# Do stretch marks fade enough to wear a bikini again?



## grey_pony

I keep reading that they fade to a color lighter than your skin. I am not overly vain, nor do I wear a bikini very often. I am just bummed about the amount of stretch marks I have. Seriously, when I google "bad stretch marks" none of the bad ones even look as bad as mine! They are purple, red, and my entire abdomen is covered. Along with part of my lower back, thighs, breasts. I just can't seem to find a good before & after photo to see how much they actually fade, and if I will ever be able to go in public in a bikini again!

Aside from that petty whine, I have been very lucky this pregnancy and can't complain too much! I am so excited to meet our little girl :)


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## Mamof1

I got the most terrible stretch marks while pregnant with my son...some a inch wide :( they were very red...I have to say they have now faded to a sort of grey silver colour, but its taken 11 years to get that faded, mine took a very very long time x


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## alette

I just figured this is why my mom and aunts have always worn 1 piece bathing suits ever since I can remember.  I doubt that I will ever feel comfortable in a bikini again.. I barely felt comfortable to begin with and I'm a teeny little thing. I guess I just don't really enjoy showing off that much skin to anyone that wants to see.


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## fairykate

alette said:


> I just figured this is why my mom and aunts have always worn 1 piece bathing suits ever since I can remember.  I doubt that I will ever feel comfortable in a bikini again.. I barely felt comfortable to begin with and I'm a teeny little thing. I guess I just don't really enjoy showing off that much skin to anyone that wants to see.

I think that's more due to age and modesty etc rather than stretchmarks tbh. Have never seen any of my older relatives in bikini's either but that isn't due to stretchmarks I don't think. 

I have stretchmarks from when I was going through puberty but now they are so light they blend in with the skin and if you have a tan it helps to cover them up too - you could always do some fake tan/spray tan in future if you're worried before you go away on holiday at any point??

xx


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## lesleyann

Its up to you hun but here is me a year after having kyle


Spoiler
Before Tan (I never tried to lose weight btw)
https://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/34385_417894943683_515893683_4537919_7842081_n.jpg

After Tan
https://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/37826_418259068683_515893683_4545664_42355_n.jpg


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## fairykate

Lesleyann - you look fab anyway, but so much better with the tan (sorry to the pale-and-beautiful gang lol) - you can hardly see anything in terms of stretchmarks!!!!

:thumbup:


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## lesleyann

fairykate said:


> Lesleyann - you look fab anyway, but so much better with the tan (sorry to the pale-and-beautiful gang lol) - you can hardly see anything in terms of stretchmarks!!!!
> 
> :thumbup:

Oh yes Tanned is 100% the way to go when it comes to stretchmarks! The tanned picture of me with kyle I have on my livingroom wall :haha:


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## Ju_bubbs

Yeah they do hun, this is a few months after my 3rd baby. I didn't get any stretch marks on him, but I got LOADS on my first pregnancy, and they flair up really bad with each pregnancy.. You can still see them, but they kinda blend in rather than stand out all red and purple! (excuse the pic :rofl: its the only one I can find atm!)


Spoiler
https://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2170/86/101/577436874/n577436874_1842125_1737.jpg

This is me last week at 16 weeks, so you can see the stretch marks, those are the very same ones that my first baby gave me... they've only just strted flaring up again this time round, imagine them 6 times bigger and 6 times brighter.. and thats what they're like at the end of each pregnancy :haha:


Spoiler
https://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/321145_10150281916626875_577436874_8010727_1062697675_n.jpg


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## ljo1984

i had SM on my hips mainly and a couple on my lower stomach, but yes they do fade. i wore a bikini 8 months after having imogen in cyprus and although they hadnt totally faded they wernt in your face like at the end of pregnancy. i wore a bikini this year as well and was 16 weeks pregnant, and they were totally faded. now there on the return! grrrr.


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## Jembug

I got a few after having my second girl in Feb. They were quite red but now there hardly there, I wore a bikini in July, got a tan and I felt comfortable x


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## grey_pony

Oh good! You ladies look wonderful! If mine fade as well as yours I would be comfortable in a bikini. I was just feeling sorry for myself the other day. I remember when my pre-pregnancy body was unmarked and... looking back now, pretty much perfect. I can't believe I used to be so hard on myself! DH is great and assures me how much smaller the marks will look once my belly shrinks. He is a saint :)


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## Beaney192

I have been worrying about this as well but this thread has given me hope! I cant imagine these little creatures going down anytime soon.


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## holliexa

i am totally freaking out about stretch marks. i dont have any on my tummy yet and i am nearly 24 weeks. wouldnt i have had them by now? my mum doesnt have any. i have ones on my thighs that have been there for years, im not concerned about those. i just dont want any on my tummy. i admit it, i am very vain


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## lesleyann

holliexa said:


> i am totally freaking out about stretch marks. i dont have any on my tummy yet and i am nearly 24 weeks. wouldnt i have had them by now? my mum doesnt have any. i have ones on my thighs that have been there for years, im not concerned about those. i just dont want any on my tummy. i admit it, i am very vain

Sadly hun you could still get them I had none till a couple of weeks before my due date, infact I got more after I had given birth than what I had before I gave birth I call those ones srink marks :haha:


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## Ju_bubbs

lesleyann said:


> holliexa said:
> 
> 
> i am totally freaking out about stretch marks. i dont have any on my tummy yet and i am nearly 24 weeks. wouldnt i have had them by now? my mum doesnt have any. i have ones on my thighs that have been there for years, im not concerned about those. i just dont want any on my tummy. i admit it, i am very vain
> 
> Sadly hun you could still get them I had none till a couple of weeks before my due date, infact I got more after I had given birth than what I had before I gave birth I call those ones srink marks :haha:Click to expand...

All of mine are from the shrink of my 1st pregnancy.. I didn't have any til after birth! Was gutted, thought I got away with it!! :haha:


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## holliexa

omg :( nooooo! lol. nothing i can do about it then. ive done my best with the bio oil and cocoa butter from the minute i found out i was expecting. i know these dont prevent stretch marks, but id like to think they have helped in some way because i have none so far as i said. oh well, just have to wait and see! x


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## holliexa

Ju_bubbs - are yours bad? x


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## Ju_bubbs

holliexa said:


> Ju_bubbs - are yours bad? x

Theres a pic of mine in a spoiler on the first page! x


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## holliexa

Ju_bubbs said:


> holliexa said:
> 
> 
> Ju_bubbs - are yours bad? x
> 
> Theres a pic of mine in a spoiler on the first page! xClick to expand...

looking at the 1st pic you posted, if i had a figure like that before or after a baby i wouldnt give a damn about some stretch marks lol. u look amazing x


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## Ju_bubbs

holliexa said:


> Ju_bubbs said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> holliexa said:
> 
> 
> Ju_bubbs - are yours bad? x
> 
> Theres a pic of mine in a spoiler on the first page! xClick to expand...
> 
> looking at the 1st pic you posted, if i had a figure like that before or after a baby i wouldnt give a damn about some stretch marks lol. u look amazing xClick to expand...

Aww thank you hun! :hugs:


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## misspink

It's apparantly all down to genetics as to whether you'll get them or not. I didn't have any until about 36 weeks now I have quite a few at the bottom of my bump, but I'm sure they'll fade in time so I'm not too upset. I think it's something like 70% of us get them.


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## Beaney192

Yeah i never got any till i was about 33 34 weeks and they have got ten times worse since 37 weeks! I was dreading getting them but they dont bother me at all now in some strange way they feel like an achievement lol


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