How To Handle Your Stretch Marks!

Stretch marks can leave us feeling embarrassed and ashamed, but life’s too short to let your scars get in the way. here’s how to handle them.

- Anuradha Withanachchi

Whenever my friends and I would plan a day at the beach or chilling by the pool, I’d always be the one in the oversized T-shirt that fell to midthigh—forget wearing a bikini! I shied away from the bottoms in terror; one-pieces were about all I could manage. I was body conscious, and not because of my weight or proportions. rather, it was my stretch marks that were the problem. I was painfully aware of their exact location and not happy about it; they felt like a self-branding, and I was sure others noticed them, too. In an attempt at reconciliation with these scars – and a step toward bikini bottoms! – I decided to read between the lines.

What Exactly Are They?

Stretch marks are the fine lines that appear on the surface of the skin when the latter is pulled or stretched to an extent that ruptures its elastic fibers. To delve into more detail, our skin consists of three layers called the epidermis, dermis and hypodermis. The second layer, the dermis, contains collagen and elastic tissues. When skin is stretched beyond its natural capacity, the collagen and elastic tissues tear, thus forming scars commonly known as stretch marks. When freshly formed, stretch marks take on a redish, purpleish colour as the blood vessels below the surface of the skin can be seen through the tear in the dermis; when the vessels contract, the mark fades to white.

Why Do We Get Them?