On my journey to self-love and body positivity, one thing that took me the longest to love was the appearance of my stretch marks. Yep. For me, these were harder for me to accept than my jiggly tummy or my less defined arms. One day I realized how silly this was and that I was not alone. Women across the nation tear themselves apart over tiny lines that healthy and completely beautiful!
Stretch marks are not the problem, and the best way to combat them is not by spending money in creams that reduce the appearance of them because guess what? They. Don’t. Work. Over time I couldn’t help but wonder, was it our minds that need the stretch mark removal creams and not our skin? Let me assure you: No matter what the magazines on your doctor’s bookshelves say, there are many reasons to love those little lines of yours. Here is how to combat your stretch marks.
It is crazy how we are taught to hate the natural things our body does, and marketing companies encourage us to “fix” them. Things like acne, stretch marks, and even having a period are used against us. Let me let you in on a little secret: stretch marks are entirely normal, and everyone has them.
Please, PLEASE, do not spend your hard-earned money on a cream that reads: bullshit to try and shoo your stretch marks away. They represent your life, and they represent your memories, they are proof that you have LIVED. Don’t fret the small things. You have far more important things to worry about.
When I was a size 4, I had them around my breasts from puberty, and now that I am a size 14, I have them on my stomach, legs, hips, and guess what? That’s OK. Whether you’re tall or short, fat or thin, male, female, young, or old, chances are you’ll develop a stretch mark or two.
Why? Because bodies stretch. Period. That is all stretch marks are! Changes in weight and shape happen to everyone, no matter who you are. Let’s stick together. Solidarity never goes out of style.
Contrary to popular belief, gaining weight is not the end of the world. Most times, it results in a healthier mental attitude toward ourselves. I would much instead gain weight then go back to the days where I was scared to eat an Oreo, and if I did, I would spend the next hour running it off.
Society puts an immense amount of pressure on us to look and be their ideal of perfect, and the funny thing is the models we are supposed to look like, don’t even look like that. What??? And while not all stretch marks are caused by an observable change in weight gain, many are, but we are here for it. Show off those lovely marks, sister.
Stretch marks resemble a lot of beautiful things. From tiger stripes to peacock feathers from the cotton candy to tropical fish, many other things we consider in life look just like stretch marks do. You would never call a tiger ugly (how could you!), so please show your stretches the same kind of love!
The color pink is empowering AF, and lucky for us, stretch marks come in a variety of colors that we all love. From pinks to purples, from light browns to white, our bodies are a whole damn rainbow. Our body is a canvas, and stretch marks just add a little color and texture to our beautiful piece of art.
No matter how many “miracle” creams you invest in or how many laser treatments you invest in, your stretch marks are here to stay. Without painful and expensive surgery, the only realistic option is simply to celebrate your body, including your stretch marks.
During my twenties, I spent a huge chunk of time (and cash) on all the products that promise incredible results. Did one stretch mark ever disappear? No. Did one stretch mark ever even lighten? Hell no. Some things just aren’t meant to be fixed. But more importantly, they don’t need to be. You are beautiful the way you are.
Stretch marks are totally random, and I am a sucker for a pleasant surprise. Even if you haven’t gained weight recently or had any hormonal imbalances, stretch marks like to surprise us! From legs to hips, from booties to breasts, stretch marks can be found all over. Just yesterday, I noticed some under my armpit. How cute!
Since consciously deciding to embrace my body — my stretch marks included — things have changed a lot. Hell, they’ve changed a ton.Wearing a bathing suit in public doesn’t bother me. Bending down in front of a co-worker doesn’t scare me, and the fact that they may spot the lines on my back and sides is totally OK. I don’t live in fear that people will find my line-covered rolls repulsive. Because if they do, it’s their problem and not mine.
I don’t worry about being perceived as not beautiful because I know that I am. Stretch marks or none. Beauty standards are the ones that are repulsive. Embracing your body is so sexy, and chances are your partner will not even notice or care because they have a naked YOU in front of them. Go get them, tiger.
Loving yourself is hard work. The world makes sure of that. It’s scary to stray away from the norm. It’s scary to admit to finding yourself beautiful when you know you might be deemed vain, narcissistic, or diluted. But as far as your stretches? They’re pretty innocent in your struggle. Don’t take your anger out on them because it stems from a little thing called society. And when it comes down to it showing them a little love will mean you’re showing yourself a little love and that is something we can get behind.
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