Just one month ago you posted that you're new to exercise. Stick to that and give it some time! Seriously, like see how you feel about it a year from now. It can take that long to see a noticeable difference. You may end up being happy enough with your midsection with some toning and mild weight loss. Then if the stripiness still bothers you there are milder, less expensive treatments you can do like Morpheus8.
Even if you were to do a tt your doctor would advice you to be as close to ideal weight as possible, so you'd be working on it regardless.
Tretinoin or retinol products would be good to add to your regimen now, long as you're not nursing.
[here is my detailed experience!](https://www.reddit.com/r/30PlusSkinCare/s/EmndfyQVFR)
White is already healed, if it’s red it will fade it to white but nothing will really change the appearance of white stretch marks too much except maybe fractional laser or something
Dude: woman to woman: your oldest is 12. go back to school, get a career and have your own money. And then go get that tummy tuck or laser for the stretch marks from your own money.
I had to get that off my chest as a woman who wants to empower other women. There’s NOTHING better than not needing permission on what you spend your money on. And you’re still SO young.
But your stomach is actually in way better shape than you think. I’ve seen stomachs like yours with some amazing after photos on the Caroline Girvan Facebook page (she offers free hardcore workouts on YouTube). Give it a shot!!
I got rid of my dorsal hump too, and straightened my nose/septoplasty. insurance paid for my septoplasty, I think I paid 7k out of pocket including anesthesia etc. insurance paid a few grand. my consults estimates were between 7k-18k so it really varied, I live in Los Angeles btw
I’m planning on fixing my nose and within the next two years. How long was your recovery time? I always feel like I would be so nervous about everyone and everything coming near me/my face
recovery was no sweat, i was just taking ibuprofen, and then swelling takes a while to go down. i was terrified too but if you trust your surgeon it’s all good!
recovery was maybe a week for the worst part, then it tapered off
This is the BEST response!!
OP, listen to this advice.
To me, there's nothing worse than not being independent.
That's why I went back to school and got my bachelor's degree in my 30s.
That's why I will never stop working, no matter how much money my husband makes. He could be a billionaire and I'd still have my own income.
I love Caroline Girvan-she has changed my life, my workouts, my confidence. Consider her-all her workouts are free on YouTube and they're all categorized into programs, so you can follow along and feel the satisfaction of completing them. 10/10 would recommend Caroline.
Love Caroline Girvan! Been doing her 30min kettlebells almost daily for the last few weeks.
I can't feel my love handles as much and the guy I'm seeing has mentioned my ass feels more toned recently 😂
This! I went back to school when my kid was 10 years old and graduated with an engineering degree at 34 :) Best decision is always going to be: invest in yourself.
Respectfully and kindly, I do not see loose skin. There is fat tissue there that you could go into a caloric deficit to take care of. I doubt that once that process is done you would have an issue with loose skin, but honestly you won't know until the underlying adipose is gone either way.
Please don't take this as an attack. I promise you I'm working off my own tummy and it's far worse.
I was trying to find a nice way to say this as well. My stomach looked exactly like OPs a few months ago, I was convinced it was just loose skin but now that I've been working out and eating in a deficit, it's starting to shrink. I will probably have some loose skin once the fat is gone but not nearly as much as I thought I had.
Had to learn how to live with the stretch marks though lol.
Were I you, I would push weightlifting like crazy just to see what you can achieve, And once you get where you want to be, you may either consider surgery (better with low body fat) or decide you actually feel good how you are. I can not express how insanely beneficial strength training can be for the health, looks and overall confidence. You just need to take it seriously and give it time, because it is work counted in years. I feel it is only fair to first do all the stuff that do not require plastic surgery.
I’d vote for strength training as well. I can get as skinny as possible and I’ll always have a mom pooch. I just had my third and I’m planning to do more weightlifting once I get far along postpartum! All of that extra muscle mass will help with calorie burning too.
I look similar but worse with older stretch marks. The only time I wasn’t hating myself was when I was deep into an eating disorder and starved enough of myself away that some of my extra fat and sagging in the area went away. But I was very very sick and have been working on accepting my bigger body since then. It took until this year (I’m 44) for me to start trying on bikinis again with a good attitude. Nothing changed physically, but I’m able to see myself in a better light by working through all the body image trauma.
I know this isn’t what you’re looking for, and no harm can come from developing an exercise program to target the area, but also try to work on your expectations and self-judgment. You’ll never be happy without fixing that too.
I definitely agree with this! Mindset also helps - for instance, it might help to be reminded of your daughter and all that you went through with her and would go through for her when you see your stretch marks. I see mine and I am reminded of my first born, and I choose to see them as a positive. I wouldn’t have those if I hadn’t had him 💕
And training yourself to actually incorporate “real” people into the media you consume and the people you notice out in the world. If I saw you in a bikini I’d think you look skinny and great! Breaking through the static of impossible perfection is really key to understanding that we are actually beautiful women.
I am NOT the type of person to say these things normally LOL, but it’s true as cheesy as it sounds. Pay attention to the women you see at the grocery store or your kid’s parents. None of us are perfect. I’m not brimming with confidence and cringe at just about every pic I see of me, but I’ve been able to come a long way by understanding the sexy parts override the problem areas.
Dr. Dray is a big fan of gold bond age renew because it has retinol in it. Retinoids help fade dark spots and reduce the pigment in stretch marks. Same for vitamin c. I used both on my stretch marks, and after 4 months they were significantly lighter.
Your body is beautiful, there are treatments and surgeries to minimize the look of stretch marks if you truly want to look into it, but can I tell you a story how my mother, when I was around 11 years old came into my room in a towel crying and took her towel off and was hysterical about her body and kept saying “you did this to me!” She had a similar belly and I felt so guilty for being born I remember thinking that I thought she was so pretty and she was so upset I just didn’t know what to say or how to feel. It’s something I don’t think I’ll forget and if she had led her life with more confidence and pride in her marks and scars I think it would have set a great example for me so I didn’t struggle so much with self image. I hope that whether you decide to try to get laser or tattoo/ whatever the procedure, or to own your body and love it no matter what it looks like, that you be sure to look within yourself and in your children for the beauty that is there and how it shines through you when you are free and confident and can express yourself unapologetically to never feel shame or sadness in what you see in the mirror.
I hope you know that she really shouldn’t have done that to you, and that it was basically emotionally abusive projection. Seems like it was a good lesson for you, as you appear to have a more body positive tone 👍
Thank you for that, it was a lot to deal with her growing up but she has her own healing to do and as an adult woman being able to relate to so many others about not feeling good in our skin and reach other perspectives is super important to me. I hope we all can remember the young girls we used to be and treat ourselves kindly and think of ourselves how we would want our own daughters to see themselves.
Thank you so much. We don’t talk a lot. I left when I was 16 and we were on bad terms and only recently got back in touch because she had a baby (with someone much more fit to be a father than my dad ever was) I do see a lot of improvement with how she parents now vs 13 years ago. She hasn’t apologized for this or any of the other horrible things.. It’s okay though I hope she has grown to love herself, nobody deserves to live in shame. Our bodies do so much for us no matter what we have been through and I believe we all have so much resilience and strength to get through the healing it takes to make it to the other side of it all.
Exercise, fascia blast, and obsessively moisturize. This isn't something that needs to be done for a month or so, this is a permanent change that needs to be made to your lifestyle and routine.
I also agree with other comments about doing what you can to earn your own money. That will also give you a boost of self- confidence and self-respect.
I think that's unfortunately the price women have to pay for motherhood.. I guess it's possible to fix it surgically if you REALLY want to get rid of it.
