Stretchmarks.
 

Okay, so this bothers me.

I am 5'3 (1m60) and 113 pounds (51.3kg), and my thighs are plagued with stretchmarks. My thighs are my biggest problem to me, and I can not even sit down with shorts one without feeling selfconscious.

Do you have any ways of diminishing stretchmarks? How are stretchmarks really created? Please help! :(

Also, I have a spider vein on the outside of my leg that is about a quarter of an inch long. How did that happen? How can I get rid of it!?

Tanning helps reduce the look of stretch marks (although it can cause skin caner!). As well, as a preventative measure- cocoa butter is fabulous.

Right..Get a tan hunnie... and allllways use lotion. : )

If I'm right, stretch marks are caused by a rapid increase in weight. I have them on my outer thighs and butt and lower back. I don't think they're that bad tho. Getting a tan helps. As far as getting rid of them, if they are already in the "white"stage and no longer "pink" then I don't think there's a cream out there that can make them go away. Hopefully I'm wrong about that though.

I know the sneaky way ahahahaha my mom did this.
She went to the tattoo shop and they colored in her stretch marks so now you can't see them anymore, it was like magic, they like used a color that was like her skin color, thats all I know, I don't know if it would like work or not on anyone else im not a pro lol.
you know it is not coming off once you do it but you cant tell she has stretch marks any more. I am going to get this done if I get stretch marks when or if I have kids.

you're absolutely right in both cases.

The only way to make them less visible is to get a tan or some kind of laser treatment. I don't know how effective the treatment is or the price of it but you can try asking your doc about that.

Well, they are white on the insides of my legs, and on the outside of my thighs they are a purple-ish colour.

Two years ago, I dropped from 120 to 98 pounds, and then in three months, I gained up to 125 pounds. I've now dropped down to 113 pounds and have been slightly fluxuating from that to 115.

Self tanners, are cancer free, look natural (they smell for a little bit) but will cover up anything. It's a lot cheaper than laser treatments.

Growth spurts = stretch marks. I've even got em on my knees. Part of my character :D

I was noticing the other day at bellydancing that even the really thin girls have stretch marks. I thought I got them from weight gain, but apparently a lot of girls get them just due to developing hips and such. Self tanners do help cover them, or maybe the tattoo thing QT is talking about.

As for the spider veins, I have some of those, too. I think some vitamin deficiencies can cause weak blood vessels which then rupture. Or wearing high heels a lot and putting strain on your legs can cause them. I'm pretty sure there's a procedure to get rid of them and varicose veins, but you have to go to a dr and it's probably expensive. :( Tanning lotion helps cover mine up, too.

Yup same as most everyone has said. Self tanners are how I help cover mine. I have a varicose/spider vein/s that run almost all the way around my lower thigh. Really annoying. Part of it is aging, growing, and/or weight gain. I had started developing my spider veins before I was pregnant. After pregnancy I had them full blown, and the stretch marks around my thighs and lower stomach.

Early on vitamin K cream is supposed to help reduce the appearance of stretchmarks. I tried it but didn't see any results. I have noticed that keeping my skin moisturized helps them not seem QUITE so obvious and definately self tanners do a great job.

I just tried Coppertone's Foam with an instant bronzer and self tanner in it and it works really good. It dries quickly so I don't end up ruining any clothes or anything and the smell isn't that strong. It's a good idea to use those plastic gloves to put it on though as it stains your hands no matter how much lotion you put on them or how thoroughly you wash immediately after. That's partly cause it dries so quickly.

I still wear shorts. Spider veins and stretch marks are a part of life. Everyone seems to get something sooner or later. Sometimes it's sooner than you might think.

I also have stretch marks on my thighs, but their part of who I am, or rather part of what I do. I got them after developing muscle very quickly from riding (the only downside to horses that I've found so far). I am very self conscious about my knees (fat deposits and a slight bow) but as hard as it is to put shorts on and go out where everyone is watching, I manage and feel better about it when I get home.

I Have them on my boobs. I took birth control pills and my boobs just grew so fast. Well, you cant really see them they were white at first, they were red, now you cant really notice them but I can see the ones on my legs though and they gross me out.