Thread: Covering stretch marks

Hey all! I am 7 months pregnant and so far don't have a single stretch mark on my belly. BUT... they are creeping up my hips to my sides and down my hips to my legs. And the boobs are nothing but one big stretch mark now! I am not dancing right now, but plan on it next year. Hopefully the marks won't be so red then.
Besides just using a belly stocking - which I might do, what make-up is best to use?

Also I have a preggers photo shoot next month and was thinking make-up wouldn't be the worst idea for that either.

What has worked well for you guys?

I have them on my stomach and hips and thighs. I wear my skirts higher on my hips to hide those. I tried bellycovers but sometimes they are too hot for me to wear. I have found that having something hang down the center in front covers enough to draw the eye away from the area. (Like the ties to a choli top or long fringe) I've given up trying to hid them completely.. I just focus on drawing peoples eye to the areas without them... does that make sense.
Here's a pic to help describe-

If you have them on the top of your chest you could try adding a bit of chiffon along the top to hide them.
Keep in mind they won't always be so bright. My became a shade of silver and pale pink in some spots.
Good luck!
Babies are wonderful.

Maybe photoshop for your photoshoot and then some stretch mark reduction cream after the baby? Stretch marks will fade with time....

I thought I'd escaped them entirely...turns out they were all below my belly button where I couldn't see them while pregnant!

Hi Carey!

I'm 6 months pregnant :) with my second baby.
The first time I got pregnant I was lucky and only got some stretch marks in my lower belly, at first they were purple and deep! but after about 1 year and a half they started to fade.
I started dancing and my husband bought for me a water proof stage make up, it work's wonders if you find the right shade, my only problem is that my skin is too fair, so you can tell I'm wearing it if I don't apply it all over my belly!

If you want I can find out the website we bought it from.

Good luck and congratulations!

Ammoura

I second the photoshop for photos- and they really should fade by next year (probably sooner!) I don't think most folks notice stretchmarks, it's more a matter of waiting for that skin/muscle tone to return for me!

also at 7 months, but on #4 this time round. last performance planned for Friday, and stretch marks are the *last* thing I'm worried about!!!

I only have stretch marks on my lower hips from fast weight gain when I was young. And a few on my breasts. My suggestion to help mitigate more stretch marks is bath in Shea butter. Well, not literally, but a healthy application every day does help.

{{{HUGS}}}

Careydances!

I am a part-time massage therapist. I work in a salon with the sylist. I'm considered "in the biz" with Armstrong-McCall beaty supply company. It's where the ladies get the products you can't get at regular stores.. You can ask your stylist about this product or I did find this at my local Sally's store................ Dermactin-TS Stretch Mark Complex concentrated formula.w.:.w.:.w.:It's wonderful in a tube. My daughter had VERY bad stretch marks during her "growing" years. Used this --------gone! My Sally's just leaves the empty box on the shelf because people still it off the shelves... I get it at a discount and paid $25-$30. Try it,please. And a little goes a long way.....,r:;

I don't bother, I feel they are my badge of honor for being a mother and I wear them proudly!!

I think much of it will be genetic. Other factors to consider is making sure you have good nutrition to feed the skin (which I'm sure you're doing)

For body and face Jason Beckett ADCE Anti Wrinkle Cream, BOTOX Alternative, Anti Aging Skin Care by JB: Janson Beckett

For budding chemists, some interesting suggestions here.
skin care, actives, skin care product, natural skin care, serious skin care, organic skin care, skin care information

Shea Terra has good quality shea butter and a stretch mark oil.

If in doubt fake tan helps to disguise them to a degree.

Originally Posted by CareyDances

Hey all! I am 7 months pregnant and so far don't have a single stretch mark on my belly. BUT... they are creeping up my hips to my sides and down my hips to my legs. And the boobs are nothing but one big stretch mark now! I am not dancing right now, but plan on it next year. Hopefully the marks won't be so red then.
Besides just using a belly stocking - which I might do, what make-up is best to use?

Also I have a preggers photo shoot next month and was thinking make-up wouldn't be the worst idea for that either.

What has worked well for you guys?

The problem with stretch marks is that they do just that...stretch the skin. So no amount of make up will hide the crepey effect that is left by them. If you're lucky, you will have good young elastic skin and perhaps make up will just blend in the silver lines left by stretch marks eventually. If you put on a bit of weight, get stretch marks, then lose the weight, the crepe skin effect is more apparent, and then the only answer is a body stocking.