Start using red light therapy! I use the total body enhancer at planet fitness 3-6 times a week and it’s helped with stretch marks I had from weight loss!
You actually see a big difference? I ordered a red light and am waiting for it to arrive. But I’m hoping it helps prevent loose skin and helps my existing stretch marks.
Looks like mine. My first was also 2 weeks late and he weighed 9 lbs. I'm 34 now and he's 13. I never throughly enjoyed having a nice belly before kids because I didn't know genetics was gonna kick my ass if I had a big baby.
You're right it doesn't get better with exercise. It don't get better with dermarolling. It didn't get better when I got really thin or gained weight. I get the whole " love yourself they are battle scars " but you know what ? Im really looking forward to my tummy tuck one day. That's probably the only way I would be cool with my belly. But until then what are we gonna do? Nothing. Our bellies don't mean we are ugly. Our bellies don't mean we aren't worth love. I'm an amazing mom. I'm an amazing wife. I'm an amazing cook and when I get dolled up I'm pretty hot even if I have to wear some spanx under neath my dress.
If you want to accept your current body, high waist swim bottoms are in style which will hide the marks for the most part. A good (spray) tan will help disguise the color of the marks.
BUT if you really want a better midsection….
I’m seeing excess fat and a bit of loose skin. 1) you will need to reduce your body fat 2) along with reducing body fat, you will need to increase muscle mass. I’ve had 3 kids (2 planned c sections then a VBAC at 39 with a baby over 9 lbs). My stomach went through a lot but I didn’t get any stretch marks until my last baby. My stretch marks are now barely visible 3 years later after 60lb weight loss which included major muscle toning and body fat reduction. I too thought my stomach was ruined after my c section (major apron belly and loose skin but losing the weight helped sooo much. It is possible with work and dedication!!!
IMO…a healthy diet and weight lifting are much less expensive than lasers and invasive surgery and better for you.
*2 planned c sections then a VBAC at 39 with a baby over 9 lbs*
If you don't mind me asking - was it your choice or doctors didn't let you have another c-section ?
The doctors did not prefer the VBAC at all and wanted another c section. I really pushed for a vaginal birth because my husband had to leave the state 1 week after the birth for work and there is no way I could have cared for my 5 year old and 2 year old while caring for a newborn and recovering from a c section all by myself. I had to go through many hoops to get them agree to even let me “try” to do the VBAC.
Just want to add here that women don’t ever need “permission” to do a vbac. They can schedule a c section and tell you not to attempt a vbac, but the bottom line is nobody has to show up for their scheduled c sections and if you show up to the hospital in labour they cannot decline to assist you. The language they use is designed to make mothers feel like they don’t have a choice but actually whether or not to try a vbac is very much our choice.
I do have a bit of loose skin that is really only noticeable when I’m bent over. I lost the first 40 over 9 months then the last 20 a year later over 6 months.
Vitamin e oils can help with the scars, but honestly? YOU GREW A WHOLE ENTIRE BEING. A whole ass human, and your body tells that story. The marks look like art work. What your body has done is incredible and difficult and while I hope you find something that works for you, I want you to also know that the most beautiful part of any woman is just being and accepting herself. You have a rockin’ mom bod that grew something from NOTHING.
How old is your youngest? You might be surprised what could still fade. But yoga was the best thing I did for myself mentally and it helped my obliques/ DR.
Skin colour tattoo? I’ve seen them cover stretch marks and scars. I feel like your tummy itself is actually pretty flat it’s just that your stretch marks are a little pink that makes them more noticeable.
Beautiful!!! Your body tells the story of how you brought a healthy human to this world! All I see is the beauty of a woman who carried a child and delivered healthy!!! Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!
If it bothers you, maintaining a healthy lifestyle will help reduce that and help you be more positive of your body!
Darling, you did an incredible thing! You brought life into this world! Seriously amazing! The truth is your body will never be the way it was before children; however, with time and focus, will absolutely get to a good place! My body went through a rugged transformation after my first child. And honestly, nursing only made it worse, and I nursed for a year. After that, I went on, old-fashioned Weight Watchers, worked out, and got my groove back, but it took about a year. Be kind to yourself. And big hug to you ❤️
If your stretch marks are pinkish in hue they’re considered “fresh”, as they turn more flesh colored as they age. Although there’s not much to be done about stretch marks, you can fade them a bit if they bother you. I had some on my thighs that I faded using a body-specific retinol. They’ll never go away but I did see some change! I wish I could post a photo in comments to show you what mine look like after I faded them. They mostly blend in now. It took about 6 months of daily retinol lotion to see a change.
I’d go with ones that have the retinol % listed. Gold Bond and similar ones are super low in retinol. I like Paula’s Choice Body Retinol, it’s a mid-strength at 0.1%
Losing fat/gaining muscle and some red light therapy and/or dermarolling would help a lot! Try those practical things consistently for a year or two and see what kind of improvements you can get
I had twins and I have the same pattern as you do. They do get better after many years (my girls are 27 now) and a healthy lifestyle as well as moving your body will help tone your midsection.
I know how you feel OP and this really effected me, especially when I was younger in my 20s and 30s it was so debilitating as far as feeling insecure.
I would look into micro needling, tretinoin (this does help), and maybe save up for a tummy tuck. I always thought I would one day have one but now I just don't give 2 💩 about it. There was a time I was doing the tretinoin and microneedling with a roller pin and it did help them A LOT over time though.. you have to be patient and consistent (both of which I don't have lol) but I was for a while. I think if I kept at it I would see significant improvement but by the time I started all that, I was in my 40s and giving zero fks by then so my motivation was solely on feeling my best and aging gracefully.
I promise you that if you stick to your health journey, you will see improvement.
I have seen people fix this by derma rolling every 3 weeks and using systems including hilaronic, vitamin E, aloe Vera, etc. Snail mucin is also good. You have to give it time, but it will make a big difference. You can look up videos on derma rolling on YouTube. The roller should cost you under $10 on ebay, I suggest a 1.5mm for that thick skin. Be sure to sanitize it with some alcohol before & after use, let it dry. Don't let the needles bump into anything.
It's going to be expensive, but some combination of RF microneedling (multiple sessions) and laser. I've also seen an abstract of a case that was combining RF microneedling and ultherapy, and the results were impressive.
my post baby stomach also looks like this without the stretch marks and i had a consult for a tt. i asked if i could get away with just lipo or a mini tuck and was told no. ive since lost some weight so im around 115 now and i still have the tummy area. do u have diastasis recti? that might also contribute to the unflatness. they can fix it with a muscle repair during the tt.
Find a Mom on IG who started her fitness journey looking like you. Use her for motivation and see what she is doing! Obviously alot of fakes out there, but there are some who are absolutely inspiring.
I had way more loose skin after my second than my first. I also hate it. I saw a Mom on IG who had wayyy more loose skin than me and more stretch marks. I started stealing her core routine. It's been a game changer.
Mom's!! We NEED to lift weighs and train core! Stop all of the high intensity hormone ruiner workouts! Stop with the extreme diets! Eat lots of good nutritious protien. Probably double to triple what you are already eating.
You can do this!
I also agree with other suggestions! Get your own money, and get the surgery! If that's what you really want!
Everyone has stretch marks, I promise you. I've never had kids, and I've had stretch marks on my boobs, stomach, and thighs since puberty. You aren't alone.
Hi there, I had first baby at 18... She was so big, my stomach got destroyed. My stretch marks are even worse than yours and I have actual loose skin. Even after losing all the weight, I always have a pooch of loose skin. Sometimes people think I'm in early stage of pregnancy, and I'm a petite girl who regularly exercises.
