Question about Toning/Stretch Marks

[socal21]

Hey Guys!

So I've been checking myself out in the mirror cause I sorta fell off the wagon to getting in shape and gained some weight back. Today I noticed only cause Of the sunlight coming in through the window that my entire abdomen ares has stretch marks it made me feel like shit, but honestly I'm not all saggy or anything. I Look somewhat solid, just pudgy. My question is; Can I fix this by continuing to workout and tone my entire body or is this going to have to be fixed with surgery? which I can't afford, so I hope I don't need to.

I've never ever gone out without a shirt, so Today's sunlight which made me see this, sorta made me lose hope to ever being able to go out without a T.

 

[chrisw87]

go to one of those local pharmacy warehouse type deals and pick up some body butter with stretch mark reducing stuff in it, I know its designed for women but men that bulk up suffer from the same issues.

I got them on the top of my biceps during law enforcement training from bulking up too damn quick and probably not drinking enough water.

Things that come to mind are shea butter, bio oil that sort of thing, but theres others that work well over time.

 

[KaraBulut]

There's several options that will help but unfortunately some skin types are prone to stretch marks and they tend to be more visible on olive and tan skin.

The cheap alternative is cocoa butter based products. These are usually available in nicer drug stores and in some of the cosmetic stores like Ulta and Sephora.

There's also a more expensive product called Strivection that is also helpful.

 

[socal21]

I'm fairly light skinned, and was thinking of tanning after achieving my goal...would that help also?

 

[gingentleman]

Tanning emphasizes stretch marks...they do not tan.

 

[KaraBulut]

I'm fairly light skinned, and was thinking of tanning after achieving my goal...would that help also?

Tanning emphasizes stretch marks...they do not tan.

Stretch marks or striae are caused when there's a stretching of the skin that occurs faster than the skin can grow. Skin is composed of several layers on top of each other similar to a sandwich. One of those layers (the dermis) has more fibrous tissue and is what gives the skin its shape and firmness.

During periods of rapid weight gain- either fat or muscle- the pressure on the dermis causes it to tear and form cracks. These cracks start out dark and turn a silvery color as scar tissue forms. In terms of the sandwich image, it would be like stretching the sandwich until the bread cracked.

Some guys who have thinner fair skin tend to form stretch marks that are lighter and less noticeable. Guys who have more olive skin tones seem to not only form stretch marks but because of the contrast in skin color, the stretch marks are more noticeable.

Tanning will make them more visible as gingergentlemen commented above.

 

[Nomenclature]

Some people say that real cocoa butter helps to fade them a little if they're brand new, but it doesn't work very well and it takes a few months to see any results. For example: A woman uses it during pregnancy. I feel your pain, though; I have really bad stretch marks on the sides of my ass, and over the past few years i've tried cocoa butter, vitamin E oil etc and it's done absolutely NOTHING.


Aside from laser surgery (which is expensive and only fades them a little), two things i've heard that actually do work are the dermaroller and castor oil. in this photo blog, a woman regularly applied castor oil to an old, dark and very large scar she had on her leg. Over the course of three years, it completely disappeared. Since stretch marks are scar tissue in your dermis, it might have a similar effect.


The Dermaroller is about $199 from what I remember, but it's FDA approved and people see a dramatic reduction in stretch marks, wrinkles and even hair loss in only a couple of weeks. If you have the opportunity to try it, please let us know how it works for you.



i've also heard that a dermatolgist can prescribe a cream with glycolic acid, which fades them a little too. So that's also an option.