Scarred Legs make me so sad :(

[Stephanie_CD_64]

I'm not really looking for anything, I think I just need to vent.

I was pretty poor growing up. I had to work from a very early age. Then, I joined the Marine Corps. Now, own a house that I love to work on.

All this experience I'm saying was the definitive 'school of hard knocks.'

Unfortunately, my shins took the brunt of it all. I'm talking about hitch hits from a trailer, ladder rung bangs. It seems if it's below knee level, my shins have to hit it. They are so scarred up and look like they haven been through a hamburger grinder. My legs are getting a little long in the tooth, being over 50 years.

My legs do not look too bad as long as I've got black hose or stockings on.

I just want so desperately to be able to go bare legged and look as sexy as I do with stockings on. I guess it's just not in the cards for me.

Again, just venting.

Thanks for listening!

Steph

[RADER]

I have 47 years as a Carpenter; My shins look like a war zone.
So it is very black hose for me. Even then it can not have to much
light in the room.
Rader

[AllisonCS1]

Knee High boots? Shin high ones? Boots can be fairly sexy. I've even seen ribbon wrap around ones.

[Stephanie_CD_64]

The thing is, I really only like wearing strappy sandle heels.

Boots just do nothing for me. I know some people will disagree, but I believe one of the worst fashion statements is a skirt and cowboy boots or shorts and cowboy boots.

I know there are some sexy boots, but they aren't for me.

[Allisa]

I hear you Stephanie and Rader, now just add bowed legs like you were born on a horse and you got mine then add spider veins.

[AllisonCS1]

Not even the ribbon wrap around sandals? With a bit of strategic liquid latex and makeup the beat up shins could be hidden and the ribbons would hold the thin layer of latex in place.

I used to use the stuff 20 yrs ago for Halloween and it can be blended into skin especially if you use the ribbons on sandals strategically.

[Stephanie_CD_64]

It's actually kind of funny, I guess......

I am built like a linebacker.....no butt, getting a little gut from age, incredibly broad shoulder, and very muscular arms.

There is no way I could ever pass, or even come close, but the ugliness of my legs is what really bothers me.

Allison, don't get me wrong......I know there are quite a few cover ups and things I could do, and I really appreciate the tips. I am bothered because my legs aren't sexy, tan and smooth as silk.

Allisa, my legs are slightly bowed, too. So, I feel your pain there a little.

[LilSissyStevie]

I walked into the hen house one day and a white leghorn rooster spurred me in the shins like you wouldn't believe. He made good soup but to this day, as I look down at my scars, I wonder who got the last laugh.

[MonctonGirl]

Many women have the same issue and they know tricks to overcome it.
Lots of youtube videos about it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPOa6qApfKM

[Jorja]

Just a suggestion, if your legs are causing you that much discomfort, why not go see a plastic surgeon and see how they can help you?

[ReineD]

I'm sorry you feel sad, but it is what it is. So go ahead and wear the dark hose in winter, and maybe wear some of those long, flowey skirts in the summer. Focus on your assets (your eyes, your smile, a trim waist maybe?)

I say this because I am like you. My legs have always bruised easily. One tap and I'm black and blue for weeks. A mosquito bite turns into an ugly red rash that lasts for weeks (sometimes months) and scars. Plus, now that in my 50s, the veins are beginning to show and my skin is losing elasticity. I dare say that most women in their 50s (and certainly most in their 60s+) will say they don't have young, hot-looking legs.

And so we just deal with it. I don't feel sad, I just choose to not wear short shorts. I do wear a lot of long flowey skirts in the summer or knee-length casual skirts if I feel like not worrying about how bad my legs look. lol. Most people don't notice anyway, not at our age. :p And in the winter I wear either pants or skirts with black tights.

[Eryn]

...maybe wear some of those long, flowey skirts in the summer....

Yes, long skirts! Wonderfully feminine, don't require a severe tuck, and feel so good when you walk!

Do some research and look at other women your age when out and about. Few GGs have perfect legs and those perfect legs you see in ads and the media have the benefit of makeup artists and photoshop! A few flaws actually help your presentation so don't be too critical of a scar or two.

[PaulaQ]

Stephanie, I'm handicapped. My legs have massive scarring from multiple surgeries I had during childhood. My feet turn in, my legs are bowed beyond belief. It's a miracle that I can walk on them. But I do. I promise you, mine are worse than yours. If mine were much worse, I'd drive a wheelchair.

I wear short skirts bare legged all the time. The hell with what anyone else thinks. I lived my entire life ashamed to show my legs - when I presented as a guy, I never wore shorts. Now? I don't care.

Be happy you can wear heels. I can't - no way - well not and walk. My orthopedic problems are just too serious.

