-
Unsightly Stretch Marks
Hi Everyone.
I would like some advice on this very embarrasing condition. I am new to poling and now that I am starting to invert (woo hoo) I have become very self-conscious about my stretch marks. I must admit that I don't have many (thank goodness), but the ones I do have are on the inside of my thighs on both sides of my bikini line…. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_eek.gif
Normally I do not notice them or think about them much BUT now, I worry when I am inverting and stretching my legs out that they are clearly visable and I am embarresed to say the least. Even with shorts on, the fabric seems to thin out right at that area and they are on display. What makes it worse is that the skin is also discoulored!
When doing classes and being "spotted", I cringe everytime I think someone can see them. Is there anything I can do to hide them. Does someone have the same problem? I had my kids (the last one) 8 years ago so I don't think vitamen e oil is going to help. This embarrasing problem is really starting to interfere with my love of poling as I am too ashamed that everyone is going to see the marks and think "gross"! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_puke_r.gif
Any advice or suggestions would be much appreciated.
Thanks to everyone for just reading. You are a wonderful bunch of ladies that care about one another and this sport. It is just fantastic.
-
40 Replies
-
I use tea tree oil and vitamin e..my youngest is 5..it seems to help..also with vitamin e,try to get it as strong withoiut a bunch of other stuff added..the more clear,the better..means it is much added or only vitamin e..I put it on every night after a shower..first tea tree oil,it takes a few minutes to soak in,then the vitamin e..make sure u wear clothing over it at night or it will just get all over ur sheets..hope it helps..
-
I just wanted to first congratulate you on your inverting! I remember early sessions before I started Veena, knowing I wanted to get my buns in the air, and never thought I would be able to. So to me that is a BIG hump to overcome! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cheers.gif
The self-body image is another thing I think many of us either struggle with from time to time, have struggled, will struggle with after having children, or getting older. I gained a tremendous amount of weight with my son who is now 2 and a half, and I have a 10 year old daughter. Thanks to diet and exercise, I weigh less now than I did before I had my son but I also have the extra skin and some stretchmarks. Like you said, my stretchmarks are no SO bad and definately not something I should really be as selfconcious about, as much as I should be grateful for not having what was there in exchange. I would rather have the loose skin and stretchmarks than the weight I had before. I can feel a little self concious when I am leaning over, and my little belly skin droops, or when I am doing a front split since I feel like my butt skin is all spread out, covering the floor around me. This is certainly not true but this is how I FEEL. This is more than likely to be something other people may not notice since there are many people who can't do a split, or even any tricks on a pole. I am not sure that the little bit of saggy skin that I do have will ever shrink but it really hails into comparison to how incredible it feels to have finally nailed a new move, and how incredible I feel as a woman inspite all of my imperfections.
I believe pole mom's are bad to the bone, with all of our glorious resilliance to overcome what mother-nature throws at us. Stretch marks, saggy boobs, droopy bellies, pole "farts," and anything else I left out, haha!
-
Hi!! Congrats on inverting! Don't feel bad about stretch marks, I know that's easier said than done!! Its something that most of us have. I have stretch marks and extra skin, and I use to feel embarrassed about it when dancing in front of others. But through my pole dance journey I have learned to accept my body and I no longer care (as much) if someone doesn't like how I look. Stretch marks and other scars are a part of your life journey regardless of how you received them. They are part of you and I think everyone is beautiful, despite what the media tells us!!
Here is an old video I did that may help you if your looking to "hide" wrinkling that happens with stretch marks. This video does say "after baby", but anyone can use these tricks. https://www.studioveena.com/videos/view/d650d310-c3b4-11df-bc90-001b21721e0c
-
I am 25 with no kids and I have stretch marks and cellulite too! I am sure it bothers you more than others and also you will overcome it in a little bit of time. I was self conscious at first to dance in a sports bra but now I do it and don't care. I am of the philosophy that anyone unsupporitve of another dancer for ANY reason is not a real pole dancer. I have had "pole dancers" leave nasty comments on my youtube about cellulite, me being fat etc and I just consider the source. Your classmates/instructors should be supportive and this site doesn't allow any negative comments at all so you should never worry about posting here. Also check out theshapeofamother.com 🙂
-
I'm a bit like Glitter in that I haven't got kids but I do have stretchmarks, saggy skin, and cellulite! I find that the more I wore short shorts for pole, the less self conscious I became as I realised noone was going to hassle me about it. When I decided I needed side skin bare for a recent show, I made myself wear crop tops to pole class for weeks beforehand (I normally wear singlets), just to get used to the sight of my stomach out and about and it made me much less worried about it on the actual day.
We've all got our own imperfections and though sometimes I feel a bit down that I'm not tiny like a lot of the girls I see dancing in RL and online, I'm proud of what my body can do and how it responds to training.
-
Thanks for all the kind words and encouragement! I guess I do tend to go up as close as I can to the mirror and stare in horror at the stretchmarks….. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_confused.gif I have lost a lot of weight since I started poling (which I could not loose doing anything else) so in one way I am feeling more confident about my body than ever before!
Thanks for the links (Veena & Glitterhips) and for the cream advice (madisonsworld). I will try the cream and stop fretting so much at class…. a bit of both should do wonders for the problem. Also, Jellicrew, we pole moms are definately bad to the bone. Being a mom is right up there with Pole dancing: challenging and rewarding at the same time.