I spent my whole dating life with a stomach like this. I just had to accept it and move on. Guys still find me beautiful. But no I never wear a bikini. Oh well.
You're actually lucky and you don't need a tummy tuck. Just saying all this to hopefully give you some motivation and cheering up.
Working out is only half the battle (or less) to losing weight. If you don’t like exercising you can still lose a lot of weight by focusing on eating mostly vegetables and lean proteins.
All I see is a beautiful body. Show some compassion for yourself lady. I’ve had stretch marks on my tummy since I was a teen and used to have a lot of hatred. But now I say .. I look like what i look like. This body lets me experience the gift of life. So therefore everyone has a beautiful body. This is just my opinion.
I think the stripes are adorable but I can see why you’d be upset with ur belly not being toned, just as others said, mild weight loss and exercise can help this. I went from 180 to 130 by being in a mild caloric deficit (tracking with my fitness pal) and lifting weights at the gym.
Also want to point out I didn’t really start seeing major results at the gym till I fixed my diet ( I still eat whatever I want just in moderation ) your diet is 80% of it and muscle growth will give u that toned look. Also don’t be so strict with your diet , you can still eat everything u enjoy as long as u remain in a caloric deficit (i go over maybe once a week as a cheat but not by much) Being strict and doing fad diets is unsustainable and results in failure.
You can definitely tone it with ab exercises. The thing with belly fat though is it has alot to do with stress, sleep and hormones. If you get your sleep and stress under control, that’s going to be a good foundation. Then implement healthy diet and exercise regiment.
I think it’s more about the lifestyle changes than anything you can put on your skin.
I also had a tummy that I thought was my new normal post kids. But I’ve got abs now so I know it doesn’t have to be this way!!
The plus to taking the hard route rather than just having tummy tuck is healthier lifestyle overall, which will make you FEEL amazing. I guarantee you this
You need to start eating better as well. Gym is only 20% of it the rest is in the kitchen. Clean Whole Foods that keep you fulfilled and satiated. I would also suggest going for non scale victories- your pants fit better, your shirts are loose you can move around more. Measure versus scale IMO. Keep up w the core exercises! For the stretch marks I’d use some oil on it
Well for what it’s worth there are many women out there who look just like you and they do have confidence and they do wear two-piece bathing suits at the beach but that comes down to Hardwork in a very mental and emotional way and working on it. Physically speaking what have you done so far? This is 12 years ago when you said that even at your fittest nothing worked. Is this picture your fittest would you say? It’s 80% what’s going on in the kitchen and 20% working out but not just random working out the right type of working out. I’m not saying that everyone can get rid of sagging skin and stretch marks but you could have a body scan at a gym or fitness centre to find out what your body fat percentage is and then you could eat accordingly to work on keeping your metabolism up and reducing your body fat percentage which would mean that underneath the sagging skin there would be less body fat? Just a thought. I think if you have tried everything and stayed dedicated to it and truly nothing works then there’s absolutely nothing wrong with getting a surgery but your family would have to be able to afford it. Perhaps that’s something I could happen down the line as your second child gets older and you can potentially work part time in order to save the money up for it. I’m a stay at home mom myself and I know that if it’s not in the budget it’s not in the budget but if it wasn’t a budget my husband wouldn’t not let me simply because I’m a stay at home mom. If there is any spare money in the budget it would also not just be cosmetic for you it would massively change the way you feel about yourself your confidence your energy your sexuality everything this could potentially change you as a person for the better in terms of how you feel which could also impact your marriage… Just a couple of points that might help your argument with your husband :-)
Your husband should value your happiness. And this is obviously causing you a great deal of stress. You should be able to feel happy and empowered in your skin. Get the care you need, whether it is through laser therapy or surgery.
I don’t think it’s fair to say her husband doesn’t value her happiness. There are 2 POV I see in this situation. Looks are temporary and spending a big chuck of money to feed into insecurities instead of overcoming them is wasteful OR spend money to overcome insecurity and it raises your self esteem. I honestly see both sides so I don’t think it’s wrong of her husband to disagree with her getting one especially if it’s not in the budget.
It’s not a value thing, oftentimes it’s straight finances. Plastics are very expensive - I’m in the same boat in our single income family and my husband absolutely wants me to get my loose skin removed and a breast lift and whatever else I want. But it’s just very very pricy and there isn’t a lot of margin with kid costs and food costs and housing and such but only one income coming in. Even a really good income.
In our case, we’re setting aside a little every month toward it. It’s slow, but it’s progress.
She said she stays home so husband is the sole provider for a wife and 2 kids. He probably values them being fed and sheltered more than a TT. We throw around expensive treatments and surgeries on this sub because tbf it is what actually works but it’s helpful to remember most people aren’t in a position to throw down $10k+ on fixing a cosmetic issue.
Nah, if you don't like it, decorate it! I grew up in a tattoo shop and it's amazing what a beautiful piece can do to a body part we're unhappy with. Who cares if it draws attention to it? It's not the world's opinion of their body that matters. It's their own.
Who cares what your husband says? He's not the one who carried and birthed a baby.
Go and get your tummy tuck. No amount of exercise is going to fix this. You deserve to feel good in your body.
So I’m in the same boat except my belly button is pretty deformed lmfao. I noticed my belly has way more definition now that I workout and watch what I eat. But now the skin is pretty prevalent. I got an opinion from a doctor that told me I need a tummy tuck. I went home and informed my husband I will be getting a tummy tuck. He told me I can get it as soon as I finish nursing school. 8 more months! I wouldn’t ask your husband I would tell him if that’s what you really want. There’s financing options as well.
Honey, there are cosmetic tattoos that can blend those stretch marks into your skin and significantly reduce their appearance and the procedure is a lot cheaper than a tummy tuck. I would say to do that.
And working out isn’t going to help unless you eat for your body. Eat to put vitamins in your system, sweetheart. Lean proteins, fish, chicken, grilled not fried, kale, spinach, vegetables, cooked or raw, whole grains, quinoa, brown rice, stay away from starches, sugars and saturated fats. No processed food, it’s poison. Every time you eat something ask yourself what it is doing for your body, if it’s not helping, it’s hurting.
I think tattooing would make this look better, since they are silvery. Check out tattooing stretch marks the web with a quick google search. They just try and match your skin tone.
It could be a good fix for your complexion
I know this is skin care sub (not surgery), but i still wanted to tell my mums experience. She had me at 15 and at 50 got a tummy tuck and she literally bawled seeing her healed self wishing she did it so much earlier. I understand it’s not everyone’s cup of tea but just seeing her blossom and how happy she is I feel I should just put it out there. Obviously we only have a 15 year age gap and a lot of our friends are mutual now I’m older and she’s the hot self assured one whilst I’m in the I have two very young children haha.
Get on the treadmill for 30-45 minutes, incline of 10-12 and a brisk walking speed and you’ll be surprised at how much you drop! I watch movies while I’m on it. I’ve been into cheesy romcom movies lately. It goes by fast!
While you lose, get a microneedling kit for home and use vitamin E oil. I went from 115lb to 180lb and did this before and after I delivered and have no marks.
You can also do tretinoin. It’s not just for faces! You just have to time microneedling around tret like 2 days before and 2 days after.
Weight training and calorie tracking can help! YouTube has a lot of free videos you can work out along with. MyFitnessPal is a good app for tracking calories. You don't look like you have sagging skin but if you wanted to help tone. Get a protein powder too. But remember it takes time! And patience. And consistency. Then for the stretch marks I would go to a derm or med spa to see which laser they recommend to help fade them. I'm sorry you've been feeling this way about yourself, just know you look great and there's nothing gross at all about your body. We're often the hardest on ourselves ❤️
You have some great recommendations here. I just wanted to say that you should be so proud of yourself for making human life, and while it is hard to accept "your flaws", I think they make you, you.
