I never thought about stretch marks from growing but now that I think about it, I do have very faded ones on my legs that likely came from growth spurts. (I’m 6’ and grew that tall VERY quickly).
The ones on my thighs are pretty much invisible unless you’re looking specifically for them. I don’t remember them during my growth spurts but I probably just didn’t think about it at the time.
Hopefully these ones fade as much as the other ones
I also have a Dermatologist who specializes in Lupus patients (and others with autoimmune disorders that affect the skin). If my Rheumatologist doesn’t have any answers then I’ll make an appt with the Derm. I didn’t even think to ask her… derp…
I developed those red gashes similar to your photo late in pregnancy. It seemed like they appeared overnight I only gained 20 pounds. Mine are about 1/2 to 3/4 inch wide and about 1/4" deep. I showed my OB and he said that type of stretch mark doesn’t occur very often.
Mine have faded to pink from red. Of course the skin will never repair itself. After 20 years they still burn and itch occasionally.
I like Bio Oil. It is very soothing.
I have asked several doctors if anything can be done. They all told me no. The only solution would be a mini tummy tuck which I really don’t need so I never did a plastic surgery consultation.
Best of luck @romanigypsyeyes. I hope you have a better outcome.
It depends on your skin type. Some lucky women, the marks fade to nothing. Mine turned white, but remained. I used to tell my kids it looked they tried to claw their way out.
Luckily only a few of mine are deep- most are just big. The ones that are deep aren’t on my stomach and they don’t hurt… hopefully they stay that way! But good to know that they might just say that there’s nothing that can be done. Even if I wanted to get some sort of cosmetic surgery, I can’t have any type of surgery while on current meds… so anything of the sort will be a long way down the road.
ETA: Lol HRSmom. Mine kind of look like tiger stripes. Maybe I’ll tell my (hopefully) future children that they’re marks from the aliens who brought them me. (Being alien children is a running joke in my family.)
Yes, if need be, they can be cut away. If you go off the meds and end up with loose skin, you may want to. But it may snap back and the marks may be faint. You just don’t know till the time comes:)
Update: went to Rheumatologist today and he suggested trying vitamin E first. If that doesn’t work, he’ll call me in some prescription strength something (can’t remember what he said but it’s something they give to pregnant women).
Is the Vit E to be taken orally or are you to apply it to the stretch marks? Have heard of both. I’d also give a call to your dermatologist to see if you can get additional suggestions.
Yes, I have heard of Vit E used that way and it’s more portable in the gelatin capsules anyway. I still think it’s worth giving your dermatologist a call or email. They are the skin docs and I’m sure have advised on this.
That’s a good idea. I’ll send her a portal message now before I forget.
I actually need to talk to her anyway since my sun-induced Lupus rashes have come back despite wearing sunscreen and sun-protective clothes (and only being outside for short periods). I’d really prefer not to have a bright red butterfly rash over my face all summer! (At least the other ones I can cover with clothes…)
It is frustrating to have to deal with rashes, pain, weight gain, Rx side effects, and the lovely complications of chronic health conditions. Glad you have good healthcare providers to work with. Let us know if the derm has any good suggestions.
Thought I’d give one more update. I did reach out to my Dermatologist and her response was basically that unfortunately, there’s just not much we can do. The vitamin e and moisturizing are the best things for me at this stage. She did offer retinoids (like Retin A) as another alternative but said it would likely cause more issues than solve especially because I have rash-prone skin already.
After they heal and turn flesh-colored or silvery, she said we could treat them with lasers. Not high on my priority list, but definitely something for me to keep in mind.
I have a new scar from removing the electrodes due to cardiac testing–I have very thin skin which came off too. Just bought a tube of Mederma gel from CVS.
Read reviews from several folks that it has helped fade their stretch marks and thought of this thread. The price on Amazon is lower than the $15 I paid. I have only used it a few days so far, but think it MAY be fading the vivid red scar on my chest to a lighter pink. H believes it may be fading as well. It may be worth considering (tho it is fairly expensive). It will be nice if the scar becomes invisible.
It appears to come in several different formulations–gel, cream and overnight. Anyway, I figure it’s worth considering.
Yes, @romanigypsyeyes! I also got an unneeded $5 coupon for their stretch marks version that I can mail you if you pm me your address. I just spoke with a pharmacist today and she said she has heard good things about this product as well.
Romani, I was on a high dose of prednisone for 7 years (until my first major surgery – they were never able to reduce the dose because I got sick again every time they tried) beginning when I was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease at the age of 22. As a side effect, I developed dark purplish stripes on my inner thighs that did look kind of like tiger stripes. I was told that they were a side effect… Seemingly independent of weight gain, because there wasn’t that much, so I still have no real idea why they appeared! More than 30 years later, after only being on high doses of prednisone again during periods of hospitalization, the marks have faded on both legs – almost entirely so on my left leg, but for whatever reason they’re still quite visible on my right leg. I hope you don’t have to stay on it long.
