Hi Ladies:

I'm looking for input from everyone, but women of color in particular since stretch marks seem to be more visible on our skin. I have tons of stretch marks on my shoulders, arms and breasts. After you lost your weight, did those seem to go away or did you have to use a scar product on them?

Thanks for your time!

They don't go away, they might change color. I know that on me they are red and fade out as they age. I'm not sure if they'd be different on your skin, although I bet similar. To my knowledge and experience, creams don't really work. Some people swear by them though, I think that they would have faded anyway and they just think the cream helped. My ex once said that I had belly flame, like I'm just awesomely detailed. Possibly the sweetest thing he ever said to me, and still cracks me up. :-)

I'm white, but I can tell you about stretch marks in general.

You can use cream to dim them a little but nothing will make them go away. I hate to say this, but sometimes losing weight makes them smaller (skin shrinks) but also deeper looking. They're very much like scars on the skin.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news

I'm white, and have had stretch marks since I was a young kid. I started gaining weight at the age of 6, and had many high to low swings since then. Even at my thinnest point, the stretch marks were still there. Although, they did shrink (because they weren't so stretched out), and faded. Still, lots of thin squiggly lines all over my thighs and butt. I now refer to them as my battle scars

Nope those bad boys are here to stay unless you get cosmetic surgery (in which it usually takes most but not all of the marks away) (think tummy tucks, arm tucks) etc. Creams help some, but it only diminishes the appearance not erases it.

And Mis is right, losing weight makes the skin fold where you have stretch marks...as if it wasnt bad enough ey

Hi Ladies:

I'm looking for input from everyone, but women of color in particular since stretch marks seem to be more visible on our skin. I have tons of stretch marks on my shoulders, arms and breasts. After you lost your weight, did those seem to go away or did you have to use a scar product on them?

Thanks for your time!

I have lost over 200 pounds, 176 pre banding. Most of mine did go away, but I am very fair skinned, I'm a red head. The plastic surgeon I was sent to told me to take high doses of E so I did. I plan on having my tummy, arms and breast lifted but I first want to lose another 50 pounds.

E is a good thing to know. I seem to have no elasticity in my skin what so ever. I think the only part of me stretch mark free is my pinky toe. I will have to try that. Thanks!

They don't go away, they might change color. I know that on me they are red and fade out as they age. I'm not sure if they'd be different on your skin, although I bet similar. To my knowledge and experience, creams don't really work. Some people swear by them though, I think that they would have faded anyway and they just think the cream helped. My ex once said that I had belly flame, like I'm just awesomely detailed. Possibly the sweetest thing he ever said to me, and still cracks me up. :-)

That was sweet!!!! I like it, too!

Loved the Flame comment, too -- and I've heard "Tiger Stripes" before. The coordinator of the LB program at our local hospital (who is banded herself) said something that cracked every one up at the seminar when some one asked about stretch marks: " all the important stuff happens in the dark anyway so who cares?" She is pretty irreverent.

My husband had a major abdominal scar from a back surgery (they went in through the front). He did Vitamin E oil every day and it's hard to see that scar now. Totally different, of course, as that was fresh and different than stretch marks. I'm white but have a boy of color who is one scar after another -- sometimes I rub Vitamin E oil on the worst spots but honestly I can't tell whether it does anything. Trader Joe's makes a good one that is not too expensive or sticky.

I've wondered about starting to grease up my beach ball in advance of the band and whether that would do anything -- the way pregnant women do. Oh my, do I look forward to getting rid of this belly! If there are stretch marks it will be better than what I have now, that's for sure.