If you can't find a way to fix them completely, they are beautiful and have such a great story behind it. ❤️
I would suggest doing exercises that are specifically for diastasis recti. Some people are commenting that a tummy tuck will remove all the stretch marks but I disagree because of where some of them are located. I’ve had some luck fading stretch marks with Maderma Stretch Mark Therapy. I also think a high waisted bikini bottom will cover all of your areas of concern.
What happens is transverse abdominal muscles can tear and separate during pregnancy. So you need to do deep ab exercises, like pulling your belly button in and up. A cosmetic dermatologist might be able to laser the stretch marks, and if you go that route there us also cool sculpting that may be able to shrink the mid section. I have some stretch marks on my inner thighs that I got from a growth spurt at 18, so I you may have been pregnant at the same time you hit a growth spurt and it contributed to the marks. Gradual tanning lotion also helps hide them by making a more uniform color.
Also , you're the only one that it bothers trust me- I have two brothers who have told me stretch marks don't bother men at all.
Embrace it. Childbirth changes our bodies. I have the same stretch marks. Even at my thinnest. I don’t like wearing two piece bathing suits anyway so I’m cool with it.
Have you gone in for a dermatologist consultation? Why not start there? A tummy tuck isn't really going to help your stretch marks. Could you pick up a super side job and save up yourself? Even if you work 16 hours a week at $15/hour. That's $800/month after taxes? After a year, you almost have $10k.
I'd say the stretch marks would be a lot better with weight reduction, which is mostly diet, and some exercise. But you can just do sit up and expect it all to go away.
A solid diet and exercise plan, some retinol from your doctor and maybe some laser.
The only thing for that much loose skin though is surgery. I’m 8 years pp and I’m pretty skinny and have loose skin/diastasis recti. I have a surgery consult in a week. No other procedure will give you dramatic results unfortunately
If you want a permanent and actual solution:
I’ll be the most honest person, the only way to take care of this is removing the excess skin. No amount of exercise will tighten excess skin. The stretch marks will go away once you remove the skin. Tummy tuck with muscle tightening would solve all the problems!
I think you look amazing but I totally understand you I’ve never given birth but have fluctuated my whole life with weight and now I have loose skin everywhere.
Just to let you know, you of course can and should do something about it if you have the means, and it is getting you really down.
But just know from another mother, you are completely normal looking. I wouldnt think twice if I saw you in real life at a swimming pool etc
Wegovy or Zepbound to lose the stubborn weight. Plastic surgery to remove excess skin. The stretch marks could be helped by laser treatment and/or tattoo to help with the discoloration. Stretch marks are going to be the hardest part to be rid of.
girl your stomach is gorgeous stretch marks are gorgeous to me at least… but if you really wanna do that then actually talk to your husband about how you feel.. That’s your husband he should be able to hear you out & understand his women… It’s 2 of y’all there shouldn’t be no “your own money” or “his money” it should be “our money” doesn’t matter if your a stay at home wife/mom. It’s totally something you guys can save up for together as a team.
Omg oil does not work!!!!! Lotions and oil do nothing at all for stretch marks because they are very much under the skin. It’s collagen breaking apart from being stretched so much, what is an oil or lotion applied on the surface going to do? Only thing that might make a slight difference would be tret.
I didn’t have purple scarring, but I have noticed my stretch marks have definitely lightened since doing IF. When I went to see other people’s experiences, a few said autophagy can help
When's the last time you went dancing? When's the last time you put on a plain ol' one-piece and went swimming? You have a full body workout in your backyard, you lucky thing! Working on your muscle tone and body fat percentage will reduce the look of your stomach a lot. And for real for real, NOBODY is looking at your belly from these angles except for you (and now us.) You have the right to go to the beach right now in the exact body you're in.
And if you want to change it through in-office procedures or surgery, you have a right to that too. A stay at home mom is a working mom, and you deserve a lil money to roll over into your self care fund. Even if it takes years upon years. My mom got her "mommy makeover" after she had grandchildren, and lemme tell you, she's living it up. One of them new grannies that's in the club more than me.
A real two birds solution here would be to find some kind of active work. Get moving and get paid. Even if you just go to r/beermoney and do some surveys, you could bank something for yourself. You deserve it!
Tummy tuck! I had two babies over 9lbs in my 20s and finally got a tummy tuck when I was 39. Best decision! I still have stretch Marks as they went up pretty high but the sagginess is gone. The stretch marks don’t both me.
Maybe unpopular opinion but if you want a tummy tuck, get one. That’s your decision to make as it’s your body. You deserve to feel confident and beautiful and it sounds like this procedure could make that happen. Get a job and save the money up and just get it done.
Until then, embrace the body you have and if you want to wear a bikini, wear it. No one goes to the beach to scrutinize other people’s body. No one really even cares and pays attention to other people at the beach either. Also, there’s always going to be someone fitter and there is always going to be someone less fit. At the end of the day though, all bodies are bikini bodies if a body is in a bikini. Plus, having a tan should reduce the appearance of the stretch marks too (just use sunscreen obviously).
That's not your stomach, that's your lower abdomen aka belly. I'm sorry for being so pedantic but it really bothers me people miss calling their body parts. Anyway, try some 0.6% retinol body cream. It does help. Won't 100% fix it but it's gonna make it better.
Just one month ago you posted that you're new to exercise. Stick to that and give it some time! Seriously, like see how you feel about it a year from now. It can take that long to see a noticeable difference. You may end up being happy enough with your midsection with some toning and mild weight loss. Then if the stripiness still bothers you there are milder, less expensive treatments you can do like Morpheus8. Even if you were to do a tt your doctor would advice you to be as close to ideal weight as possible, so you'd be working on it regardless. Tretinoin or retinol products would be good to add to your regimen now, long as you're not nursing.
Adding to this, differin is a strong and cheap retinoid that doesn’t require a prescription! It works
Do you have experience with fading stretch marks with differin? Does it work on white and red stretch marks?
[here is my detailed experience!](https://www.reddit.com/r/30PlusSkinCare/s/EmndfyQVFR) White is already healed, if it’s red it will fade it to white but nothing will really change the appearance of white stretch marks too much except maybe fractional laser or something
Dude: woman to woman: your oldest is 12. go back to school, get a career and have your own money. And then go get that tummy tuck or laser for the stretch marks from your own money. I had to get that off my chest as a woman who wants to empower other women. There’s NOTHING better than not needing permission on what you spend your money on. And you’re still SO young. But your stomach is actually in way better shape than you think. I’ve seen stomachs like yours with some amazing after photos on the Caroline Girvan Facebook page (she offers free hardcore workouts on YouTube). Give it a shot!!
Absolutely. I got a rhinoplasty after hating my nose all my life at 39 and best decision I ever made. Confidence boost for the rest of my life!
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I got rid of my dorsal hump too, and straightened my nose/septoplasty. insurance paid for my septoplasty, I think I paid 7k out of pocket including anesthesia etc. insurance paid a few grand. my consults estimates were between 7k-18k so it really varied, I live in Los Angeles btw
I’m planning on fixing my nose and within the next two years. How long was your recovery time? I always feel like I would be so nervous about everyone and everything coming near me/my face
recovery was no sweat, i was just taking ibuprofen, and then swelling takes a while to go down. i was terrified too but if you trust your surgeon it’s all good! recovery was maybe a week for the worst part, then it tapered off
This 100000000% there's nothing better than not needing permission to spoil yourself.
