Horrible stretch marks that were NOT there 1 year ago

**Penguino** · 08-25-2011 07:56 PM

Hello,

I am 23 years old. I have struggled with being just chubby my whole life. However, in the past couple years I have gained about 25 pounds. I currently weight 185 and i am 5'5"

Last year, I weighed 175 180. Today, I weigh 185 and my stomach has horrible stretch marks that werent there a year ago today. Even through out the months, I have seen them get increasingly worse, starting from one side and going to the other. It happend out of no where!!!

My Question is: If i were to lose the weight, will these stretch marks go away because they are still new? I mean they are HORRIBLE now, thru my bellybutton, my sides. I cant believe I have let myself get this bad

**Cyndie32** · 08-26-2011 08:30 AM

yes. penguino. if you lose weight your stretch marks can go away but you have to take care of them. the skin where the stretch marks are is now damaged and needs to be repaired. Vitimin E oil massaged directly on the marks can greatly help with this process. Vitimin E helps regenerate new skin growth. also try cocoa butter. good luck with your weight loss journey. its not easy but it is well worth it. remember you are not going on a diet, you are changing your lifestyle. true weight loss can only happen permanently if you change the way you live your life.

**Beautiful Disaster** · 08-26-2011 08:50 AM

Ditto to what Cyndie said. They will NOT go away on their own. And they will most likely not go away with just weight loss. They may go away or fade if you commit to losing weight AND doing the vitamin E on your stomach and sides as well.

It's not too late to turn this around. How you've been your whole life doesn't matter now... how you are NOW is what matters and what you can become if you put your mind to it.

**mableswift** · 09-19-2011 12:44 PM

I completely understand how you felt when you saw the stretch marks. When I started to lose weight, I discovered dirty stretch marks on my waist line and arms. A friend suggested me to use a stretch mark remover cream after taking a bath in the morning and massage baby oil on the affected areas before going to bed at night. I followed it and saw that the marks reduced in a month and now they are slowly going away. You can try it out as well

**Penguino** · 09-20-2011 09:50 PM

THank you all so much for you advice! ANd its encouraging knowing if I can take care of it now, they may not be permanent

**Seeker_Advice** · 09-21-2011 09:37 AM

Ask a dermatologist or at least call their office to find out. My understanding is, once the skin is stretched in a way that causes stretch marks, the damage has been done. Are there things you can do to reduce the appearance of these marks? Perhaps. Vitamin E is often recommended. Will they ever go away (as in disappear)? Probably not.

A dermatologist's office will be able to tell you.

**candicekast** · 11-27-2011 08:55 PM

Hi, I am here to give the the low-down on stretch marks. Once they are there, there is not much you can do. You can find lotions that contain vitamin E that will soften that area, maybe help minimize the appearance. But just like with cellulite, stretchmarks are there for life. When the elastin fibers and collagen in your skin is stretched or diminished due to having a baby, or by an influct in weight gain the skin has a hard time trying to get into its youthful state. You are young, so you still are reproducing collagen cells moreso than a women in her 40's, you have a better cell tunrover. But stretch marks......unless you have them physically removed (excised- which is silly) they are their to stay. Stretch marks can change color, any where from tan to red, depedning on your skin pigment. I am a surgical assistant and am in the medical field. I see this type of thing all the time in OB. Sorry but try to maintain a healthy weight, once the ski has been stretched, the older you get, those elastin fiber break and do not regenerate.