my arms have now almost finished peeling without result, I don't expect the other areas to be any better either.

HOWEVER - I'm now applying Retin-A everyday to certain areas (all the areas mentioned above, plus breasts, bum, & knees).

This is expensive but it's not something I've actually tried before & it is the only internationally lauded product that can help, so..... I don't have the money to afford DeepFX at the moment, so.......

Again.. I'm also considering ordering Trilastin to apply over the top of the Retin-A, but am a bit undecided now...

I will also continue doing TCA peels (if this lot doesn't cause my hyperpigmentation - it didn't frost at all at this percentage, so I don't think it will).

Unlike my previous post where I said I'd use the dermaroller with the Retin-A, I've decided not to, as I had too much irritation with the Obagi 0.05% & roller when I tried.

I still want to get some more Accent treatments done.

As for the guys with stretchmarks all over their bodies. Please do not worry TOO much. If you're after an airhead like someone of Beauty & the Geek, then, yeah, you probably wont get one, but for the average (and still beautiful) girl, it really wouldn't be a problem. Trust me.

I look okay with clothes on, have been asked to model etc but with clothes off about 50-60% of me is covered in marks too - perhaps more after the pregnancy... & they do cause me a lot of day-to-day trauma.. but guys generally don't notice them, or don't care & don't say anything when it comes to 'bedroom' time. I think the only thing that pisses them off is obsessing over them to them (so that they're forced to notice). & I'd imagine that would work the other way round too.

& Tracy - I'd love to know what the 6 month verdit on the ACtive FX treatment was too.

Many thanks,

Rhianna

I'm so sorry Rk that it does not work on you. Perhaps you should post something on skinbiology's site to see if Dr Pickart has any suggestions as to why you would not get any improvement?

It must be really disheartening to hear other people having success with it when you are not. I hope you find an alternative that does work.

J