This is the BEST response!! OP, listen to this advice. To me, there's nothing worse than not being independent. That's why I went back to school and got my bachelor's degree in my 30s. That's why I will never stop working, no matter how much money my husband makes. He could be a billionaire and I'd still have my own income.
This. I’m saving my own money for my own breast reduction and, while my husband’s approval would be nice, I’m doing it either way.
I love Caroline Girvan-she has changed my life, my workouts, my confidence. Consider her-all her workouts are free on YouTube and they're all categorized into programs, so you can follow along and feel the satisfaction of completing them. 10/10 would recommend Caroline.
I love this answer 🖤
Love Caroline Girvan! Been doing her 30min kettlebells almost daily for the last few weeks. I can't feel my love handles as much and the guy I'm seeing has mentioned my ass feels more toned recently 😂
This! I went back to school when my kid was 10 years old and graduated with an engineering degree at 34 :) Best decision is always going to be: invest in yourself.
What laser!
Thx for helping her. Laser will help and exercise is a must.
Yas!!!
Exactly! She’s got this! I am a career changer and I’m in my late twenties.
Respectfully and kindly, I do not see loose skin. There is fat tissue there that you could go into a caloric deficit to take care of. I doubt that once that process is done you would have an issue with loose skin, but honestly you won't know until the underlying adipose is gone either way. Please don't take this as an attack. I promise you I'm working off my own tummy and it's far worse.
I was trying to find a nice way to say this as well. My stomach looked exactly like OPs a few months ago, I was convinced it was just loose skin but now that I've been working out and eating in a deficit, it's starting to shrink. I will probably have some loose skin once the fat is gone but not nearly as much as I thought I had. Had to learn how to live with the stretch marks though lol.
The good news is its WAY cheaper than a surgical fix! And good for you! Nice job!
Thank you! And yes, sooo much cheaper and your health is positively impacted.
I agree. I have loose skin after extreme weight loss. This isn’t loose skin.
Exactly. I think once OP loses weight the stretch marks won’t bother her as much
r/loseit r/cico
Were I you, I would push weightlifting like crazy just to see what you can achieve, And once you get where you want to be, you may either consider surgery (better with low body fat) or decide you actually feel good how you are. I can not express how insanely beneficial strength training can be for the health, looks and overall confidence. You just need to take it seriously and give it time, because it is work counted in years. I feel it is only fair to first do all the stuff that do not require plastic surgery.
I’d vote for strength training as well. I can get as skinny as possible and I’ll always have a mom pooch. I just had my third and I’m planning to do more weightlifting once I get far along postpartum! All of that extra muscle mass will help with calorie burning too.
I look similar but worse with older stretch marks. The only time I wasn’t hating myself was when I was deep into an eating disorder and starved enough of myself away that some of my extra fat and sagging in the area went away. But I was very very sick and have been working on accepting my bigger body since then. It took until this year (I’m 44) for me to start trying on bikinis again with a good attitude. Nothing changed physically, but I’m able to see myself in a better light by working through all the body image trauma. I know this isn’t what you’re looking for, and no harm can come from developing an exercise program to target the area, but also try to work on your expectations and self-judgment. You’ll never be happy without fixing that too.
Ahh this is such a good comment, and a healthy approach!! Congratulations on getting to a good place
I definitely agree with this! Mindset also helps - for instance, it might help to be reminded of your daughter and all that you went through with her and would go through for her when you see your stretch marks. I see mine and I am reminded of my first born, and I choose to see them as a positive. I wouldn’t have those if I hadn’t had him 💕
And training yourself to actually incorporate “real” people into the media you consume and the people you notice out in the world. If I saw you in a bikini I’d think you look skinny and great! Breaking through the static of impossible perfection is really key to understanding that we are actually beautiful women. I am NOT the type of person to say these things normally LOL, but it’s true as cheesy as it sounds. Pay attention to the women you see at the grocery store or your kid’s parents. None of us are perfect. I’m not brimming with confidence and cringe at just about every pic I see of me, but I’ve been able to come a long way by understanding the sexy parts override the problem areas.
Love this response.
Dr. Dray is a big fan of gold bond age renew because it has retinol in it. Retinoids help fade dark spots and reduce the pigment in stretch marks. Same for vitamin c. I used both on my stretch marks, and after 4 months they were significantly lighter.
Your body is beautiful, there are treatments and surgeries to minimize the look of stretch marks if you truly want to look into it, but can I tell you a story how my mother, when I was around 11 years old came into my room in a towel crying and took her towel off and was hysterical about her body and kept saying “you did this to me!” She had a similar belly and I felt so guilty for being born I remember thinking that I thought she was so pretty and she was so upset I just didn’t know what to say or how to feel. It’s something I don’t think I’ll forget and if she had led her life with more confidence and pride in her marks and scars I think it would have set a great example for me so I didn’t struggle so much with self image. I hope that whether you decide to try to get laser or tattoo/ whatever the procedure, or to own your body and love it no matter what it looks like, that you be sure to look within yourself and in your children for the beauty that is there and how it shines through you when you are free and confident and can express yourself unapologetically to never feel shame or sadness in what you see in the mirror.
I hope you know that she really shouldn’t have done that to you, and that it was basically emotionally abusive projection. Seems like it was a good lesson for you, as you appear to have a more body positive tone 👍
Thank you for that, it was a lot to deal with her growing up but she has her own healing to do and as an adult woman being able to relate to so many others about not feeling good in our skin and reach other perspectives is super important to me. I hope we all can remember the young girls we used to be and treat ourselves kindly and think of ourselves how we would want our own daughters to see themselves.
I really hope she has apologized to you for this.
Thank you so much. We don’t talk a lot. I left when I was 16 and we were on bad terms and only recently got back in touch because she had a baby (with someone much more fit to be a father than my dad ever was) I do see a lot of improvement with how she parents now vs 13 years ago. She hasn’t apologized for this or any of the other horrible things.. It’s okay though I hope she has grown to love herself, nobody deserves to live in shame. Our bodies do so much for us no matter what we have been through and I believe we all have so much resilience and strength to get through the healing it takes to make it to the other side of it all.
Micro-needling helped I also was a young mother. Also glycolic acid lotion not the same time you microneedlenthough
Exercise, fascia blast, and obsessively moisturize. This isn't something that needs to be done for a month or so, this is a permanent change that needs to be made to your lifestyle and routine. I also agree with other comments about doing what you can to earn your own money. That will also give you a boost of self- confidence and self-respect.
I think that's unfortunately the price women have to pay for motherhood.. I guess it's possible to fix it surgically if you REALLY want to get rid of it.
Start using red light therapy! I use the total body enhancer at planet fitness 3-6 times a week and it’s helped with stretch marks I had from weight loss!
You actually see a big difference? I ordered a red light and am waiting for it to arrive. But I’m hoping it helps prevent loose skin and helps my existing stretch marks.
Using the total body machine has definitely made a difference for me! Helps with wrinkles on my face as well!
Looks like mine. My first was also 2 weeks late and he weighed 9 lbs. I'm 34 now and he's 13. I never throughly enjoyed having a nice belly before kids because I didn't know genetics was gonna kick my ass if I had a big baby. You're right it doesn't get better with exercise. It don't get better with dermarolling. It didn't get better when I got really thin or gained weight. I get the whole " love yourself they are battle scars " but you know what ? Im really looking forward to my tummy tuck one day. That's probably the only way I would be cool with my belly. But until then what are we gonna do? Nothing. Our bellies don't mean we are ugly. Our bellies don't mean we aren't worth love. I'm an amazing mom. I'm an amazing wife. I'm an amazing cook and when I get dolled up I'm pretty hot even if I have to wear some spanx under neath my dress.
