Stretch Marks!!

[Guest]

I started to get stretch marks when I was about 14 or 15. They first came on my stomach as I put on alot of weight in a short space of time and I developed quite a large belly...

I then got them on my hips, thighs, breasts, lower back... then eventually on my triceps (right at the top near the armpit).

I had probably gained near on 3 stone in a short while. But I kept at that weight for a few years. Last year I went on a diet and managed to lose around 3 stones... but 6 months ago I fell off the wagon and I've managed to put back on that 3 stones. I've noticed the areas are getting sore where my current stretch marks are... I'd say mainly the ones on my triceps... and more my left arm.

Now I am guessing this is because I've put on a few stone in a short time and I am now getting new/more stretch marks because of it!

I am moisturising the skin, I also have retin-a prescribed by the doctor.

I am back on my diet and going back to the gym. I am hoping these "new" stretch marks will stop developing... and hopefully they will look less "noticeable" than what they do now.

I have alot of stretch marks, and they've been there for about 8 years now... I really do HATE them and they get me down alot... but in a way I have learnt to live with them. I just don't think I could handle getting new ones... I have enough already.

The ones on my stomach, legs... breasts etc I can hide. But the ones at the top/back of my arms are more difficult... unless I wear long sleeved clothes all the time.

Has anyone else experienced weight loss and then saw any kind of improvement in the way their stretch marks look?

[tpd]

Hi - I am 25 and have a whole load of depressed white marks around armpits, biceps, chest and thighs. The marks appeared about six years ago. I was working out intensly at the time and lost some weight just before that. I continue to work out and the marks keep getting bigger - although v slowly. I am not particularly bothered about whether the marks are visible, but would like to restore elasticity of the skin back to normal. I am thinking of giving active fx a go. It's not cheap, but I'd do it if it solves the problem. Any suggestions as to whether it is likely to be effective? I am currently using some generic anti stretch mark cream with retinol. It makes the marks appear less obvious under the normal light. However the marks don't appear to have deminished at all when viewed in a harsh light or if the skin is pulled. Wasn't expecting much anyway. I haven't tried anything else to tackle these. Anything else I should try before going for the laser? Thanks for any replies.

[Kojiro]

I started to get stretch marks when I was about 14 or 15. They first came on my stomach as I put on alot of weight in a short space of time and I developed quite a large belly...

I then got them on my hips, thighs, breasts, lower back... then eventually on my triceps (right at the top near the armpit).

I had probably gained near on 3 stone in a short while. But I kept at that weight for a few years. Last year I went on a diet and managed to lose around 3 stones... but 6 months ago I fell off the wagon and I've managed to put back on that 3 stones. I've noticed the areas are getting sore where my current stretch marks are... I'd say mainly the ones on my triceps... and more my left arm.

Now I am guessing this is because I've put on a few stone in a short time and I am now getting new/more stretch marks because of it!

I am moisturising the skin, I also have retin-a prescribed by the doctor.

I am back on my diet and going back to the gym. I am hoping these "new" stretch marks will stop developing... and hopefully they will look less "noticeable" than what they do now.

I have alot of stretch marks, and they've been there for about 8 years now... I really do HATE them and they get me down alot... but in a way I have learnt to live with them. I just don't think I could handle getting new ones... I have enough already.

The ones on my stomach, legs... breasts etc I can hide. But the ones at the top/back of my arms are more difficult... unless I wear long sleeved clothes all the time.

Has anyone else experienced weight loss and then saw any kind of improvement in the way their stretch marks look?

Some stretch marks look better after losing the weight. Some even claim their marks disappeared completely. Seems like its just something you have to try and see what happens.

[Guest]

Stretch marks and weight loss:

If you have an area of loose fat, such as the love handles on a man, and the skin shrinks down to the new contours after losing weight, then you're stretch marks will looks better. This happened to me after liposuction.

However, in most cases, losing weight means that the fibrous bands of scar tissue (ie the stretch marks) are no longer pulled as taut by the surrounding healthy skin and most often look worse with weight loss.

Weight loss will never make stretch marks disappear.

[Kojiro]

Weight loss will never make stretch marks disappear.

Just because it hasn't happened to you doesn't mean this is not possible. I've seen some of my bro's stretch marks fade away completely when he lost muscle mass. There's plenty of people out there who skin completely repairs stretch marks, but chances are if you're posting here, you're not one of them.

[Rez]

I agree with the guest. Perhaps the improvement in your brother's skin coincided with weight loss. However, I sincerely doubt that the weight loss itself was the cause of improvement. Most obese people notice their stretch marks for the very first time after losing weight, even thought they might have had them for years beforehand. Their stretch marks are no longer stretched as tightly and therefore look more obvious.

