Dealing with stretch marks from weight loss

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ericdeeson
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Joined: Fri Nov 29, 2013 4:08 pm
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by ericdeeson on Thu Jan 16, 2014 12:01 pm

Dealing with stretch marks from weight loss

I was tempted to add this query to the new mother's query (to whom congratulations of course) but feared it might be sexist or, anyway, lost.

I'm just in my 70s and have come down from 17.5 stone to below 13 stone in three years - with over two stone loss in the last three months with WeightWatchers. And that last stint has given me amazing stretch marks, like a great star centred on my belly-button. (There are others but that's the most concerning for when the swimming season re-starts!)

I mention my age as I fear that my skin is far less elastic now - I don't recall any such effect when I lost a similar amount in less than a year in the 1980s.

Is there hope? Is there any advantage in a daily application of skin cream or (eg) olive oil?

All the best, all - Eric

RosyHannah
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by RosyHannah on Thu Jan 16, 2014 9:21 pm

Re: Dealing with stretch marks from weight loss

Eric,

Must also congratulate you on your weight loss!

It is true that skin does lose elasticity with age so this may be the reason you have succumbed to stretch marks at this time. There is a lot of conflicting advice on the ability to get of or at the very least treat stretch marks. I have found an old forum post which you may be interested to read, it gives some insights into a few options. In the meantime one of our experts may be able to pick up both of your requests for help and offer you (and me!) some advice.
I should add they fade to a silvery line over time if they have not already!

viewtopic.php?f=69&t=2853

Best of luck, keep in touch,

Rosy

ericdeeson
Posts: 14
Joined: Fri Nov 29, 2013 4:08 pm
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by ericdeeson on Sat Jan 18, 2014 8:29 pm

Re: Dealing with stretch marks from weight loss

Thanks, Rosy, for the response and the link. The link isn't to a VERY old posting - 2012 - but I must say it frightens me a bit. The respondent (who gets off on the wrong foot to me by saying "stretch-marks ... arise when the external muscle or epidermis of the body is stretched", though the epidermis is not a muscle but our skin) basically seems to say that ointments, oils, gels etc are ineffective and that if the marks don't go away on their own one can consider only surgery (including laser surgery).

So, Rosy, I do hope that some other reader can come up with something effective but less radical - I do know about the silvery line being the endpoint of a stretch mark, but worry that that applies only, or mainly, to younger, more elastic skin than mine!

Thanks again - Eric

ericdeeson
Posts: 14
Joined: Fri Nov 29, 2013 4:08 pm
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by ericdeeson on Tue Jan 21, 2014 6:49 pm

Re: Dealing with stretch marks from weight loss

Just a note to say I've tried professionals yesterday and today:

(a) Boots' pharmacist ... had no hesitation in recommending a product called Bio-oil. The colleague who then showed me this on the shelf said it's extremely costly (which it is, something like £10 for a small bottle) but the only thing that works. When asked, she took me to a Boots' own brand product which specifically claims to be for stretchmarks (which Bio-oil doesn't) and seems quite a bit cheaper; she said it's quite a lot less effective, though.

(b) My GP (who's also lost an enormous amount in the last few months and also has stretch marks still from her pregnancies) ... had no hesitation either: "There is no cure." She did give seemingly good advice though - to use plenty of sun screen before exposing the stretch marks.

So the commercial advisers >> lotions of some kind; and the professional one, the GP - like the professional ones in this forum - >> nothing works.

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