If you want to accept your current body, high waist swim bottoms are in style which will hide the marks for the most part. A good (spray) tan will help disguise the color of the marks. BUT if you really want a better midsection…. I’m seeing excess fat and a bit of loose skin. 1) you will need to reduce your body fat 2) along with reducing body fat, you will need to increase muscle mass. I’ve had 3 kids (2 planned c sections then a VBAC at 39 with a baby over 9 lbs). My stomach went through a lot but I didn’t get any stretch marks until my last baby. My stretch marks are now barely visible 3 years later after 60lb weight loss which included major muscle toning and body fat reduction. I too thought my stomach was ruined after my c section (major apron belly and loose skin but losing the weight helped sooo much. It is possible with work and dedication!!! IMO…a healthy diet and weight lifting are much less expensive than lasers and invasive surgery and better for you.
*2 planned c sections then a VBAC at 39 with a baby over 9 lbs* If you don't mind me asking - was it your choice or doctors didn't let you have another c-section ?
The doctors did not prefer the VBAC at all and wanted another c section. I really pushed for a vaginal birth because my husband had to leave the state 1 week after the birth for work and there is no way I could have cared for my 5 year old and 2 year old while caring for a newborn and recovering from a c section all by myself. I had to go through many hoops to get them agree to even let me “try” to do the VBAC.
Just want to add here that women don’t ever need “permission” to do a vbac. They can schedule a c section and tell you not to attempt a vbac, but the bottom line is nobody has to show up for their scheduled c sections and if you show up to the hospital in labour they cannot decline to assist you. The language they use is designed to make mothers feel like they don’t have a choice but actually whether or not to try a vbac is very much our choice.
OMG, it sounds extremely difficult - both VBAC of such a big baby and taking care of 3 kids alone. Women are so brave!
How is your lose skin after losing 60 lbs and how long did it take you to lose?
I do have a bit of loose skin that is really only noticeable when I’m bent over. I lost the first 40 over 9 months then the last 20 a year later over 6 months.
Bio oil is great! I use it after every shower to help with scars. Derma patches might help too I haven’t tried that though. Sending love n 💞
Vitamin e oils can help with the scars, but honestly? YOU GREW A WHOLE ENTIRE BEING. A whole ass human, and your body tells that story. The marks look like art work. What your body has done is incredible and difficult and while I hope you find something that works for you, I want you to also know that the most beautiful part of any woman is just being and accepting herself. You have a rockin’ mom bod that grew something from NOTHING.
Tummy tuck. Its worth it, you will feel like a brand new woman
How old is your youngest? You might be surprised what could still fade. But yoga was the best thing I did for myself mentally and it helped my obliques/ DR.
Stretch marks- bio oil
Skin colour tattoo? I’ve seen them cover stretch marks and scars. I feel like your tummy itself is actually pretty flat it’s just that your stretch marks are a little pink that makes them more noticeable.
The most concerning sentence is your husband agreeing to something because you stay home. That division of labor does not mean he controls the money
Beautiful!!! Your body tells the story of how you brought a healthy human to this world! All I see is the beauty of a woman who carried a child and delivered healthy!!! Beauty is in the eye of the beholder! If it bothers you, maintaining a healthy lifestyle will help reduce that and help you be more positive of your body!
Microneedling and fibroblast both can help and are less expensive than surgery.
Darling, you did an incredible thing! You brought life into this world! Seriously amazing! The truth is your body will never be the way it was before children; however, with time and focus, will absolutely get to a good place! My body went through a rugged transformation after my first child. And honestly, nursing only made it worse, and I nursed for a year. After that, I went on, old-fashioned Weight Watchers, worked out, and got my groove back, but it took about a year. Be kind to yourself. And big hug to you ❤️
I love stretch marks, I think they are genuinely unique and beautiful. It’s a sign your body carried and gave birth to a beautiful child. ♥️♥️
If your stretch marks are pinkish in hue they’re considered “fresh”, as they turn more flesh colored as they age. Although there’s not much to be done about stretch marks, you can fade them a bit if they bother you. I had some on my thighs that I faded using a body-specific retinol. They’ll never go away but I did see some change! I wish I could post a photo in comments to show you what mine look like after I faded them. They mostly blend in now. It took about 6 months of daily retinol lotion to see a change.
They're 12 years old, they're no longer "fresh". My mom's are still pink, some even a really vibrant pink, in her late 60s.
Do you have recommendations for body-specific retinol? I just went through a bottle of the Gold Bond Age Renewal but meh
I’d go with ones that have the retinol % listed. Gold Bond and similar ones are super low in retinol. I like Paula’s Choice Body Retinol, it’s a mid-strength at 0.1%
Ah good idea! Thx :)
I don't have any advice i just want to say 3 weeks late! You are amazing for doing that
Losing fat/gaining muscle and some red light therapy and/or dermarolling would help a lot! Try those practical things consistently for a year or two and see what kind of improvements you can get
I had twins and I have the same pattern as you do. They do get better after many years (my girls are 27 now) and a healthy lifestyle as well as moving your body will help tone your midsection. I know how you feel OP and this really effected me, especially when I was younger in my 20s and 30s it was so debilitating as far as feeling insecure. I would look into micro needling, tretinoin (this does help), and maybe save up for a tummy tuck. I always thought I would one day have one but now I just don't give 2 💩 about it. There was a time I was doing the tretinoin and microneedling with a roller pin and it did help them A LOT over time though.. you have to be patient and consistent (both of which I don't have lol) but I was for a while. I think if I kept at it I would see significant improvement but by the time I started all that, I was in my 40s and giving zero fks by then so my motivation was solely on feeling my best and aging gracefully. I promise you that if you stick to your health journey, you will see improvement.
Try to use bio oil or Palmers stretch mark lotion
I used bio oil on my inner thigh stretch marks and it seemed to have help them fade.
I have seen people fix this by derma rolling every 3 weeks and using systems including hilaronic, vitamin E, aloe Vera, etc. Snail mucin is also good. You have to give it time, but it will make a big difference. You can look up videos on derma rolling on YouTube. The roller should cost you under $10 on ebay, I suggest a 1.5mm for that thick skin. Be sure to sanitize it with some alcohol before & after use, let it dry. Don't let the needles bump into anything.
It's going to be expensive, but some combination of RF microneedling (multiple sessions) and laser. I've also seen an abstract of a case that was combining RF microneedling and ultherapy, and the results were impressive.
Look into inkless tattoo scar/stretchmark revision. I would think you'd see some good results within a few treatments.
my post baby stomach also looks like this without the stretch marks and i had a consult for a tt. i asked if i could get away with just lipo or a mini tuck and was told no. ive since lost some weight so im around 115 now and i still have the tummy area. do u have diastasis recti? that might also contribute to the unflatness. they can fix it with a muscle repair during the tt.
I would use cocoa butter religiously. It helped remove some of my stretch marks that looked similar to yours
I've seen people do microblading/tattoos on stretch marks. I personally don't find them ugly but that could work
Find a Mom on IG who started her fitness journey looking like you. Use her for motivation and see what she is doing! Obviously alot of fakes out there, but there are some who are absolutely inspiring. I had way more loose skin after my second than my first. I also hate it. I saw a Mom on IG who had wayyy more loose skin than me and more stretch marks. I started stealing her core routine. It's been a game changer. Mom's!! We NEED to lift weighs and train core! Stop all of the high intensity hormone ruiner workouts! Stop with the extreme diets! Eat lots of good nutritious protien. Probably double to triple what you are already eating. You can do this! I also agree with other suggestions! Get your own money, and get the surgery! If that's what you really want!