If you don't beleive me, try this experiment at home: Stand in a postion where your stretch marks are lit from the side (e.g. next to low lying window). Position a mirror directly in front of you. You will notice that the marks look particularly obvious and indented in this lighting. Now pull on the skin in a direction PERPENDICULAR to the length of the marks to simulate the effect of weight gain in the area. What happens? Your stretch marks should look significantly better and less indented.

[Bohemus]

Hello Guast,
I didn't mean to offend anyone at all. My point is rather simple. There are many claims made in this industry, "the most effective", "laboratory tested", "physician approved" etc. But what does it mean when all is not regulated? You can mix several substances in your bathroom and legally claim that it was laboratory tested. You can add some sunscreen to peanut oil and legally sell the mixture as the best "anti-wrinkle" cream. It is legal, at least in US.
The question is what really works, how do you establish the effectiveness of any cream or laser technique? Only by well designed study that you should review with a critical eye.
Do I have stretch marks? No. Do I care? Yes, I do. This is one of the most disappointing areas in aesthetic medicine that has been approached for some time without real success.
It is our hope that ActiveFX/Deep FX will make a significant difference. It is too early to say although the preliminary data suggest significant improvement. I have 6 patients treated with IPL immediately followed by Active FX with high frequency. There is a definite improvement yet the group is so small that the validity can not be claimed.
But, the design of these treatments is based on unquestionable effect of CO2 laser on collagen production in treated skin. The hope is to achieve this effect within a stretch mark.

Other laser treatments? So far no significant gains have been made.
Other treatments? I don't know of any that has an objective and measurable effect.

So, should you try other methods? Sure! Can you claim any of them to be effective? Of course you can. Does it work? That's a different story.

Best to All!

MD in TN

Well Johnny9, only time will show if needling is effective and becomes number one tretment for....who knows what.. It will not hurt you to keep rolling and sprinkling with potions but I suggest you add few drops of common sense.

MD from TN

Bohemus could you try and be a little more patronising next time. I find you extremely naive and arrogant and you continue to fail to understand the situation some of us are in here. If by common sense you mean go and blow disproportionate amounts of money at machines which dont deliver i believe you've been going to the wrong type of medical congresses my friend.

There are no cures. For this reason we have to do our own research and experiment. I found your last comment to johnny9 extremeley rude. What do you suggest we do? I did my first needling procedure 2 days ago using 1.5mm roller and i believe i have seen improvement from just this one treatment. Your comment about "common sense" is extremely patronising to all those on this forum performing needling. I would like you to share with us all on here what you think we should do, since were all so incompetent with our suggestions.

[Guest]

Hello Guast,
I didn't mean to offend anyone at all. My point is rather simple. There are many claims made in this industry, "the most effective", "laboratory tested", "physician approved" etc. But what does it mean when all is not regulated? You can mix several substances in your bathroom and legally claim that it was laboratory tested. You can add some sunscreen to peanut oil and legally sell the mixture as the best "anti-wrinkle" cream. It is legal, at least in US.
The question is what really works, how do you establish the effectiveness of any cream or laser technique? Only by well designed study that you should review with a critical eye.
Do I have stretch marks? No. Do I care? Yes, I do. This is one of the most disappointing areas in aesthetic medicine that has been approached for some time without real success.
It is our hope that ActiveFX/Deep FX will make a significant difference. It is too early to say although the preliminary data suggest significant improvement. I have 6 patients treated with IPL immediately followed by Active FX with high frequency. There is a definite improvement yet the group is so small that the validity can not be claimed.
But, the design of these treatments is based on unquestionable effect of CO2 laser on collagen production in treated skin. The hope is to achieve this effect within a stretch mark.

Other laser treatments? So far no significant gains have been made.
Other treatments? I don't know of any that has an objective and measurable effect.

So, should you try other methods? Sure! Can you claim any of them to be effective? Of course you can. Does it work? That's a different story.

Best to All!

MD in TN

I hate to say it but you do have a patronising tone at times, we may not be experts but we are people trying to help themselves because, as you yourself say, it is a disappointing area of research. Hopefully the medical community will redress this one day and a cure will be found.

J

[Guest]

To those of you who are using dermarollers... I just got mine (a 1.0) and tried it out for just a few minutes. It doesn't feel like it is penetrating the skin at all. Should I push harder? I'm using it on my abdomen, butt and thighs. After I expected pinpricks of blood but there was nothing.

Any advice?
Shoo

[johnny9]

To those of you who are using dermarollers... I just got mine (a 1.0) and tried it out for just a few minutes. It doesn't feel like it is penetrating the skin at all. Should I push harder? I'm using it on my abdomen, butt and thighs. After I expected pinpricks of blood but there was nothing.

