Are stretch marks un-sexy?
I can’t believe I finally said those words. Since my first pregnancy when I was 5′ tall and 100 lbs wringing wet to start with and then had a baby that weighed 13 pounds, I’ve had stretch marks. I smothered myself in cocoa butter at the time because that’s what my mother said would save my skin as it had hers. Didn’t work.
So all my adult life I’ve felt that I’d be a lot sexier if I had nice smooth skin like all the models do. Remember Demi Moore in that famous photo when she was preggers? Did you see stretch marks? Maybe they were airbrushed out and if so, that’s a shame because so many of us markers were looking for them.
I must admit that my husband and my ex never had a problem with the marks and assured me that the marks didn’t affect my sexiness. Being the skeptic that I am, I just figured they wanted to get into my panties at the time.
If you’re a man and you’ve met a woman who’s had babies before, would you be turned off by lots of stretch marks? If you’re a woman who has them, does it bother you like it bothers me?
[…] In The Know Traveler wrote an interesting post today!.Here’s a quick excerpt [IMG stretch marks]I can’t believe I finally said those words. Since my first pregnancy when I was 5′ tall and 100 lbs wringing wet to start with and then had a baby that weighed 13 pounds, I’ve had stretch marks. I smothered myself in cocoa butter at the time because that’s what my mother said would save my skin as it had hers. Didn’t work. So all my adult life I’ve felt that I’d be a lot sexier if I had nice smooth skin like all the models do. Remember Demi Moore in that famous photo when sh […]
Stretch marks definitely don’t matter as much to men as women think they do. It’s just like cellulite. Women make this massive fuss about it when it isn’t that big of a deal to most men.
I was lucky in that regard. I used olive oil every night on my tummy when preg. But I do have a few from gaining/losing weight. I think, hope, that most men that are in love with their woman stretch marks would not be an issue. Sadly I think because of the airbrushed women we see all the time, some people think that it possible to be flawless. That’s sad. No one is flawless on the outside or in.
I have a few, nothing like the image though. I have some on my lower abs very low all ending below my belly button. I also get acne on my abs which I had never gotten before. I am very conscience of it, but am assured that this is okay with my partner. I have told him about how conscience of it I am and he started pointing out his conscience points and I had never thought twice about most of them, so I hope this goes both ways as he claims. LOL… I am still conscience though.
Hi Maureen!
Your blog has been tagged! (
Anyway you have a nice blog)
Read here for the rules of tagging.
http://kslye.blogspot.com/2007/11/i-have-been-tagged.html
Have a good week ahead.
K.S.Lye
hey we are all imperfect. Dont worry about it and go about your business. Thanks Jen - http://beauty-tips-free.com
Are stretch marks unsexy? If they’re like that photo, then the answer is “hell, yes!”.
What do the supermodels do to regain their figures? Can’t be anything an ordinary lass couldn’t do. There’s some trick there.
my wife has it too after giving birth to my lovely daughter.
Rite now, my mother in law is taking care of it.
My stance on stretch marks is this, if you have them that either means that you were big and you got small, or you were small and you get big, but either way we’re f-ckin.
Stretch marks…hmm is there an easy way to get rid of them?
I have my bumps and dents, too, and no one knows that better than I do. If Gail can accept me the way I am, it’s easy to do the same for her. Her sexiness comes not only from her physical looks, but more importantly from how she feels about herself in general, her spirit, her humor, and stuff like that. It helps that we share a lot of common interests and values. Who cares about something as small as stretch marks?
Also, I see stretch marks as a symbol of having gone through a pregnancy and motherhood. That’s tough stuff. Cool stuff. Something to be proud of actually.
FerdC.
I do have stretch marks and it doesn’t bother me at all and I still feel sexy in and out. Nice post.