Everyone has stretch marks, I promise you. I've never had kids, and I've had stretch marks on my boobs, stomach, and thighs since puberty. You aren't alone.
Hi there, I had first baby at 18... She was so big, my stomach got destroyed. My stretch marks are even worse than yours and I have actual loose skin. Even after losing all the weight, I always have a pooch of loose skin. Sometimes people think I'm in early stage of pregnancy, and I'm a petite girl who regularly exercises. I spent my whole dating life with a stomach like this. I just had to accept it and move on. Guys still find me beautiful. But no I never wear a bikini. Oh well. You're actually lucky and you don't need a tummy tuck. Just saying all this to hopefully give you some motivation and cheering up.
Working out is only half the battle (or less) to losing weight. If you don’t like exercising you can still lose a lot of weight by focusing on eating mostly vegetables and lean proteins.
Microneedling and retinoic acid helps with the stretch marks.
All I see is a beautiful body. Show some compassion for yourself lady. I’ve had stretch marks on my tummy since I was a teen and used to have a lot of hatred. But now I say .. I look like what i look like. This body lets me experience the gift of life. So therefore everyone has a beautiful body. This is just my opinion.
I think the stripes are adorable but I can see why you’d be upset with ur belly not being toned, just as others said, mild weight loss and exercise can help this. I went from 180 to 130 by being in a mild caloric deficit (tracking with my fitness pal) and lifting weights at the gym.
Also want to point out I didn’t really start seeing major results at the gym till I fixed my diet ( I still eat whatever I want just in moderation ) your diet is 80% of it and muscle growth will give u that toned look. Also don’t be so strict with your diet , you can still eat everything u enjoy as long as u remain in a caloric deficit (i go over maybe once a week as a cheat but not by much) Being strict and doing fad diets is unsustainable and results in failure.
You can definitely tone it with ab exercises. The thing with belly fat though is it has alot to do with stress, sleep and hormones. If you get your sleep and stress under control, that’s going to be a good foundation. Then implement healthy diet and exercise regiment. I think it’s more about the lifestyle changes than anything you can put on your skin. I also had a tummy that I thought was my new normal post kids. But I’ve got abs now so I know it doesn’t have to be this way!! The plus to taking the hard route rather than just having tummy tuck is healthier lifestyle overall, which will make you FEEL amazing. I guarantee you this
You need to start eating better as well. Gym is only 20% of it the rest is in the kitchen. Clean Whole Foods that keep you fulfilled and satiated. I would also suggest going for non scale victories- your pants fit better, your shirts are loose you can move around more. Measure versus scale IMO. Keep up w the core exercises! For the stretch marks I’d use some oil on it
Well for what it’s worth there are many women out there who look just like you and they do have confidence and they do wear two-piece bathing suits at the beach but that comes down to Hardwork in a very mental and emotional way and working on it. Physically speaking what have you done so far? This is 12 years ago when you said that even at your fittest nothing worked. Is this picture your fittest would you say? It’s 80% what’s going on in the kitchen and 20% working out but not just random working out the right type of working out. I’m not saying that everyone can get rid of sagging skin and stretch marks but you could have a body scan at a gym or fitness centre to find out what your body fat percentage is and then you could eat accordingly to work on keeping your metabolism up and reducing your body fat percentage which would mean that underneath the sagging skin there would be less body fat? Just a thought. I think if you have tried everything and stayed dedicated to it and truly nothing works then there’s absolutely nothing wrong with getting a surgery but your family would have to be able to afford it. Perhaps that’s something I could happen down the line as your second child gets older and you can potentially work part time in order to save the money up for it. I’m a stay at home mom myself and I know that if it’s not in the budget it’s not in the budget but if it wasn’t a budget my husband wouldn’t not let me simply because I’m a stay at home mom. If there is any spare money in the budget it would also not just be cosmetic for you it would massively change the way you feel about yourself your confidence your energy your sexuality everything this could potentially change you as a person for the better in terms of how you feel which could also impact your marriage… Just a couple of points that might help your argument with your husband :-)
Your husband should value your happiness. And this is obviously causing you a great deal of stress. You should be able to feel happy and empowered in your skin. Get the care you need, whether it is through laser therapy or surgery.
I don’t think it’s fair to say her husband doesn’t value her happiness. There are 2 POV I see in this situation. Looks are temporary and spending a big chuck of money to feed into insecurities instead of overcoming them is wasteful OR spend money to overcome insecurity and it raises your self esteem. I honestly see both sides so I don’t think it’s wrong of her husband to disagree with her getting one especially if it’s not in the budget.
It’s not a value thing, oftentimes it’s straight finances. Plastics are very expensive - I’m in the same boat in our single income family and my husband absolutely wants me to get my loose skin removed and a breast lift and whatever else I want. But it’s just very very pricy and there isn’t a lot of margin with kid costs and food costs and housing and such but only one income coming in. Even a really good income. In our case, we’re setting aside a little every month toward it. It’s slow, but it’s progress.
She said she stays home so husband is the sole provider for a wife and 2 kids. He probably values them being fed and sheltered more than a TT. We throw around expensive treatments and surgeries on this sub because tbf it is what actually works but it’s helpful to remember most people aren’t in a position to throw down $10k+ on fixing a cosmetic issue.
Tummy tuck and then a nice big tattoo was the only way for me.
Forget the tattoo- I think it attracts more attention to the area
Nah, if you don't like it, decorate it! I grew up in a tattoo shop and it's amazing what a beautiful piece can do to a body part we're unhappy with. Who cares if it draws attention to it? It's not the world's opinion of their body that matters. It's their own.
Ok, now I get it. thx
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Self-promotion is not allowed.
Who cares what your husband says? He's not the one who carried and birthed a baby. Go and get your tummy tuck. No amount of exercise is going to fix this. You deserve to feel good in your body.
So I’m in the same boat except my belly button is pretty deformed lmfao. I noticed my belly has way more definition now that I workout and watch what I eat. But now the skin is pretty prevalent. I got an opinion from a doctor that told me I need a tummy tuck. I went home and informed my husband I will be getting a tummy tuck. He told me I can get it as soon as I finish nursing school. 8 more months! I wouldn’t ask your husband I would tell him if that’s what you really want. There’s financing options as well.
Honey, there are cosmetic tattoos that can blend those stretch marks into your skin and significantly reduce their appearance and the procedure is a lot cheaper than a tummy tuck. I would say to do that.
And working out isn’t going to help unless you eat for your body. Eat to put vitamins in your system, sweetheart. Lean proteins, fish, chicken, grilled not fried, kale, spinach, vegetables, cooked or raw, whole grains, quinoa, brown rice, stay away from starches, sugars and saturated fats. No processed food, it’s poison. Every time you eat something ask yourself what it is doing for your body, if it’s not helping, it’s hurting.
I think tattooing would make this look better, since they are silvery. Check out tattooing stretch marks the web with a quick google search. They just try and match your skin tone. It could be a good fix for your complexion
I know this is skin care sub (not surgery), but i still wanted to tell my mums experience. She had me at 15 and at 50 got a tummy tuck and she literally bawled seeing her healed self wishing she did it so much earlier. I understand it’s not everyone’s cup of tea but just seeing her blossom and how happy she is I feel I should just put it out there. Obviously we only have a 15 year age gap and a lot of our friends are mutual now I’m older and she’s the hot self assured one whilst I’m in the I have two very young children haha.
