October 1, 2000, I delivered a healthy baby boy. However, when I brought my baby home, got the shower water running and started taking off my clothes I was not happy with what I saw. I was happy to see how my breast size had increased (I was a 34A before I had my baby and now a 34D). Besides the fact that I stretch marks on my belly, I had them on my upper thighs, hips, all over my but, all over my calves,(I had stretch marks on my calves before I had my baby but not as much to where I could not where shorts or a dress. Maybe 3 small ones on each calve.) and the back of my arms. My body became a road map of strech marks. I was so depressed. I cried when I got in the shower and when I got out. You see, before I had a baby I was alway the kind of girl to cover up my body. I always had a beautiful shape but never felt the need to show it off. Part of the reason why I stayed cover up was because I never felt feminine because my breast were small and I got teased for that for years. People would tell me how beautiful I am and how i should where a dress or skirt, but I never felt women enough to do that. But after having my baby and seeing how my breast blossomed I was going to lose weight and show off my figure. That dream stayed a dream. My body looked horrible.. I was 19, 5’3 177 bls after having a baby. Before I had the baby i was 130 ibs. I realized how much my body was beautiful before and I should have taken advantage of my youth. Fast foward to 2009. I have worn a dress 3 times in my life. One for my 6th grade graduation, a wedding in 2006 and I was ashamed and depressed because people stared at the stretch marks on my calves and on June 13, 2009 for my college graduation. That graduation was the best day of my life. Besides the fact that I graduated with my bachelors degree I wore a dress above my knees!!!!! I was determined to do so. I read about makeup and covering up marks. I found out about how airbrush makeup could cover up scars and tatttos. I thought maybe it could cover up stretch marks. I checked out airbrush make up artist and they could not cover it up. I had one last airbrush artist to see. I ran out of hope but decided to see her anyway. When I met her, she was warm and friendly. I told her my story and how it is important that I where a dress above my knees and cover up the stretch marks on my calves. She said had could do it(she never had a client with stretch marks before). When she got that airbrush and started spraying my calves with the make up and finished, I looked in the mirror and wanted to cry. My stretch marks was gone!!!! I said “Yes, I could finally wear a dress, shorts and belly tops.” Thanks to Lilly for the dramatic change and impact she has had in my life. Ladies there is hope out there!!!!
@Misty I feel u 100%. I get compliments regularly but I only look Ideal in clothes . I too don’t get intimate much because of my body it’s soooo devestating .. I too don’t go out with friends or boyfriend in the summer I’m much too embarressed… Imagin going to the beach trying to wear a bathing suite and kids are starring at ur imperfections… And laughing and pointing its horrifying they need to come up with something to give us back our confidence and get rid of this shit… I’m wasting years of my life hiding strechmarks but just like I don’t want to see them no one els does either…
This sounds wonderful, but what happens after the spray tan fades? can you use self tanner and get the same effect?
How does a 30yr old man (who has never been pregnant) remove these unsightly stretch marks (that you women all seem to have)?
I have stretchmarks on my thighs too. I still wear skirts and shorts (albeit not short ones, they usually are just barely above the knee. I AM a bit self conscious about it but I try not to be. I have stretch marks on my thighs, butt, hips, stomach, and breasts too. I only have one kid. My friend has 3 and no stretch marks. I’m so jealous!! But really, in the end, it doesn’t matter. I just go on and try not to worry. My husband has some stretch marks too on his arms. They are more common than you think!
I meant I also have stretch marks on my calves but I said thighs, lol.
I’m only 12 and I have stretch marks on the back of my legs and on my thighs.I’m not really worried about them on my thighs because they are very faint and not noticeable but I hate them on my legs.I recently just got out of school,everytime I wore shorts I would always have to w e’er at my jacket tied around my waist to hide them.It didn’t start out that way,when I was in 5th grade I didn’t even know I had them.But one day when I wore my shorts to school the first time I was confident and havd nothing to worry about and then the girl behind me upointed them out I was really embarrassed that she saw. Some one please help me get rid of them I have no money to buy fancy creams and airbrush I’m dark skinned and have no other options. HELP!
I had stretch marks on my legs when I was your age, it’s just part of the process of growing. I grew six inches in two years and my legs were just all NOPE. They faded and became almost invisible. You are normal. I promise.
