Stretch marks are those unsightly markings that occur on the skin, especially when a person is subjected to sudden growth; like in pregnancy or the sudden growth spurts that characterize some periods in puberty.
Stretch Marks can be distressing to many people, in spite of the fact that in the contexts in which they occur, they are more often than not understandable and in any case, most of the places they afflict are protected from ‘public review.’ The distress associated with stretch marks becomes even more, when accentuated by some myths that are associated with the marks.
Top Myths About Stretch Marks
1) One of the commonest myths associated with stretch marks is the one to the effect that stretch marks pose a major health risk to the person on whom they are manifest. This feels particularly true in light skinned people, on whom the stretch marks tend to be very highly pronounced. A person seeing stretch marks on themselves for the very first time will tend to wonder what could be happening to them. The truth of the matter however, is that besides their disfiguring effect on the skin (already manifest, if you are seeing them), stretch marks really pose no other health risk to you. True, they may look scary, especially if you are a light skinned person – but things are not always what they seem. Indeed, if you are one of the people who don’t care too much about their appearance, then stretch marks are not something you should be concerned about.
2) The second myth associated with stretch marks, perhaps stemming from their name, is the one to the effect that they are caused by ‘stretching’ as we know it (like the way you do when yawning). The true position, however, is that stretch marks are caused by persistent stretching from within, rather than intermittent stretch from outside like the type we do when yawning. The underlying cause of stretch marks is the subjection of the skin to pressure beyond its elasticity limits, especially like happens during the periods of rapid growth like puberty and pregnancy. Therefore, if anything, physical stretching (the sort that you subject yourself to, from outside), can help in preventing the stretch marks – by way of increasing the skin’s elasticity like most other exercises, rather than causing the stretch marks.
3) The fourth myth associated with stretch marks, and doing rounds in ‘pregnancy support’ circles, is the one to the effect that every woman who falls pregnancy must experience the stretch marks. Here, stretch marks are seen as a ‘sign of pregnancy’ very much like nausea or belly extension. The true position, however, is that not every woman who falls pregnant ends up with stretch marks. It is all depends on how rapidly one grows in response to the pregnancy. The fact that stretch marks affect between 75 and 90 of all pregnant women means that between 25 and 90 of expectant mothers go through pregnancy without the stretch marks. You could be one of the lucky few who manage to escape this ‘fate’ – it is not an automatic fate.
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