Here, see for yourself:
244253
Sorry the picture isn't bigger - the forum limits this a lot.

I wear hose for a number of reasons, but covering up my scarred legs (the scars themselves are the least of my problems, believe you me) is not one of them. I refuse to allow people to look down on me. I simply refuse to be ashamed of something - being able to use my legs - that took extraordinary effort and suffering on my part to accomplish.

[charlenesomeone]

Lots of awesome responses and I agree and add, just be yourself and be happy. Maxi skirts and dresses if you need to for you.
Like Paula said, be yourself and be proud.

[prettytoes]

A 40 foot fall from a tree as a teenager, and the multiple surgeries that followed have left my legs badly scarred. I saw a shirt once that I really liked...it said "scars are tattoos with cooler stories"!

[Stephanie_CD_64]

Such great support and information.

Thanks everyone for sharing your stories!

[Krisi]

Patterned pantyhose will help to cover scars and even hair if it's not too thick or too long.

[DonnaT]

As I've gotten older my skin now wants to scar whenever there's a cut or scrape. I've found tan hose help just as much as black ones.

[Stephanie47]

I'm not scarred up, but, my skin is very pale. I do not tan well. I just burn. Yes, there are times I wish I could just go without hose, but, alas, if I am wearing a knee length dress it's going to be hose. I'm fortunate to live in a part of western Washington where the summer highs are usually in the 70's...no sweating. I've acquired about half a dozen very nice maxi summer dress that do hit the tops of my feet. That solves the problem of pale legs showing. Summer attire also leaves the "man tan" issue of the shoulders and upper arms.

[Alice Torn]

I can realte, as i have always been blue collar, in paing factory, screw factory, grave digger, window washer on ladders, sports. Shins have scars, but not super bad. it sure hurts when they get hit, though. Good thing hose hide much of your scars! PaulaQ, love those heels!!

[Kristy 56]

Nothing too much that I can add except that many women have to deal with the same issues especially after childbirth.(varicose veins,spider veins etc) Reine gave great advice,

[Bria]

After 70+ years of banging my shins as well as just age, my legs don't look good, scars, veins, bow legged. However, since my eyes aren't as sharp as they once were, and I'm not as flexible as I once was, I can't see my legs as well so they must not look all that bad (out of sight out of mind!) ha ha. Lots of GGs my age wear pants both in casual situations and more formal ones, so pants, boots, long skirts or dark hose it is for me!

Youth is wasted on the young (end of soapbox)!

Hugs, Bria

[MsVal]

There have been many great suggestions which I won't repeat, but I will offer this observation.

It seems to me that you feel bad about how your legs look. You listed a number of other characteristics which are not feminine, but which you seem to accept.

What you have Steph is pretty common. Unfortunate, but common. We all have some things which we wish we could change. We are prone to fixate on a small number of those at the expense of our personal happiness.

I hope that you find a way to prioritize personal happiness above concern about the appearance of your legs.

Oh, and thank you for your service in the USMC.

Best wishes
MsVal

[meganmartin]

I sometimes use a dermablend leg and body makeup. It does help with these nicks, cuts and bruises.
Also I sometimes will use a tanning type cream and find that the tanner your legs appear it does the defects don't show as bad.

[ReineD]

However, since my eyes aren't as sharp as they once were,... I can't see my legs as well so they must not look all that bad (out of sight out of mind!) ha ha.

LOL! Last night I shaved my legs for the first time since last fall. I don't usually wear my reading glasses in the shower, and I simply DID NOT see any leg hair all winter long! :D

My legs didn't feel much different unshaved than they feel shaved (actually when they're not shaved I don't feel a stubble), and so imagine my surprise when I put on my glasses to shave them, and discovered that my leg hair had grown to between half an inch and an inch long (I didn't actually measure, but they were very long).

I agree ... out of sight, out of mind. lol

[Jorja]

You live where Reine? Alaska you say?;)

[CynthiaD]

I feel your pain! My legs are mostly scar tissue from the knee down. On top of that, I was taking a medication that caused brown "age" spots to appear all over them. Fortunately, pantyhose, even the light-tan sheer ones make all the difference in the world. The scars and spots seem to disappear, and my legs look smooth and elegant. It's also fortunate that I love wearing pantyhose. I never leave home without them!

[Sometimes Steffi]

I think many of us can remember the Joe Namath pantyhose add from a long time ago.

The tagline was, "If I can look so goo in these pantyhose, imagine what they'll do for you."

