Worried about your stretch marks? Here's what you need to know about them!

Single mum Malaika Arora has always been quite vocal about her pregnancy stretch marks. She never shied away from flaunting them at public events as well.

Unfortunately, she was body-shamed for them, but she called out the trolls. Back in 2008, she reminded everybody that she was hated on for coming out with her 'ugly' stretch marks in an item song, but she carried on nonetheless.

"I've never bothered about stretch marks, and I'm not going to start now," she told Men's Health at the time.

And it seems other famous women are also following suit and accepting these 'flaws'. Actor Parineeti Chopra unabashedly flaunted a picture of herself with some stretch marks.

A post shared by Parineeti Chopra (@parineetichopra) on Jan 26, 2018 at 6:34am PST

Her post received a lot of love and her followers commended her for not photoshopping her stretch marks.

Along with many others like them, Malaika and Parineeti are setting the right precedence about 'loving oneself,' especially when it comes to physical flaws.

But the fact is the most women are still fixated on their physical appearance and sometimes these marks can lower self-esteem. So we are here to share some interesting facts about what you might think are 'flaws.' Because you are not alone.

Yes, you read that right. Stretch marks are not only restricted to your tummy post-pregnancy, but they can appear anywhere on your body. This is especially true for those who may have undergone a drastic weight loss, leaving that part of the body loose.

You may notice many people with stretch marks on their arms, legs, stomach, butt, thighs and even at the back.

Stretch marks are usually formed in the middle layer of the skin (dermis). However, they appear on the top surface that you see.

When a part of the body is stretched for a short period of time, it is unable to produce collagen and elastin. The connective tissue of the skin also becomes quite weak and is unable to tolerate that stretch.

This leads to the formation of these marks in the dermis region, which is seen on the epidermis region.

Yes, it is quite possible to get rid of new stretch marks. Those that look pink or purple are easier to reduce than those that appear white.

If your skin is still pink, it means that it is healing. At this time, you can use home remedies or apply cosmetic creams to reduce the appearance of the stretch marks.

As mentioned in our previous article, here are a few ways you can reduce the appearance of stretch marks if not remove them permanently.

• Vitamin E rich diet: Follow a diet rich in Vitamin E since it is a fat-soluble antioxidant compound. It's primary feature is that it stops free-radical production, which is responsible for aging (and wrinkles). So you must include foods rich in the compound such as almonds, raw seeds, swiss chards, spinach, plant-based oils, hazelnuts, avocado, papaya and even olives.
• Opt for home remedies: You can also try several home remedies to reduce the look of your stretch marks. Add a tablespoon of lime juice and olive oil to a tablespoon of sugar and mix well. Rub this exfoliator of the marks for 10 mins and follow it regularly for a month or more till you see them fade away. Also remember to increase your intake of water as it detoxifies the body.
• Be regular with exercise: Incorporate yoga or any other form of exercise to keep your body active and fat at bay. Including yoga or some form of stretching in your daily exercise routine can reduce the look of such marks because it forces your body to burn fat and avoid yo-yo dieting as it leaves the skinny more elastic and stretchy.

Stretch marks are not necessarily a menace, nor do they cause any illness or medical issues. They might look unsightly to you, but they are a part of most people's bodies.

And if you are a mum, you would know better that they are a testimony of your love.

Also read:“I am finally learning to be proud of my body and my stretch marks…”

(All images courtesy: Instagram)