Can you get Stretch Marks from weight LOSS?
Obviously, weight gain causes stretch marks, as would weight loss followed by gain. I’ve also heard that women sometimes get marks just from losing weight, with no gain. Is this really possible (or common) and why does it happen?
Thanks for the replies. I am actually a normal weight (5’6 120lbs), but trying to lose about 15lbs over a period of months. Are stretch marks from weight loss more likely if you are very large to begin with?
September 2nd, 2010 at 9:45 am
i think so, if you lose weight slowly you should be fine.
September 2nd, 2010 at 9:57 am
really fast weight loss yes
September 2nd, 2010 at 10:02 am
If you lose weight fast then your skin goes saggy, and you will have excess flabby skin.. but if you lose it with exercise and over time then you shouldn’t have any marks! Stretch marks are called stretch marks cos of the skin STRETCHING!
September 2nd, 2010 at 10:12 am
Yes if you go at it(diet)without exercise.You lose weight but the skin stays
uneven.Loose.Imagine sitting and bending in a baggy blouse.Creases.Bio Oil from the chemist is good to rub into
your skin.Not expensive.
September 2nd, 2010 at 11:10 am
Totally. I have lost a lot of weight and have a few stretch marks mind, I have had a baby. But, my little sister used to be obese and now she is a twig with mills of stretch marks x
September 2nd, 2010 at 11:23 am
You will get stretch marks from losing weight if you had them in the first place. All that will happen is that you will see them more obviously. If you lose an extreme amount of weight and you were very large to begin with, your skin will be really saggy.
September 2nd, 2010 at 11:49 am
It depends on how fat you are before you lose the weight.
Your skin gets so used to you being fat that when you lose the weight it wil leave marks.
Kind of like when you blow a balloon to big then you let out the air it does leave marks.
September 2nd, 2010 at 12:21 pm
You will get stretch marks from gaining weight. Stretch marks will sometimes show up more when you lose weight but they do not come from losing weight.
September 2nd, 2010 at 12:58 pm
When skin is subjected to stretching by pregnancy, weight gain, or extreme weight loss, the dermis can be affected and stretch marks then appear. Stretch marks are purplish in color which then becomes glossy after some time. The dermis is the elastic midddle layer of skin that is responsible for its shape. When it is constantly stretched, it can be damaged which causes stretch marks.
September 2nd, 2010 at 1:08 pm
Simply put, no stretch marks from weight loss isn’t possible since it happens only from the stretching of the skin. That’s what leaves the scar. The thing is is the marks might be more noticeable when the skin is crumpled together (if that makes sense lol) vs stretched out and somewhat blended in.
As far as getting rid of the stretch marks there are a few ways to do it, either you can use the DIY method or try those proven treatment creams out on the market.
Try to massage the area with the stretch marks about three or four times a day with moisturizers that contain cocoa butter or shea butter as a prime ingredient. This hydrates the skin, making it more pliant. Again, this is most effective only in the initial stage.
If your stretch marks are already pass the initial stage (when they are red, purple, pink, or brown, depending on the color of your skin) and become white or silver (usually with deep indentation), then it would be far more difficult to minimize them, but not entirely impossible to “remove” them. But before you begin searching for these treatments, try to read more information on these topical treatments first.
Many are advertised to “repair” stretch marks, but few have actually been proven to be effective. Here’s some that are available on the market:
a) Wheat germ oil – may help improve stretch marks in their early phase.
b) Glycolic acid – increases collagen production; can be administered in higher doses by a dermatologist (usually costs a few hundred bucks and requires a few visits before you see results)
c) Vitamin C – certain formulations might increase collagen production, but they’ll only help with early-stage stretch marks; for best results, combine with glycolic acid.
d) Relastin – the effectiveness of this product is unknown and unverified.
e) Peptide-containing products – these “repair” creams are ineffective; there’s no evidence that they work.
f) Retinoids – they’re fairly effective in increasing collagen and elastic production in the early stages, but they should be avoided if you’re pregnant or nursing; they’re more effective when used in combination with glycolic acid.
I would recommend treatments that are using “100% natural ingredients” such as aloe vera. Aloe vera has been shown in clinical studies to have a positive effect on wound healing and holds anti-inflammatory properties.
As stretch marks start out as microscopic tears in skin layers due to overstretching of the dermis, aloe vera helps heal these small wounds without causing scar tissue to form, effectively preventing the appearance of stretch marks. Aloe vera has been used for thousands of years by the Egyptians, Romans, Greeks, Arabs, Indians and Chinese to decrease the appearance of scars and to moisturize and heal skin. The extracts from the aloe leaf protects skin from environmental factors and promotes skin regeneration.
You can also read more about stretch marks on wiki below:
http://www.wikihow.com/Get-Rid-of-Stretch-Marks
🙂