Any advice?
Shoo

Hey shoo not sure i can be of any help as i havent tried needling yet but im sure someone on here will be able to answer your question.

I think im going to go to extremes when i start my needling and opt for the 2.5mm needles. Gonna go all out, 2.5mm should be plenty deep enough to get the ball rolling.

Anyways good luck with your treament shoo

[Kojiro]

I agree with the guest. Perhaps the improvement in your brother's skin coincided with weight loss. However, I sincerely doubt that the weight loss itself was the cause of improvement. Most obese people notice their stretch marks for the very first time after losing weight, even thought they might have had them for years beforehand. Their stretch marks are no longer stretched as tightly and therefore look more obvious.

If you don't beleive me, try this experiment at home: Stand in a postion where your stretch marks are lit from the side (e.g. next to low lying window). Position a mirror directly in front of you. You will notice that the marks look particularly obvious and indented in this lighting. Now pull on the skin in a direction PERPENDICULAR to the length of the marks to simulate the effect of weight gain in the area. What happens? Your stretch marks should look significantly better and less indented.

Stretching your skin or pushing on it cannot be compared to weight gain or loss. I am talking about gradual changes over a period of years. Your skin adapts the best it can to weight loss, as can obviously be seen by an overall reduction in skin mass. If you were measure the mass of the skin on a 300 lb individual you would find that the skin itself is heavier than what it would be after that individual gradually lost 100 lbs. Even skin severely damaged with stretch marks will retract to a point and reduce its overall surface area. What parts are lost (i.e. stretch marks vs. undamaged skin) largely comes down to genetics and environmental factors. Still there are people who's stretch marks disappear on their own, that is pretty much an inarguable fact. Weight loss does seem to help this happen, but for many people, maybe even most people, the marks will remain after the weight loss.

[DGerf]

Hi everyone,

I've been following this forum for a couple of months and I thought I would add my two cents I'm a 19 year old guy and first started getting stretch marks about 2 years ago as a result of weight lifting. I started trying to treat them about a year ago with tretinoin creams like Retin-A, I used it for a couple months but it didn't work. Then I tried a few of the tons of creams you can buy _ that supposedly will cure them, and none have worked. I did start using Trilastin about 2 months ago, and I have seen very minimal results, nothing to get excited about, but still something.

About 4 weeks ago, I started using Jean Wu's method on a small patch of them on my left hip. I'm trying really hard not to get my hopes up, but I really think they are starting to fade. I won't start recommending this method until they are completely cured (or at least very inconspicuous), but I am going to keep it up. Next week, I will begin using her method on some other major areas where I have stretch marks, and will continue this method for at least 4 months. If they have not faded a good amount by then, I will try something else.

I know some people on this board have expressed skeptical views of Jean Wu's method, but I have to go with what I am comfortable with trying. I am not comfortable at this point with trying needling or chemical peels; I might start trying these methods if Jean Wu doesn't work. However, on this forum if we are all trying different methods, one of us should eventually come up with something.

I plan on taking progress photos every month, and am willing to post them on this board if I can figure out how. Otherwise, if this method really does work, I will give my email address for anyone who wants to see the pictures.

DGerf

[Guest]

Hi J

I was wondering if you've taken any more pictures after having let the skin rest? Would be good to see the progress.

Thanks.

[Rez]

Still there are people who's stretch marks disappear on their own, that is pretty much an inarguable fact. Weight loss does seem to help this happen.

Hey Kojiro, I read all your posts with great interest. However, I'm afraid that on this occassion your line of reasoning completely evades me! I don't understand how the reduction of subcutaneous or visceral fat is meant to have an impact on the orientation of elastin and collagen fibres in the dermis!

Are you trying to lose weight at the moment? I know from past experience that young skin usually shrinks following weight loss despite the presence of striae. However, to claim that weight loss ALONE can make stretch marks "disappear" is mumbo jumbo at its finest!

[cr]

Hi DGerf,
Good Luck with the Jean Wu method! I have read on other forums people claiming that it cured their stretch marks, and I really believe these were real people submitting those posts. It helped to fade my stretch marks and made my skin so radiant. I stopped doing that particular method because my stretch marks that are indented became permanently deeper. If your marks are not indented then I think that it will really work wonders with time and patience.

Hi Shoo,
That is great that you are using a dermaroller. I believe in the directions it says to use light pressure. I would start off slowly and over time you will feel what is the appropriate pressure to use. I have a dermaroller with shorter needles too, and I have never bled.
All the best!