I totally feel all of you guy’s pain. I got stretchmarks on my arms,back, calves,hips, and side when I hit puberty at 12. And at first it didn’t bother me because I have such a supportive family who really don’t care about stretch marks. But onceihit high school, I refused to wear shorts because during p.e.,these boys would constantly laugh at me and mock me. They yell ewwww, and I’d cry everyday for years about them. I live in l.a. And I even wore jeans and long sleeve shirts and Jeansin 100 degree weather. However, once I hit 20 years old, I decided enough was enough and I now wear pretty much what I want. Now at 21, I no longer let anyone bother me.
It’s still a struggle, but I’ve learned to embrace who I am, and I know that I am not the only one with stretchmarks. My advice to anyone with stretchmarks is to own your body and even fake confidence if you have to. I feel so bad looking back at all these years I’ve been hot and miserable and all the opportunities I’ve missed. Just go out with people who love you and rock those shorts! Seeing and reading forums of young women with stretchmarks is what gave me the confidence to start wearing what I want to again. Good luck u all!!
I agree with all of you. I have them on my arms, back of my legs, stomach, thighs and butt. I am covered with them. I absolutely hate them. I wear sleeve shirts and leggings all throughout the summer. I hate summer. It’s so depressing. I m very beautiful and all my frends love my dress sense in winter nd springs but, all summer they question me why I m dressing all covered. They always ask me to go night out or to beach in summer but, I always make excuses not to go. I wanna try this airbrush tan.
I feel everyones pain i had my daughter and got them on tummy thighs bum boobs arms and calves its horrible shes two now they have fAded but i do feel like its not enough ive paid for treatments that never worked they are still visible i wear cover up make up wich is okie but doesnt really solve the problem just sort of make me feel better i just keep tryng to say to myself do i want to look back and feel like i waisted time on something like this which is of course is easy to say oh be confident but you have to do it for yourself be happy inlife unfortuntly people may look may make comments but everyone does have floor if you have stretch marks work on other good things about you be skinny have perfect hair and make up wear nice clothes people will see these amazing things and barely notice the rest xxxx
I knw the struggles we have with these bad boys i also suffered from stretchmarks after my pregnancy they are practically everywhere on my body, breast, thighs, tummy on the sides of my tummy on my legs and calves plz bums… Ive learnd to jst embrace them now! I see no point in sulkng over them we human and most of us have them they are a part of life bt im using Johnsons tissue oil on them boy im seing the difference
I am only 16 however recently gained some weight and I now have really deep purple/pink stretch marks on the back of my calf just behind my knee… Does anybody know how I can reduce the appearance? It would be much appreciated. Thanks x
stretch mark thing is making me go crazy, I gat lot of it on my laps nd my back leg. I can’t go out to clubs, I ad to give out all my short gowns bcos I can’t wear dem, now I dress like a tom boy. Somebody pls help me. Am not seeing any hope in dis
I got stretchmarks when I was 12 on the sides and inside of my thighs from a growth spurt. I thought I was never gonna get rid of them and I had them for two-three years. They were bright purple and it was really unattractive, I used the Lady Soma Stretch Mark treatment twice per day when I was relaxing and I swear in about a week or two the bright purple scars faded, fast and were then skin colored – in a little and after 3-4 weeks they were completely gone. really is the best thing ever for stretchmarks
I’M 19 years old i’ve been dealing with stretch marks since i was approximately 9 i was the same size for about 3 years until all of a sudden boom! puberty i gained weight i was about 140 pounds when i was 13 and stayed that way til i stopped eating became very self conscious slept woke up didnt eat until it hurt and ate a small piece of food every other day.i was pregnant about 2 years into it 16) just last july i moved out and started eating better its been 8 months i was 110 pounds when i was pregnant i weighed 160 now i weigh 180 the stretch are hideous obesity ran in my family,But even my boyfriend started getting my self concious vibes so i always ask him about dresses for special occasions he’ll say i want you wearing sleeves and long dresses and i get offended but i realize wait i started the self conscious by saying i don’t want to go out looking like this i look lazy and just not put together i’ve always had a problem with my appearance so idk if due to me having stretch marks or me being to hard (i’m a pretty bad critic to myself) but the stretch marks are all over my body back of legs inbetween and down to my elbows they are really red. i Have a family occasion to go to on october 3rd how do I fix this and fast???
I have always been petite and fell pregnant at 16 and put on 3 stone and that’s when I gained stretch marks. 10 years later and 2 more kids later I’m a mother of 3 with a stomach filled with stretch marks but they fade. And moisturizers like cocoa butter then fake instant tan that washes off can really cover your stretch marks in any light. Fake tan camouflages the marks and makes you feel sexier !
