RangerJoe

(Note: I did a search and although there were a few threads about stretch marks, none either went for the topic I desired or there were not enough responses. I am also putting this in sexuality instead of Ladies' Lounge because I would like some guy input here.)

Okay, so let me get real with all my TFPer's for a second: I am covered with stretch marks. It's not rare for someone to have them after severe weight loss (I've had 2 kids... with my second, I got up to 220lbs, then lost most of it almost immediately). It's common for them to be on the back of the arms, thighs, and breasts. Even a few on the stomach are acceptable. My problem is that my stomach is BAD. I also have them on the area above my vagina (Hmmm... pelvis?) and my hips.

Now, you may be thinking... "What stretch marks? I've seen those pictures!" But, if you think about it, I don't really take pictures of my stomach, and if I do, it's more than likely blurry, and that's the only reason why I posted it.

Anyways, so I'm sitting here thinking about what I'm going to do the next time I'm having sex with a guy. I'm not keen on putting it all out there... it's ugly! I also know that there are some guys out there that are going to be like... ew. Normally, I just have sex in the dark. Honestly, I really can't remember the last time I had sex with any kind of light around... But, this isn't going to work forever. I need to be able to get comfortable with myself like this and find me a man who is also comfortable with me like this.

So, here's the part where you come in. Tell me your opinions on the subject. Ladies: Have you encountered this problem? Have you met a guy and he saw your stretch marks and had a reaction, good or bad?

Men: What are your feelings on this? Have you ever met a woman with stretch marks and it changed your mind about her? What would you do if you DID meet a woman with a crap load of stretch marks? Would it affect you in any way?

(:

(Pardon the rambling, by the way.)

Willravel

I've got them from being overweight when I was younger. Most of them have gone away, but there are still echos of them on my arms and around my waist. Exfoliation helps a great deal. I had a skin peel on my stomach, and it helped quite a bit. My hair even came back.

I've dated women with them. They're not a turn-off at all. If they're mothers, it's even a bit of a turn on. Even if I didn't have them at all, I still can't imagine them bothering me.

Grasshopper Green

I've never had someone comment on my stretch marks, and I've had 3 people see them since I got them. I also have a lumpectomy scar that I was self conscious about...but no one has ever commented on that either. I've found that once things have progressed to seeing them...either they aren't noticed or he/she doesn't care

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Formerly Medusa

Manic_Skafe

It wouldn't bother me in the least so long as it doesn't bother her. I know it's terribly clichéd but confidence is more attractive than anything else.

And honestly, if a guy falls out of the mood over a few stretch marks then the problem is very obviously with him and possibly with his sexuality.

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toxic515

Bah, stretch marks. Non issue. I stopped thinking that women were all supposed to look like airbrushed playboy models at about 16. It was about that time that I realized that all the girls in school had some pimples, even the popular ones. None of them ever had the all over body soft focus lens treatment when they were in my company unless I was too drunk to fark anyways. I like REAL people, who like to do REAL things. Anyone worth being around isn't even going to notice stretch marks or scars with any sort of critical eye.

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like a banana.

Starkizzer

I have stretch marks, had them since high school. Sadly mine are not due to bringing a child into this world, mine are just from reaching 220lbs from not being able to put down the fork. I am down to 190 and the stretch marks are still there and always will be. They make my belly look lumpy and bumpy, and I HATE them. In the beginning I was really self conscience about them, thankfully im2smrt4u has never said they bother him. Even at my heaviest, my weight bothered him a little but the sex between us never showed it.

I am now comfortable enough to have sex with the lights on, hell even post a few pics showing my accomplishment in losing the weight. Mainly because I know I am working on my weight and keeping it down. I know I will never be a size 5, not even sure if I will ever be a size 12 (large hips) but I know I am working on staying healthy and that makes me say I know I am looking better than I ever have and thats good enough for me.

You should not feel ashamed or embarrassed about your stretch marks. They show you are a mother and the fact that you have lost your baby weight is amazing! Any guy who is worthy enough to be having sex with you should realize what it takes to do that. And if he doesn't then he really isn't worthy of seeing you naked or otherwise.

You are gorgeous and besides any man who could focus on your stretch marks instead of those hypnotizing green eyes is insane. I say embrace your motherhood and woman hood and say to hell with it and have sex with the lights bright and shining!

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Frivolity, at the edge of a Moral Swamp, hears Hymn-Singing in the Distance and dons the Galoshes of Remorse. ~Edward Gorey

soma

I've had stretch marks on my inner thighs since I was a teenager. Because I have stretch marks myself, they don't bother me as much on a woman, but if I didn't have stretch marks, honestly, I'd be a bit turned off, but at the same time, I wouldn't say it'd be a deal breaker. (that was a long sentence)

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spindles

I don't have any stretch marks, but I have plenty of scars (including one on my face that took 27 stitches to close up). They are just part of who I am, and anybody that doesn't like it can take a hike!

Scars and stretch marks are part of who we are - and definitely aren't anything to be ashamed of.