Like someone said up top we are all imperfect. Honestly, when a man is looking for the stereotype sexy model, he’s looking for the beyond perfect image that we are constantly fed. In my opinion, I believe a father, husband, or the man thats in love with his wife/girlfriend has a different view. I believe he values the fact that she has endured something that we could never endure in a million years. However, its important that she see’s herself as being sexy because, I don’t care what we say or how good we treat her if she doesn’t feel sexy she just doesn’t feel sexy.
We don’t have any kids. However, when I look at my wife (we’ve been together for 18 years) I still feel like I’m looking at the 19-year-old chick I had the hots for in college.
If she ever does decide to dump me like an old shoe, I would need to put some miles in on my bicycle before I could start saying someone else’s tummy was unattractive.
oh my gosh* 13 Pounds is Huge*
i do remember that Vanity Fair cover of Preggers Demi Moore - i thought she looked Super Sexy with her Full Breasts* It was clever the way they Body Painted her too - i think she had a Vest Tie on??
i know this Stripper who has stretch marks but i think she is incredibly Sexy*
;))
**from FeelingFlirty - you ain’t kiddin 13 pounds is big. I’m 5′ nuthin and he’s 6′3″ so he kept up with the size.
Does the cream for stretch marks work?
**from FeelingFlirty — I don’t know. I hope someone will tell us
A friend of mine was in the supermarket with her hubby. She overstretched to reach the top shelf (I know, what was HE thinking of?) when she felt a tug on her top. ‘What are you doing’ she asked - ‘covering your stretch marks’ he replied.
Now was he being modest on her behalf - or downright insensitive!
I’m Mr Feelingflirty, married to Mrs Feelingflirty (aka Maureen)and I can tell you she’s one sexy babe. And yes, I did want to get into her pants when I first met her on the net so many years ago. Not because of what she looked like, but because she was just, well, sexy. She still is. “Sexy” is way more about the mind than the body, and I think FerdC’s comment was just spot on.
I can not look on it!
Hi Maureen - Thankfully, I have no stretch marks…altho’ I will admit to feeling a little stretched out lately.
Just wanted to drop in & say hello! Hope all’s well in your world!
~Olga
“A friend of mine was in the supermarket with her hubby. She overstretched to reach the top shelf (I know, what was HE thinking of?) when she felt a tug on her top. ‘What are you doing’ she asked - ‘covering your stretch marks’ he replied”.
That’s really funny. In all seriousness though I can understand the man’s position. Stretch marks are really just for the bedroom.
Don’t be too hard on me now!
You know, I want to be a good person and say that the stretch marks in the picture do not matter. I want to say that women in giving birth and essentially giving up their bodies to procreation should not have to worry about something that is so superficial.
I cannot. I have delivered two children, yet I am fortunate in that I have barely any stretch marks. I know, I part of a minority, just like women who are supermodels…NO, I am a supermodel. Super person, yes, supermodel,no.
I think it depends on how the stretch marks look. If there are a lot and they look ‘aggravated’ then yes it MAY make a difference. If my tummy looked like the picture, I would consider some sort of plastic surgery to get MY tummy back.
Kudos to all the women who responded with noble, confident comments. Yes, you are sexy and you do not need a poster to tell you that! I applaud you!
Adrienne Zurub
Author,
‘Notes From the Mothership The Naked Invisibles’
http://chasewunderlickpublishers.com.cn
Stretch marks? Where? How come I do not have those sexy lines?
Great post though the photo did make me cringe.
Stretch marks are like scars–many scars.
Some celebrities get theirs carved off with their tummy tucks but otherwise, stretch marks are your buddies for life. I just accept them as part of my packaging.
I first got them at about age 12-13 when I got C-cups, suddenly. Then 2 kids. Chronic dieting does it as well (though I don’t do that anymore).
My poor teenage son has stretch marks on his shoulders of all places because he had a growth spurt!
Kudos to you for managing a 13 lb. baby! I hope she/he is still very much thriving–though perhaps not as proportionally large for his/her age? That would be tough.
