Stretch marks

[saur]

Could any of you share some tips to avoid stretch marks, specially on the arms.

Thanks!

[arpeejay]

I don't think there's anyway to avoid them. If you grow (especially if you grow fast), it's probably going to happen. Here's a link that talks about stretch mark removal methods:

http://www.docshop.com/education/der...-mark-removal/

all the best & xoxo & wear your stretch marks proudly! & post some pix dammit!

Richard

[yuri23]

The more you moisturize the less noticble the stretch marks will be. Also drnk lots of water. Those two things will keep your skin elastic and allow it to stretch over the new muscle.

[wolfotehmoon]

What yuri23 said. I've heard cocoa butter is good.

[AS2000]

Olive oil is another one. Pregnant women in some countries use it, I've heard. You'll smell like olive oil, of course. But it's not a bad smell... just distinct.

[inflated]

My wife is pregnant and she uses a prescription vitamin E creme, and it definitely works well, I use it to keep stretch marks at a minimum, and it has a nice smell.

[strappinstud]

There is a product called Barmon Stretch Mark Cream that has been around for 30 years.

On their very professional looking website they state: "People are constantly told by their doctors that there is no treatment to get rid of stretch marks unless they are willing to pay for laser surgery. At Barmon?, we have proven results to show that isn't true ? our cream is guaranteed to fade away your unsightly stretch marks. If you are not completely satisfied with our stretch mark cream, we'll give you your money back!"

They have Before & After pix and an extensive FAQ section that explains what the product does:

Q: How does Barmon Stretch Mark Cream work?
A: Stretch marks are tears in the collagen beneath the top layer of skin. Our stretch mark cream is formulated to deliver vitamin E down into the torn tissue helping the collagen to heal thus diminishing the appearance of the marks, and in most cases making them disappear altogether. Vitamin E or cocoa butter alone will not work due to the size of their molecule, they are just too big to penetrate the skin. We use lanolin, which has a very small molecule, to deliver the ingredients past the top layer of skin into the torn tissue.

As of 1-31-2009 you can buy 2 tubes for $19.95. So it's not a big investment to try it out.

Here's the link to their site:
http://www.barmon.com/site2/index.html

(I'm not a paid shill for this company, but maybe I should send them a bill now?)

I had a growth spurt in junior high school and it was frightening when they appeared on my upper legs, the back of my hips/waist line, and around my butt . At first I didn't have a clue what they were. I thought I had gotten worms or something from our dog (?!?) and showering with my peers in gym class was already stressful enough. A friend from those times now works at the same company I do and he told me it totally freaked him out when he saw them in the locker room.

Anyway, my parents explained what they were (relief!) and after two decades the marks have naturally faded away so they are no longer red and they're not very noticeable, but I have been wondering if they could fade further. So since it's only twenty bucks I might try this stuff out just to see.

According to the FAQ the age of the stretch marks does not matter:

Q: Does it matter how old the stretch marks are?
A: No. When Barbara founded our recipe and our company 30 years ago, she had given birth to her first child 15 years earlier. Based on her own personal success, she decided to market and sell her stretch mark cream to others; new mothers, athletes -- anyone who has stretch marks and wants their stretch marks and skin to heal.

One other thing: I did have an acquaintance who was "turned-on" by seeing stretch marks on bodybuilders - the fact that they grew their muscles so fast their skin wasn't able to keep up with it and you could see exactly where the most growth had occurred.

Has anyone else ever heard of this or feels the same way? I'm just curious.

[SWMassMan]

Stretch marks = growth.
thus
Lots of stretch marks = lots of growth! ;-)

[inflated]

Maybe so but they are not attractive and can easily be avoided--proper nutrition, moisturizer and stretch mark cream can eliminate them.