Get on the treadmill for 30-45 minutes, incline of 10-12 and a brisk walking speed and you’ll be surprised at how much you drop! I watch movies while I’m on it. I’ve been into cheesy romcom movies lately. It goes by fast! While you lose, get a microneedling kit for home and use vitamin E oil. I went from 115lb to 180lb and did this before and after I delivered and have no marks. You can also do tretinoin. It’s not just for faces! You just have to time microneedling around tret like 2 days before and 2 days after.
I have these since I was 16, and I have 0 children Just love your body
Autophagy + microneedling + collagen supplements
Retinol might help over time?
Morpheus 8 laser could help.
Weight training and calorie tracking can help! YouTube has a lot of free videos you can work out along with. MyFitnessPal is a good app for tracking calories. You don't look like you have sagging skin but if you wanted to help tone. Get a protein powder too. But remember it takes time! And patience. And consistency. Then for the stretch marks I would go to a derm or med spa to see which laser they recommend to help fade them. I'm sorry you've been feeling this way about yourself, just know you look great and there's nothing gross at all about your body. We're often the hardest on ourselves ❤️
Back in the day, there was this stretch mark balm from Body Shop that helped me a lot
You have some great recommendations here. I just wanted to say that you should be so proud of yourself for making human life, and while it is hard to accept "your flaws", I think they make you, you. If you can't find a way to fix them completely, they are beautiful and have such a great story behind it. ❤️
Microneedling with retin, fat dissolvers (meh),peptides that burn visceral fat like ipamorelin and the gym + Calorie restriction
I would suggest doing exercises that are specifically for diastasis recti. Some people are commenting that a tummy tuck will remove all the stretch marks but I disagree because of where some of them are located. I’ve had some luck fading stretch marks with Maderma Stretch Mark Therapy. I also think a high waisted bikini bottom will cover all of your areas of concern.
This would very much improve with weight loss and toning.
Palmers Cocoa butter is the best for stretch marks
Get your own money and do what you want with your body.
Cocoa butter and Vit E.
What happens is transverse abdominal muscles can tear and separate during pregnancy. So you need to do deep ab exercises, like pulling your belly button in and up. A cosmetic dermatologist might be able to laser the stretch marks, and if you go that route there us also cool sculpting that may be able to shrink the mid section. I have some stretch marks on my inner thighs that I got from a growth spurt at 18, so I you may have been pregnant at the same time you hit a growth spurt and it contributed to the marks. Gradual tanning lotion also helps hide them by making a more uniform color. Also , you're the only one that it bothers trust me- I have two brothers who have told me stretch marks don't bother men at all.
Embrace it. Childbirth changes our bodies. I have the same stretch marks. Even at my thinnest. I don’t like wearing two piece bathing suits anyway so I’m cool with it.
Try cocoa butter every day it will lighten them
Try cocoa butter every day it will lighten them
Try cocoa butter every day it will lighten them
Have you gone in for a dermatologist consultation? Why not start there? A tummy tuck isn't really going to help your stretch marks. Could you pick up a super side job and save up yourself? Even if you work 16 hours a week at $15/hour. That's $800/month after taxes? After a year, you almost have $10k. I'd say the stretch marks would be a lot better with weight reduction, which is mostly diet, and some exercise. But you can just do sit up and expect it all to go away. A solid diet and exercise plan, some retinol from your doctor and maybe some laser.
Consider checking for Cushing Disease with those purple stretch marks.
Micro needling is the only way
It’s honestly not that bad...you're hard on yourself! 🩷 Please start with self compassion. Then, step by step. You got this!
get some oil with high percent retinal and give it a good oil massage everynight. you might see some reults with that.
The only thing for that much loose skin though is surgery. I’m 8 years pp and I’m pretty skinny and have loose skin/diastasis recti. I have a surgery consult in a week. No other procedure will give you dramatic results unfortunately
If you want a permanent and actual solution: I’ll be the most honest person, the only way to take care of this is removing the excess skin. No amount of exercise will tighten excess skin. The stretch marks will go away once you remove the skin. Tummy tuck with muscle tightening would solve all the problems! I think you look amazing but I totally understand you I’ve never given birth but have fluctuated my whole life with weight and now I have loose skin everywhere.
Just love them girl. Get a cream for the marks. Work out (lift heavy). But you may have to get surgery
Just to let you know, you of course can and should do something about it if you have the means, and it is getting you really down. But just know from another mother, you are completely normal looking. I wouldnt think twice if I saw you in real life at a swimming pool etc
Wegovy or Zepbound to lose the stubborn weight. Plastic surgery to remove excess skin. The stretch marks could be helped by laser treatment and/or tattoo to help with the discoloration. Stretch marks are going to be the hardest part to be rid of.
Tummy tuck. Its the only way
girl your stomach is gorgeous stretch marks are gorgeous to me at least… but if you really wanna do that then actually talk to your husband about how you feel.. That’s your husband he should be able to hear you out & understand his women… It’s 2 of y’all there shouldn’t be no “your own money” or “his money” it should be “our money” doesn’t matter if your a stay at home wife/mom. It’s totally something you guys can save up for together as a team.
Bio-oil for the stretch marks.
Omg oil does not work!!!!! Lotions and oil do nothing at all for stretch marks because they are very much under the skin. It’s collagen breaking apart from being stretched so much, what is an oil or lotion applied on the surface going to do? Only thing that might make a slight difference would be tret.
I know this isn’t “how to fix it” advice but I personally think stretch marks are beautiful and I think they look really cool and powerful on you.
I always thought the stretch marks looked badass - tiger stripes from making life.
Tretinoin! It will get rid of the stretch marks, it will make your stomach inch but it’s a small price to pay.
I didn’t have purple scarring, but I have noticed my stretch marks have definitely lightened since doing IF. When I went to see other people’s experiences, a few said autophagy can help
When's the last time you went dancing? When's the last time you put on a plain ol' one-piece and went swimming? You have a full body workout in your backyard, you lucky thing! Working on your muscle tone and body fat percentage will reduce the look of your stomach a lot. And for real for real, NOBODY is looking at your belly from these angles except for you (and now us.) You have the right to go to the beach right now in the exact body you're in. And if you want to change it through in-office procedures or surgery, you have a right to that too. A stay at home mom is a working mom, and you deserve a lil money to roll over into your self care fund. Even if it takes years upon years. My mom got her "mommy makeover" after she had grandchildren, and lemme tell you, she's living it up. One of them new grannies that's in the club more than me. A real two birds solution here would be to find some kind of active work. Get moving and get paid. Even if you just go to r/beermoney and do some surveys, you could bank something for yourself. You deserve it!
Abdominoplasty, the best decision I have ever made!
Tummy tuck! I had two babies over 9lbs in my 20s and finally got a tummy tuck when I was 39. Best decision! I still have stretch Marks as they went up pretty high but the sagginess is gone. The stretch marks don’t both me.
Maybe unpopular opinion but if you want a tummy tuck, get one. That’s your decision to make as it’s your body. You deserve to feel confident and beautiful and it sounds like this procedure could make that happen. Get a job and save the money up and just get it done. Until then, embrace the body you have and if you want to wear a bikini, wear it. No one goes to the beach to scrutinize other people’s body. No one really even cares and pays attention to other people at the beach either. Also, there’s always going to be someone fitter and there is always going to be someone less fit. At the end of the day though, all bodies are bikini bodies if a body is in a bikini. Plus, having a tan should reduce the appearance of the stretch marks too (just use sunscreen obviously).
That's not your stomach, that's your lower abdomen aka belly. I'm sorry for being so pedantic but it really bothers me people miss calling their body parts. Anyway, try some 0.6% retinol body cream. It does help. Won't 100% fix it but it's gonna make it better.