There has been a real push lately for women to take back control of their body image. Positive messages abound about loving your body as it is naturally – and not striving to achieve the impossible look of airbrushed, perfect models.

Dove created a campaign you may have seen, which holds a mirror up to women and their self image. In the campaign a sketch artist drew them as they see themselves and then as others see them. The end result emphasized how we as women are our harshest critics. A recent swimsuit brand recreated a Sports Illustrated Cover using plus size models and fashion bloggers with all different body shapes, in an attempt to be more realistic about the differences in body shapes that "real" women have. And pop artist Colbie Caillat released a music video for her single “Try” in which she and other women take off their make up and go un-photoshopped. The song itself is an expression of liking who you see in the mirror.

All of these examples echo a growing feeling among women – the desire to stop measuring their body image against what is shown in the media. This is a good thing... but is definitely something that is easier said than done. Especially when we are bombarded with images that represent unreal expectations. 

Take a New Perspective on Stretch Marks

When it comes to stretch marks, one way to help keep your mind in check is to realize that they are very common. Nine out of 10 women get stretch marks during pregnancy; 7 out of 10 females and 4 out of 10 males get them during puberty. What this means is that the person sitting next to you on the bus, or standing behind you in line at the grocery store probably has them – to one degree or another. They are a part of life for just about everyone who has a child – and for a large majority of people due to the simple act of growing up. There is no shame in that. In fact, it's something to be proud of.

There is no "magic" solution for stretch marks that works for everyone – and that’s ok. That doesn’t mean we don’t love ourselves if we take steps to help our bodies to heal and repair or prevent what we can. Robelyn Labs’ Elastin3 Advanced Stretch Mark Therapy and ElastinMD Physician Strength Stretch Mark Repair Therapy use proven ingredients that help repair and strengthen skin. Loving ourselves means taking care of our bodies, but being ok with the results.