Again, great question!; some v. intersting responses.
Cheers!
Cyn
**From FeelingFlirty, yes he’s fine but he has always been big. He’s 6′3″ and husky. He’s probably older than you.
What we go through as woman to have babies is amazing. Our bodies change in so many ways and are never quite the same afterwards. I was lucky not to have gotten stretch marks with the 3 that I carried.
Perhaps stretch marks begin to matter to a man when he is unhappy in the relationship. When one is unhappy, almost anything about your partner is annoying.
I also could see the stretch marks being a problem if the woman constantly mentions them. She can actually begin to convince the guy that she is unsexy because of it. Confidence plays a huge part in sexiness.
message to houroc: i love your comment. spoken like a true man.
I do have stretch marks and I cherish those marks. When I look at them it reminds me of the wonderful kid I brought to this world.
Just to let you know, my blog has been tagged for a “meme” and I have to tag 7 people, Please let me include you.
:). Thanks a lot.
I used virgin coconut oil when I was pregnant. It was prescribed by my doctor. I still had stretch marks because just like you I stand 5″3 and weight 100 pounds so I gained weight and loose it after few months of giving birth. Stretch marks don’t bother me that much. Like Elaine said its reminds me of my pregnancy moments.
My god baby, hope that is not urs. I guess u look sexy with the lights off. and from what i know stretch marks can be prevented but not cured, get a plastic surgery!
**From FeelingFlirty - nah that’s not me, thankfully, but it’s some woman and if there’s one there are others. I just wonder how they cope.
Hi there!
You have very interesting articles here,i loved reading them all.
But I chose this one to comment.
I have stretch marks,too,but not like that in the pic.I hate to see my tummy,but seems my husband doesnt care at all,he finds me sexy,and i believe that I still attract guys when I walk out,I maybe unhappy about it,although that doesnt mean Im in vain
self confidence counts a lot,i guess
Thanx for visiting my site.
cheers,
ghee
http://akoni.info
OMG…does a pregnant woman really have this much stretch afterwards!? My wife is pregnant and I hope she has a way of gettin rid of or preventing them
Thank you.
Don’t loose your previous charm after pregnancy. Prevention is always better that cure , With liitle care you can actually make a big difference. During and after pregnancy use Stretch Mark Prevention creams which will make you recover fast so that you can come back to normal Life.
Stretch marks un-sexy? Hell no! They are very sexy!!
i have stretch marks also. hopefully they don’t look as bad as the picture. i am very self-conscious of mine. i am in a new relationship and i hate looking at myself when we make love. he has such a perfect body. he watches porn sometimes and i can’t help but think he wishes i was like one of the girls in the flicks.
i don’t know if i would be as attracted to him if he had these unsightly marks.
***From FeelingFlirty — You know, I am 100% convinced that your new lover doesn’t mind one bit. It’s not what you look like that’s exciting this man, it’s how sexy you are when you want him bad. Love yourself just the way you are. You earned every one of those marks, just like I did bringing a wonderful new life into the world.
Same goes for me I was tiny had huge baby now I have many Strech Marks. That was 12 Years ago they dont go away. Cream lotion potion exfoliation and lasers can only do so much. Prevention HA. Not really possible slighlty helpful maybe but some people are just gonna get them. When a woman puts here baby’s health above her vanity she should get a party commerating each and every stripe. I know some you have all seen those pics of the celebs trying to save there bodies and then they have those skinny lil babes. My children are apparntly more important to me.
Walksfarwoman-My husband has pulled down my shirt too but he informs me he did because he knew I like to keep them hidden.
Jack Lawson David De Angelo and Ottoman are the men to avoid. Regarless of you perfectness and Haurock you way rock.
In my opinion,it is normal to have stretch marks. I believe that there are lots of products out on the market to lessen or to let it fade way. On the mean time you need to look for skin care set. I hope i was able to help! Thank you