[Angie G]

Stephanie cowboy boot and a pair of shorts or short can be sexy as all get out if the right pair of legs are between them :hugs:
Angie

[ReineD]

Jorja, try as I might, I still can't look like a grizzly. :)

[Jean 103]

If I didn't tan I think I would go the way of the spray-on tan. I was born and raised in SoCal and live here now. For ten years I lived in central Oregon. When spring rolls around there the locals start wearing shorts, while I'm still wearing long underwear. My ex would be wearing leg warmers over her jeans. If you want to go with bare legs go for it.
Love Jean

[Stephanie_CD_64]

So many great suggestions, thoughts, and experiences.

I appreciate you all so much!

[Michelle (Oz)]

The damage caused by a DVT means that I must wear compresson stockings constantly. Sure, I get a few looks in summer (the overdressed CDer look lol) but them's the brakes for comfortable legs which look OK (she says modestly).

[flatlander_48]

I sometimes use a dermablend leg and body makeup. It does help with these nicks, cuts and bruises.
Also I sometimes will use a tanning type cream and find that the tanner your legs appear it does the defects don't show as bad.

I think most of the makeup maufacturers do body makeup of some sort. I have tried a Sally Hanson product (Airbrush Legs) that works decently for all but the darkest scars (multiple injuries on the same site or an area where an ulcer healed). It is a cream with essentially the same consistency of cream foundations. However, for me, there would be no point in wearing very sheer nylons as something a bit heavier is needed. Even still, the scaring is visible if you take a moment to look.

DeeAnn

[Rachel Mari]

Funny, what timing.
I had a dream last night and the scars on my legs were the focus. In that dream, I was wearing a short skirt (shorter than I'd ever wear as all the skirts I have reach my knees) and I wasn't hiding the scars on my thighs at all. No one noticed and if they did, they didn't care. Pretty much what I get from people in real life (except for the thighs, no one sees those).

Anyway, my whole lower left leg is a burn scar and my thighs are where they took the skin to cover the missing skin. The lower scar is more readily seen and the uppers are less so, but I feel more aware of the upper ones. How I deal with it is: Some days I don't care and some days, when I do, I wear a long skirt.

[rocketscientist]

I think about my shins all the time. It's just a hazard of my job that they get banged up all the time. I try my best to avoid it, but whenever it happens I curse at myself because I know how horrible they will look when I do wear my short shorts and skirts. And I disagree with anyone's opinion that cowboy boots don't go with shorts!

[docrobbysherry]

Sorry if someone already mentioned them above. I skimmed the posts and may have missed it!

I have very spotty, freckly legs. (Everything, really). So, I always wear tites to make my legs look smooth and fair. Even under my nylons.

They also hide the bottom of the pantygirdles I wear to contain my hip/butt pads!:heehee:

If u had to cover your arms as I do? Then, you'd really be in a pickle. Because they don't make tites for your arms. I have to make my own!:sad:

I'm wearing "arm tites" in my avatar.

[flatlander_48]

Yes, they are called "sleeves"...

DeeAnn

[sometimes_miss]

It's actually kind of funny, I guess......I am built like a linebacker......
Better than me, I'm a step up in size, just wider all over, more like offensive lineman. Once told that I was built like a refrigerator....that was before William Perry took that name.
Legs are a mess, but they still work. I remind myself of that whenever i want to feel sorry for myself, that there are a million war veterans with no legs that would be very happy to have my crappy legs. Then my legs start to look very good, indeed.

[JennyTV]

I'm a geek, I sit at a desk all day, so I can't blame my legs on my job. But I have balance/coordination issues so I fall down a lot. So both of my knees look aweful. SO I can relate as well. And boots ddn't work for me because my calves are very large. So boots that fit my legs leave enough room for my feet to walk around without the boot ever moving! And hose it only a sometime fix. What the rest of y'all call summer, we in Texas call spring or fall. For three or four months a year we have "Surface of the Sun" season. During that time, hose would be considered cruel and unusual punishment!

Oh well... Cest la Vie!

Jen

[Pat]

I've never met a person, man or woman, who was happy with the way they looked. So my first advice is stop worrying about it, whatever it is. If you're dolled up and people are looking at your shins there's something else wrong. Second advice is to second the advice on Dermablend body cover. It can totally "remove" a tattoo -- shin scars should be child's play.

Of course, all that deals with what others see, not what you feel about yourself.

[docrobbysherry]

Yes, they are called "sleeves"...

DeeAnn
Yes. If you're wearing a top that has them, DeeAnn. But, do I look like I'm wearing "sleeves" in my avatar?

What I am wearing is; small size, skin toned, tites over my arms that resemble bare arms!:eek:

[LilSissyStevie]

Some solutions for arms and anywhere else for that matter is bodystockings, catsuits, zentai suits and even tatoo cover sleeves. I have bunches of bodystockings in different designs and colors to cover not only scars but my permanent farmer's tan and some unsightly mottling caused by some medication I was on.