Tiger stripes, elephant skin, lighting strikes – all negative connotations associated with stretch marks. Society has given us 101 reasons to shame our “ love lines,” such as:
Meanwhile, about 70% of women have stretch marks. Not to mention, 90% of women like myself earned their “stripes” during the miracle of child birth.
READ: 11 Foods To Feed Your Breasts
According to science, these love lines, also known as striae, are a normal part of puberty for most girls and guys. Caused when the middle layer of our skin (the dermis) is pulled by rapid growth or stretching due to weight gain, stretch marks can appear on your breasts, thighs, stomach and “Judy booty,” among other areas.
If we’re being honest, for the longest time after having my first child ahead of my 21st birthday I was incredibly ashamed of my body – assuming it was a rarity to earn my “stripes” at such a young age. I tried every cream in the book, tossed my bikini and every belly button baring piece of clothing I owned. I even entertained the thought of laser removal. Fortunately, as I got older, I learned how to embrace both my stretch marks and scars as positive things (after all, it’s not like they’re going anywhere).
I’ve also enjoyed watching those who’ve taken it upon themselves to help others accept their lines. Take for instance John Legend’s swimsuit model wife Chrissy Teigen, who in 2015, gave a shout out to her stretch marks telling Meredith Vieira, “I was actually just taking a picture of the bruises and then I saw the stretch marks in there. I have those apps, the Facetune and Photoshopping ones, and I just didn’t feel like doing it anymore—and I’m never doing it again, because I think we forgot what normal people look like now.”
Furthermore, adding, “”I mean, people are nip-tucking [their photos]. It’s gotten to the point where they’re not smoothing their skin anymore, they are actually changing the shape of their body. Nobody can compare to that when you’re fixing yourself so much.”
READ: 9 Ways to Naturally Remove Scars, Bruises & Stretch Marks
She added, “It started with Botox and everything, of course, but now it’s just grown into…
… this Photoshop phenomenon and I’ve seen these women in person, they are not like that. Please know that. I’ve shot in barely anything [i.e. half-naked] with them and it’s just amazing what people do to tweak themselves.”
So, if you’re struggling to accept your lines or simply wish to know why they are not flaws, here’s why:
There’s nothing sexier than embracing your body.
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