# Help! Do stretch marks REALLY fade after birth?



## _Natalie_

Hi ladies

Well I thought I was doing pretty well to avoid stretch marks- so far I have none on my bump..... but today I looked in a full length mirror after y shower, for the first time in months, and was horrified to see loads and loads of purple streth marks ALL OVER my outer thighs, and at the top of my bum! URGHHHHH.... ( I hadnt noticed them when just looking at my skin, but in the mirror its so obvious!

I just wondered, do stretch marks REALLY fade after birth? I don't want to be vain, but it really has shocked me :( Any advice from existing mums, or anyone would be much appreciated!


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## NuKe

most definitely. mine were really angry looking after having my first, but they are just shiny now! I had #2 6 days ago and they are already a lot better looking! have faith!!


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## HandM

i got reddish purple ones on my hips just during the last few weeks with my son, and they went away! I think it took a few months.


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## Twinks

I was wondering this too! Ive got angry red ones on my hips and was really pleased I didn't have any on my tummy. Then hit 39 weeks and wham big ugly red one just under my belly button! Niccceee lol :wacko:
Glad people r saying should fade yay!


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## aliss

Yes. I also found that all the blood flow in my stomach made it look even worse.

Here is my before/after if it makes you feel a little more at ease. They are still there, nothing you can do about that, but they do fade dramatically.

I believe the after is around 8-9months postpartum??? I'm also quite pale which helps, for once my pasty ass has benefits.
 



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## Twinks

aliss said:


> Yes. I also found that all the blood flow in my stomach made it look even worse.
> 
> Here is my before/after if it makes you feel a little more at ease. They are still there, nothing you can do about that, but they do fade dramatically.
> 
> I believe the after is around 8-9months postpartum??? I'm also quite pale which helps, for once my pasty ass has benefits.


Oh wow hope u don't mind me saying but ur stomach looks amazing. Now if only I could look like ur after picture 8/9 months down the road... Lol :thumbup:


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## yrose20118

wow thanks for sharing, and your pp stomach looks amazing!!! xxx


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## aliss

Thanks girls. I'd like to say it was easy but I am an athlete (powerlifting) and it took a lot of very hard work. As you could probably tell, my son was quite big (9lb 3oz born) and I had diastasis recti. Hope you all snap back, but I didn't!


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## _Natalie_

Thank you for sharing your photos, I couldnt see any stretch marks in the post photo!! I'm hoping that exercise will help, especially as the marks are on my thighs, think I'll take up running after birth! They just look so bad right now :(


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## cdj1

Stretch marks will never vanish, however they do fade to a silvery colour and look a lot better as the months go on! x


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## aliss

_Natalie_ said:


> Thank you for sharing your photos, I couldnt see any stretch marks in the post photo!! I'm hoping that exercise will help, especially as the marks are on my thighs, think I'll take up running after birth! They just look so bad right now :(

You're welcome.

But I think you'll find proper weight training, in conjunction with eating the proper calories, is more beneficial to improving the postpartum tummy. I don't run, lol. But do what you love, that is the key to exercise.


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## rockabillymom

Mine faded a lot. Just moisturize


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## beth_terri

They definately do! When I get on my computer ill post a pic of just after I have birth and just before I got pregnant this time xx


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## lovelylisa84

They lighten but don't go away. It's been almost 12 years since the birth of my daughter and they're just about as ugly as they were except I have tan skin... On fair skin they look pink/red and mine never looked like that. I'm getting a tummy tuck next year...it should get rid of most of them. You can use creams to help the appearance. I heard strivectin works.


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## JessPape

depends on the person, their skin, their water intake, and numerous other things. Some people stretch marks fade,others don't..But remember they gave u a beautiful gift!


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## beth_terri

Heres my stretch marks. The first photo was just after id had my son, the second photo is just before I got prehnant again this time (I know its different lighting but you actually really couldnt see the stretch marks on my stomach, only really in between my thighs). And the third photo was me last week, my stretch marks are only showing up on that side for some reason lol. 
xx
 



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## _Natalie_

Ah, they definitely faded! 
I'm just worried as everyone says they fade after birth if u have stretch marks on ur tummy, which i understand, as ur stomach flattens again, but what about thighs? My hips and bum have gotten big, I'm hoping exercise will help


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## M&S+Bump

_Natalie_ said:


> Ah, they definitely faded!
> I'm just worried as everyone says they fade after birth if u have stretch marks on ur tummy, which i understand, as ur stomach flattens again, but what about thighs? My hips and bum have gotten big, I'm hoping exercise will help

You'll probably find your thighs shrink after birth too, I know mine did. It's not really the shrinking that causes the marks to fade, I suppose it helps a little but mostly it just takes time. The marks on my belly stayed the same size as they had been, even though the skin shrank - they were just a strip at the bottom of the bump while I was pregnant but ended up right up to my belly button when my belly went down and have started right back up from where they left off, this time round :haha:

The marks on my thighs faded noticeably and quite quickly too, the only thing that bothers me about them is the skin is broken so especially on my inside thighs I can feel the dents where the marks are, which bugs me.

I already had stretch marks from puberty all over my boobs and hips which had faded so much that you'd have to pinch the skin together and look really closely to see anything there at all. :thumbup: So I'm pretty confident the same will happen to all these new ones too.


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## Aimee1003

I bought Mederma stretch mark cream and started that this week. It is new and says itr works better on new stretch marks. It's a 12-week application process so we will see.


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## bjl1981

i had terrible stretch marks from DS, but they do go from the reddish purple colour and over time become silvery and shiny. You can see them in certain light, but they're not too bad (its not like anyone other than OH see's mine anyway!).


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## LizziesMama

Be prepared that for the first few weeks post partum they will look awful. I cried when I saw myself in the mirror. But dd is almost 3 and while they are still there and noticeable, I would feel comfortable in a bikini as long as I lose the weight. I'm ready to embrace the stretch marks, which are light now.


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## Mrs C P

aliss said:


> Yes. I also found that all the blood flow in my stomach made it look even worse.
> 
> Here is my before/after if it makes you feel a little more at ease. They are still there, nothing you can do about that, but they do fade dramatically.
> 
> I believe the after is around 8-9months postpartum??? I'm also quite pale which helps, for once my pasty ass has benefits.

wow, fabulous tummy!!!! I 've never had such a great tummy!


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