Given that stretch marks affect 80% of women in the UK according to the British Journal of Dermatology, it’s refreshing to hear celebs are embracing their bodies with some even going as far as showing off their stretch marks.
Khloe Kardashian recently pictured a close up of stretch marks on her thighs on Instagram with the tagline “I love my stripes” and had over 3m fans delighted with her incredulous honesty. Among the comments were “YES! Show them off, I’m so proud of you” and “Normalise stretch marks and blemished bodies, about time.”
This is especially noteworthy given that it is all too easy to airbrush out any imperfections with the plethora of Photoshop apps on the market today. Coupled with the most high-profile celebs having a PR team behind them notorious for only allowing their clients to be seen with no imperfections, it is showing realistic body images that normal women should aspire to.
Presenter Stacey Solomon has also jumped on the real body bandwagon and shared a snap of her recent holiday in Dubai wearing a red bikini captioning it with, “I honestly love how much stretch marks shine in the sun? Natural glitter!”
The British Journal of Dermatology has claimed that up to 90% of women will encounter stretch marks as their bodies change shape and size during pregnancy.
To combat this taboo, former EastEnders star Melissa Suffield has taken to Instagram to share a series of stretch marks due to her recent pregnancy. She captioned the photo with the hashtag #loveyourself, adding “They’re not ideal. They’re not what I wanted. But they’re what I got. And they’re mine.”
While it may not be surprising that actress and ambassador for body positivity brand I Weigh, Jameela Jamil has coined the phrase ‘babe marks’ for her stretch marks. Her close-up pictures and 3.3 million followers are hoping to change the stigma associated with the skin condition.
“Boob stretch marks are a normal beautiful thing. I have them all over my body and I hereby rename them Babe Marks. They are a sign my body has dared to take up extra space in a society that demands our eternal thinness. They are a badge of honour for resisting society’s weponising of the female form.”
Whether you like or loath your stretch marks ladies, remember if you can’t have the skin you want, love the skin you’re in.
