During my pregnancy I was on bedrest, so I gained 80 pounds and as a result have horrible stretch marks. The ones on my stomach are very deep, to the point that the skin in the mark is paper thin and they are wide enough to where I can grab the skin inside the mark and pull at it. I have the same ones on the very top of my thighs. On my inner thighs and down to my calves they are just very red but seem to only be on the surface of my skin. My question is methods of removal. I intend on having a tummy tuck which will remove some on my stomach, but that won't be for a year or two. And financially I can't do laser surgery or miceodermabrasion just yet, does anyone know of any at home methods? I have retin a which doesn't seem to be doing very much. And as for the ones that are deep is there any hope? Thanks!!

The best I can offer you (mom of 6) is Mederma. It has been known to help but that's the best your likely to get. There really is no way of getting rid of stretch marks. They will dissipate in color over time turning to a silver/whitish and be less noticeable. Wish I could give you some miracle cure I found but it just doesn't exist.

Stretch marks are permanent and there are no moisturizers or creams that will erase them. However, treatments such as lubricants with lanolin, cocoa butter and Vitamin E may help decrease the appearance of stretch marks.

I know everyone may not agree with this solution but I have found that laying in the tanning bed and getting darker made my stretch marks appear less noticeable

Berrysweetncgurl: are your stretch marks just on the surface of your skin? Or are they deep? Mine are deep and I am afraid that the insides won't tan. I have also heard that stretch marks don't tan. So are you actually in a tanning bed, or are you doing a spray on tan? Thank you!!

Mine are pretty deep, they run all the way up my belly where I gained so much weight fast while I was pregnant, I can still see them but they are not as red, I can still feel them though, but I feel better about them because when I look at my belly I can't see them as bad, I am laying in a traditional tanning bed.