Stretch marks, is just one of the occupational hazards of being tall. You most associate stretch marks with pregnancy but tall people get them too, me included. “My Tiger Stripes”, I call them. And they are everywhere. My arms, chest, hips; all over.
According to WebMD stretch marks are known by doctors as “striae” and they are usually caused by rapid weight gain or loss. “They are most common during pregnancy and the teen years, when growth spurts and increased levels of steroid hormones cause significant changes throughout the body.” Growing 7 inches in a matter of months definitely caused a significant change to my body and with it came stretch marks.
In high school, I hated and was very self-conscious about my stretch marks and rightfully so. You don’t see models, actresses and overall beautiful people with stretch marks, do you? The ugly marks looked like old faded wounds and it was hard to see the beauty in them. Someone even asked me once if I got into to a fight, referring to the jagged marks on my arms. I should’ve said “You think this is bad, you should’ve seen the other guy.” (I always think of the perfect comeback after the fact. God’s sense of humor at work.)
But one day, I looked down at the dark, ragged stripes on my hips, and I saw that they reminded me of the stripes of a tiger. And I thought, do you think a tiger is ashamed of her stripes? So why are you? Her stripes are beautiful and are a part of who she is. My stripes came as a part of my growing up and there is no reason to be ashamed of them. My stretch marks are like my badges of honor. The way I see it, I’ve earned my stripes and I should be proud of every single one of them. They are a daily reminder that I am fierce and “fearfully and wonderfully made”. So start looking at those stretch marks in a different way; as your beautiful tiger stripes.
We women nitpick too much about the little things we don’t like about our bodies. Whether it be freckles, a crooked nose, height or stretch marks. We spend too much energy hating those things rather than embracing what we do like eventually loving all of ourselves no matter what.
Love ALL of you no matter what. Because if you don’t, who will?
Elayna
The Junoesque 
Great post! I definitely have stretch marks on my knees, hips, sides etc. too but I feel the same as you…I kind of like them because I’m like…Yep! That’s right! I have these because I’m tall. Woohoo! I also liked your last paragraph about spending so much energy fixating on what we don’t like about ourselves instead of embracing what we DO like. I’m certainly guilty of this with my rants about my spider veins. I was chatting with a group of 3-4 women the other night and they were all complaining about various parts of themselves and I adamantly said “No No No…you are all perfect and beautiful. You don’t need to worry about losing that 10 lbs. or that alleged roll around your middle that nobody can detect except you. You look awesome just the way you are.” and I wasn’t lying…they REALLY do. Generally speaking I love myself and my body and I try to be a “body lovin ambassador” whenever I get the chance by encouraging others to do the same. =) And cheers to you for being a body lovin ambassador too! There’s waaaayyyy too much body hatin’ going on.
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Hi Bethany, Thanks for stopping by!
Thank you so much! I’m also guilty of complaining about the extra fat I have around my middle that no one else notices but I do make it a point to not dwell on it too long. But yes, we do need to spread a little more self love around this piece. Life is too short for all this body hate.
Thanks again,
Elayna
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What a great way of looking at it! I barely notice mine anymore they’re so much a part of my body, but next time I do I’ll think about tiger stripes.
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Thanks! Sometimes you just have to change the way you look at things. The thing may not change, but the way you look at it does. It really helps.
Elayna
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amen sister! i look at those perfect models and actresses and think….truly what have they accomplished? I like me just the way I am. Good post!!
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Thank you! You know, they probably do have stretch marks and other “imperfections” but we would never know because of all the airbrushing.
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Haha I thought I was the only who called them ‘tiger stripes’. I’ve learned to like mine too 🙂
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Ha. I thought I was the only one too. Great minds think alike!
Elayna
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