Hi,
I have gotten similar questions from my readers about a hundred times, so I posted a reply on the Tips pages of my website, with lots of illustrations. There are SO many more options than squeezing into a sheathlike tummy cover:

Dina's bellydance costume tips: Tummy camouflage

For the photo shoot, you might apply some cover makeup, but it's hard for a non-professional makeup artist to get this perfect. If the color is even slightly different from your natural skin, it may photograph oddly.

I would mostly rely on skillful retouching of the digital file. I have retouched way more noticeable flaws on various dancers' photos for my books. One of them had a severe sunburn with white lines, but I retouched it out!

Originally Posted by bellydancewear

I don't bother, I feel they are my badge of honor for being a mother and I wear them proudly!!

Raq on!!

Yikes! Pregnancy brain!!!!! I forgot that I posted this. UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So sorry for the late response back from me!
I was afraid of make-up too because I am pale. I don't want to paint my whole body, and it might photography funny.
Gosh! What did we do before photoshop? LOL!!! I think that will be the photoshoot plan. Right now they are deep and reddish purple, I am sure they will be much less noticable later. Either a tummy cover or just wearing them as my badge will be fine.

Originally Posted by straightleftknee

I think much of it will be genetic. Other factors to consider is making sure you have good nutrition to feed the skin (which I'm sure you're doing)

For body and face Jason Beckett ADCE Anti Wrinkle Cream, BOTOX Alternative, Anti Aging Skin Care by JB: Janson Beckett

For budding chemists, some interesting suggestions here.
skin care, actives, skin care product, natural skin care, serious skin care, organic skin care, skin care information

Shea Terra has good quality shea butter and a stretch mark oil.

If in doubt fake tan helps to disguise them to a degree.

Thanks! I'll check out some of these. I'm into the all natural stuff. The shea terra looks pretty good!.....going to google now....

Originally Posted by bellydancewear

I don't bother, I feel they are my badge of honor for being a mother and I wear them proudly!!

I do deserve a badge!

Originally Posted by shenudance

Careydances!

I am a part-time massage therapist. I work in a salon with the sylist. I'm considered "in the biz" with Armstrong-McCall beaty supply company. It's where the ladies get the products you can't get at regular stores.. You can ask your stylist about this product or I did find this at my local Sally's store................ Dermactin-TS Stretch Mark Complex concentrated formula.w.:.w.:.w.:It's wonderful in a tube. My daughter had VERY bad stretch marks during her "growing" years. Used this --------gone! My Sally's just leaves the empty box on the shelf because people still it off the shelves... I get it at a discount and paid $25-$30. Try it,please. And a little goes a long way.....,r:;

I'll check it out, Thanks!!

if you haven't already been, start rubbing aloe & shea butter on them everyday. I haven't found any make up to cover them but body stockings are good for that, although they can be warm.

The color will fade into a lghter shade depending on your skin tone then get darker like a scare. I have to say the side stretch marks are not as bad as front belly ones! With my first I got SM on my hips and they are visible in costuming. I use a loose powder and a large brush to cover. Now the belly SMs o can't find a way to cover! With my second I got belly SM and it is more of a texture than lines! I just wear them with pride!

Your photographer should retouch the pics for the photoshoot. No question, unless it's a free favor by a friend, they should do basic retouching.

Originally Posted by CareyDances

I do deserve a badge!

I heard Sharon Kihara call them her tiger stripes. I quite like that

When you're performing, fake tan (the instant spray is good because it has more coverage than the developing kind) and body glitter is good camoflage, for photos it's probably best to go down the photoshop route.

So is shea butter better then coco butter? What is the difference?
I've been using bio oil off and on, and coco butter all the time. But it is sounding like I should switch to shea.

My photographer is doing them as a favor/gift. But I can pay him to retouch the favorites. Luckily I do not have a single mark on my belly, so depending on the pose/what I am wearing hopfully can not expose as many stretch marks as I see in my mirror!
I think they only bother me so much right now because of the color and itchness. I will not mind so much when they arn't so new and red.

I know Randa Kamel has many stretch marks on her belly and therefore just puts a lot of glitter gel all over!

B