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abaya

Ktsp and I both have stretch marks in various places--it's never even remotely been a problem, unless one of us draws attention to our own stretch marks (as in the, "Woe is me, look at my horrible stretch marks..."). Otherwise, they're just another part of having a body that has been through some changes, which is what every human goes through.

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And think not you can direct the course of Love;
for Love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.
--Khalil Gibran

ktspktsp

I was just gonna post here . Anyway, we all have stretch marks. I'm a skinny guy and I have stretchmarks (in my case, from a growth spurt). I seriously doubt that anybody is without stretchmarks (unless they have a professional airbrusher following their every step).
I don't think they're ugly either, they're just more body markings. Looks like a zebra effect to me.

I like this line from an Ani DiFranco song, "I've got highways for stretchmarks, see where I've grown".

jewels

Been up and down in weight nearly all my life and was self-conscious for the longest time.

One-nighters, I don't know but I wouldn't worry about what they think/thought.

The guys who care? They don't even see them. They're not looking for your flaws; they only see your beauty.

I have stretch marks all over, scars in certain areas, and some unattractive hanging skin at the incision site of a C-section. The man who loves me caresses and kisses the yucky skin and calls it his fat.

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Nisses

Have stretch marks myself around my armpits for some odd reason :S
Don't really think about them.

GF has stretch marks as well.
Don't really think about them.

Have a friend who has stretch marks from losing alot of weight.
Don't really thinkg about them.


(I think you can guess the pattern by now )

It can be a blow to your self-esteem, but I wouldn't let it if I were you. They're mostly temporary, not hideous, and proof that you're not made of sillycone but 100% artisanal, homegrown skin

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Moderation should be moderately moderated.

mandy

i have stretch marks on my thighs and a little on my butt but those you cant see really. i'm still a little self conscious about it...i'm starting to get some on my tummy now it's awful! but, healer has no problem with my body and his got no problem with my stretch marks either...if he does...he's never made it known. i think thats why sex with the lights on is so much easier...

but i think Cat Williams said it best when he said that men who complain about stretch marks are IDIOTS...well, those are my words "stretch marks can come from one of two things...either you was big and got small or you was small and got big, either way...we fuckin'...either way"

i think all men and women should try and adopt that attitude

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highthief

Ranger Joe, virtually everyone has little imperfections. I know very few mothers who don't have a few stretch marks. I can only say that as a guy, such marks are no issue for me, and I would say that's how most guys feel.

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Psycho Dad

Pretty much sums it up for me. Stretch marks, blemishes, scars, moles, birthmarks and every other normal human feature rarely are a concern as unless Abaya said one wants to make a fuss out of them for no good reason.

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Don't always trust the opinions of experts.

RangerJoe

You're the only one that admitted (sort of) to being turned off by it (maybe). Why?

snowy

I've never had a single partner comment on my stretch marks, and on my breasts they are very noticeable. I have two marks near my armpit on either breast that are still a light shade of purple; I'm not sure they'll ever fade to white. The remainder of the skin across my chest is covered in white stretch marks. I have some on my hips as well. Typically, though, whoever I'm with has been too busy staring at the goods to notice any stretch marks I used to be self-conscious about them until I realized all the good men don't care, and anyone who does isn't worth my time.

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If I am not better, at least I am different. --Jean-Jacques Rousseau

World's King

You know I'm down...

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heavy is the head that wears the crown

ratbastid

Real bodies tell stories, they're not just perfect barbie-doll objects.

Anxst

I've never had a problem with seeing stretch marks. I'm a little biased towards understanding, though, having nearly weighed 400 pounds at one time, and still losing right now. So, I just wouldn't worry about them. I'm not worried about mine, just like I'm not worried about all my scars (I had a lot of accidents as a kid).

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Daniel_

As everyone else has said, pretty much everyone has stretch marks.

All in all, it's a non-issue.

Let's face it, by the time you're showing somebody your pudendum he's convinced you're worth his attention.

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╔═════════════════════════════════════════╗
Overhead, the Albatross hangs motionless upon the air,
And deep beneath the rolling waves,
In labyrinths of Coral Caves,
The Echo of a distant time
Comes willowing across the sand;
And everthing is Green and Submarine
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RangerJoe

Pudendum??

Ayashe

I don't have any stretch marks but I do have a decent approximately 4 inch scar on my right inner arm along the elbow. I have long ago realized it doesn't bother anyone other than myself. Anyone that matters isn't going to care. If they can't overlook a few stretch marks they are far too superficial to understand the real meaning of a relationship.

Daniel_

pudendum:
The external genitals of either sex , though many limit the meaning to apply only to the female mons pubis , labia-majora , labia-minora , clitoris , and introitus vaginae.

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╔═════════════════════════════════════════╗
Overhead, the Albatross hangs motionless upon the air,
And deep beneath the rolling waves,
In labyrinths of Coral Caves,
The Echo of a distant time
Comes willowing across the sand;
And everthing is Green and Submarine
╚═════════════════════════════════════════╝

hunnychile

You are such a prince! Thanks...from all of us real people!