What I love about pole dancing especially is the fact that any woman, regardless of age, weight etc can do it! There are no preconceptions and no limits. Skinny, fat, old, young – we are all after the same goal and it unites us. I may be able to do some moves that some of my other classmates cannot and visa versa. That is what keeps it interesting and bonds us all together.
From now on – no more fretting about stretch marks, cellulite and my fat thighs…. I am going to concentrate on how my boobs have become more firm (yip, those exercises have definately helped), how I have lost the weight I have been trying to loose for years and how my clothes seem to fit that much better. Hooray for pole dancing https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cheers.gif
-
Hello ladies,
I have another type of question, but related to the discussion above..
I too belong to the no-children-but-still-have-inner-thigh-outer-hip-stretche-marks-plus-cellulite-on-thighs/butt (thank you genetics and that dreaded quickly-gained freshman 15 over a decade ago) even though most people consider me “tiny” (I’m 5’2″ around 110 lbs and a size 0-2/xs).Anyway, I just started poling about 2 months ago and have just started into moves requiring tighter legs grips (like the crucifix, pole climbs, simple invert, lotus, etc) and it’s KILLER on my inner thighs (they’re not actually bruising, but feel rough/knotted where they grip and I find I can only “hold” a position for MAX 10 seconds, not due to grip/strength, but pain… Anyway, that’s a completely diff discussion and I know the body eventually accustoms to it).
Here is the question I had: a friend of mine said beforehand I may get stretchmarks or mine may get worse (mine are usually not terribly visible, as I’ve had them for over 10 yrs, unless the skin around gets tanned (I’m very pale) or you’re very close) from gripping/sliding, on thighs/arms/side/etc. Has anyone noticed they’ve developed stretch marks from poling or that existing marks have gotten worse (deeper/darker/longer)?
-
Been poling for 4 years and do not have any stretch marks from it. Callouses, bruises, scars yes, stretch marks no. But I am also not prone to them. If this is a concern I would look into supplements that are known to help elasticity of your skin.
-
I was a pretty chunky girl when I went through puberty so I have a lot of tiny stretchmarks on my inner thighs along with some on my belly from my two pregnancies. However I’ve been doing scorpios and geminis for about a year now and no new stretch marks have appeared. My old stretch marks have stayed the same as well. Maybe ur friend got stretch marks from building muscle due to poling and not because of contact with the pole ?
-
40andlovingit, I’m coming into this conversation a bit late, but so happy to hear you aren’t going to fret about your stretch marks anymore! I’m 46 and have really bad stretch marks. When I first started poling about 2 years ago, I was self conscious about mine too. Booty shorts that exposed my belly and upper thighs were something I could never see myself wearing. But now…bring on the booty shorts! : ) I finally figured out that being self conscious, whether it was about my body or that I wasn’t getting the tricks as fast as other students or my lack of dancing ability, was all just holding me back. Once I got over worrying about all those things, my progress really started to soar. Poling is really about accepting yourself for where you’re at and loving yourself in that moment. Really good pole studios and instructors will emphasize “no judgements”…no judging other students and no judging yourself. I’m sure the other ladies in your class haven’t given your stretch marks any thought, and if they have, than they just don’t get it. So just be proud of your sexy self, and have FUN! Hugs!
-
I have really bad stretch marks on my outer hips from puberty, none on the inner thighs though… I think I'm especially stretch mark prone.
Anyway, I think I've gotten one extra stretch mark – just one, about an inch long – on the front of my right thigh from the Jade (my right leg is in front). It's really bizarre…
-
Thanks jade s: I really am tring not to think about them but when most of the girls in the class are 20 years Younger than you, it makes it kinda difficult. You right about 1 thing though – none of the students or indtructors have said anything about them at all. We have a great group of women who cheer (lierally) each on!
I guess with any andeavour we undertake – we need to focus on our own unique talent and keep working on what we suck at!!
@
PPP practice patience and persistence -
I have ugly stretch marks on the backs of my knees and calves, I have lost 6kg this year and I think maybe hanging off the pole from the backs of my knees a lot maybe stretched them more? Anyway I spray tanned for a night out the other week, put on my dress, admired my newly toned skinny legs, turned around (it was natural daylight coming through the window) and OMG the stretch marks stood out like white lines on a brown road!!! I started crying and felt so helpless and upset, my legs are wrecked 🙁
-
Hi Shellectra. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Although I started this thread I am feeling so much more confident after the advice and support of all the awesome ladies on this site.
As women we need to focus on the positive! It is natural for us to only see the negative and we need to learn how to change our mindsets. You said it yourself, “you have lost 6 kgs, you legs are toned and slimmer” BUT what you focused on where your stretch marks!! Feel good about your weight loss and your toning and just look at your stretch marks as a part of your journey. I know it is hard (been there so many times) but we need to start giving ourselves a break. For you the stretchmarks may be the only thing you see in the mirror but trust me – everyone else is probally oblivious to them. You are beautiful just the way you are and people that love and care about you will only see the beauty!
Take care, chin up and next time you look in the mirror say to yourself,”hello you sexy thing. My you are looking HOT today” try having the song “I’m sexy and I know it” playing in the backgroung… Positive self affirmation is good for the soul. -
I am COVERED in them. I was a UK 16 at age 13 and aquired a lifetime's worth of them. I've learned over the years to love my stripes. Afterall, my favourite animal, the Okapi, has lovely stripes on it's legs so why can't I?!
http://www.upperplayground.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/4525da2341okapi2.jpg.jpg
Log in to reply.