I have stretch marks on my calves,thighs,hips, and 3 on each arm. I am super super super insecure! I want to lose weight but it’s so hard. I just turned 13. My other friends are skinny and don’t have them on calves. At school I have to wear a skirt, and I always feel like boys are gonna make fun of me… My teacher even said stretch marks on happen to really fat people, when that happened I immediately hid my legs. it’s hard to lose weight. I want to talk to my doctor about weight loss, but I’m afraid I will get made fun of. What should I do? Someone please help me out?
I love dermelastic serum so much! As I hit puberty I got a lot of stretch marks of my legs and the sides of my stomach. I would be so insecure during the summer time never wanting to wear shorts or swim suits. I spent so much money on products to get rid of them and dermelastic is the only lotion I have ever found that helps at all. In a month or twice my purple stretch marks were almost completely invisible.
Hi…i hate strech marks.i have them on my hips..butts and legs i cannot reveal my legs..i tried most of things but they just wont fade away.M so very much insecure about those things.
I am 13 yrs old and I have deep purple and redish marks on my inner thighs I don’t know if they are stretch marks or growth but I refuse to wear shorts as the ones I own/buy are too short and show the scars I also have no idea what I’m supposed to do when I go on holiday in 1 month and a bit because I will obviously have to wear swim wear and things but I don’t feel like I can, I massage my inner thighs with cocoa butter and vitiamin E cream and started exercising but nothing is making a difference if anything it’s making it worse and I don’t know what to do also it is very warm each day and I never wear anything but jeans and leggings and people question it and also hurts me seeing my best friend as she is stick thin and wears what she wants
Yes, sounds like the same stretch marks I got on my thighs when I was your age. They are because you are growing tall right now and have nothing to do with your weight. I remember not being comfortable wearing shorts when I was your age and the marks were bright red but I assure you that A) the marks will fade to almost invisible within only a couple of years (I know it feels like forever right now) and B) you will learn that many, many people have them and that no one cares at all. I want you to know that you are beautiful as you are right this second and you can TOTALLY rock a bathing suit or shorts, but that I also completely understand feeling like you can’t. I just promise you that things will get better. In the mean time, if you aren’t comfortable in swimwear, maybe tie a lace/sheer sarong around your waist or something? (((hugs)))
Please please read and help if you can. I am 13 years old and I have stretch marks on my thighs which REALLY bother me as I am not overweight I don’t think and I am very active. I got them about 1 month ago and have never wore dress/skirt/shorts since and I have to stick that way but the problem is I’m going swimming later next week and going on holiday in 20 days I am so scared to what everyone thinks I can’t wear a bikini or shorts on holiday I refuse I’m very insecure about my thighs. The marks are a dark purple and are increasing size. I have searched and searched to what I could use and I don’t have the money to get them airbrushed and don’t have the guts to tell my family. Not to be mean but I went to a fair the other day and I have some friends that are bigger in weight than me but they wore shorts and had no stretch marks it doesn’t make sense. I can’t do all the things I love anymore, I was going to start gymnastics after the holiday but I can’t as you have to wear a leotard and shorts and also swimming is amazing but I can’t. If anyone has any ideas PLEASE HELP ME. Thank you for your time.
Hi, luv, I replied to your last comment and that’s the best I can do. I don’t know any magic remedy (in fact I think most of them don’t work). Just know that you are beautiful just as you are. Your body is doing so much good work right now growing into a woman’s body and it’s hard and lots of that sucks, but it’s doing a great job and so are you. Try a sarong at the beach – like a lacy cover up – if that helps you feel more confidant (but remember that you don’t HAVE to do anything if you don’t want to because you are already perfect as is). I hope you find peace. <3
I also had the same problem, I’m 28, gave birth at 20 and had a lot of stretchmarks on my calves ,underarms, back of my arms, butt, hips stomach, I am covered all over, I even tried a lot of products, even did all chemical peels possible on my under arm just to wear sleeveless tops (especially in summer).. I hate my self , I have a pretty face but my stretchmarks are killing me, i sometimes felt suicidal about it, and even want to scratch myself. I can’t even go out because I always felt ashamed. My workmates always wants to go to the beach or swimming for our team building, and I always refuse to go, because what will I wear? can I wear long sleeves and pants in the beach? Fuck this life! they even told me, I look so old with my clothes choices since I always wear Long sleeves and pants all the time, I can’t wear shorts, can’t even wear sleeveless top, Fuck .. curse these marks, so sad.. :(
You can just cover them with cool tattoos.
Then you’ll be the girl with tattoos and you’ll have nothing to be ashamed of.