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mixedmedia

Stretch marks here! I have them on my breasts from the extreme variations in size during pregnancy and breastfeeding. I used to be very self-conscious of them, but I've never had a partner complain about them so that just kind of faded away. Another good thing is that they also fade away. Mine are not nearly as noticeable now as they were when I was younger.

I also have a scar from my cesareans just above my mons pubis.

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PESSIMISM, n. A philosophy forced upon the convictions of the observer by the disheartening prevalence of the optimist with his scarecrow hope and his unsightly smile. - Ambrose Bierce

abaya

Precisely. Which is why it's better to work more on your own confidence, rather than worrying about the next person you meet who is going to notice those things. If they notice those things (and don't like you as a result), then they've just done you a favor... of giving you a very good reason to NOT be with them, since clearly they're not worth your time.

I find that with things like this, it comes down to dealing with your own feelings above all else, and knowing what kind of people who are going to value you for YOU... and to kick all the rest to the curb, because you know you deserve better!

__________________
And think not you can direct the course of Love;
for Love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.
--Khalil Gibran

Bear Cub

When the rest of you is sexy enough, I just don't care about stretch marks. Ranger Joe definitely falls into the "I REALLY don't care about the stretch marks" category.

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genuinegirly

If you didn't want the battle scars, you shouldn't have had a kid.


I was going to write more, but it would repeat what others have expressed. So I'll just quote them instead:

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"Sometimes I have to remember that things are brought to me for a reason, either for my own lessons or for the benefit of others." Cynthetiq

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curiousbear

I dont have stretch marks. Still stretch marks are not a turn off. in fact the stretch marks on lower stomach of a pretty girl hints she is a mother and turns me ON and curious. I never had been with a girl with too many stretch marks. Why would it matter if she is hot?

clavus

I'd rather see the stretch marks than fuck in the dark.

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Redlemon

This line is both beautiful and true. It's similar to what I tell my wife about the nude photos I take of her: "You would look at them and find flaws. I look at them and see a beautiful, sexual woman who is willing to let me photograph her."

I'm pretty sure my wife has stretch marks; you'd think I would know for sure, but if the stretch marks are there, my eyes just pass over them. Heck, I was giving her some abdominal massage just yesterday, so I was looking at her belly; I just was not looking for that.

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RangerJoe

Ah, this really helps me. I'm a person that goes for straight attitude and personality, and don't really care about looks. My thought was that most people are the exact opposite. This helps, at least a little, in proving it wrong to me. (;

Leto

seems to be an overwhelming stance in this thread that stretch marks are non-issue. This is very encouraging.

I have them on my thighs (kind of like a serjeant's chevrons) from a growth spurt that I had as an adolescent. Who cares? My wife has them from pregnancy (she went from about 98 lbs to 130 in a matter of months) around her butt. Do I care? not at all.. I never even thought about them until I read this thread. She also has surgical incision scars from 1. c-section, 2. lumpectomoy, 3. biopsies.

But I have the same collection (hernia, v-sectomy, biopsies) and neither of us care that the road map of life that is our bodies has these waypoints on them.

MSD

I have plenty of them from both getting tall really fast and from being fat. They're fading as I lose weight, but you'd still have to be blind to miss them. I don't let them bother me, and they're really not bad on other people. If I'm seeing them, I probably am to the point that I don't care about skin blemishes.

duskytip

I could care less. For me at least, by the time we get to the stretch marks, it is too late. I am into a woman for her and all of her. We all have imperfections we have to deal with. The older you get, the more there are and let me tell you....If you dwell on each and every one, you will go crazy.

Spartanx9

Agreed.

Jenna

I have stretch marks by my breasts (like near the armpit region where they begin), on my inner thighs and a little behind my arms. And I have a few on my stomach area.

I'm just really comfortable with my boyfriend I guess. I never really thought about them before. In fact, my boyfriend says he likes the ones on my boobs because it reminds him of how big they are.

But to be honest, if the person I'm having sex with really cares about my stretch marks, then more than likely, he/she not the right person for me. And I shouldn't be having sex with him/her in the first place, because I'm not perfect, and I want to be with someone who accepts me for who I am.

lotsofmagnets

hell yeah.

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mother nature made the aeroplane, and the submarine sandwich, with the steady hands and dead eye of a remarkable sculptor.
she shed her mountain turning training wheels, for the convenience of the moving sidewalk, that delivers the magnetic monkey children through the mouth of impossible calendar clock, into the devil's manhole cauldron.
physics of a bicycle, isn't it remarkable?

settie

I think we can all agree that quite a lot of people have stretch marks in this world. It's a common occurrence, like birth marks or moles. It happens. The human body cannot be perfect. :P
I have some on my tummy too, RJ. I was very self conscious about them for awhile, but I quickly overcame that thanks to my boyfriend. I feel sexy now, no matter how I look. And from what I've observed in men, that confidence is sexy to them. So its a positive cycle, hehe.
If you want to reduce their appearance, exfoliate a lot, and use lotions with vitamin E...cocoa butter works well.