I remember when I first saw stretch marks on my inner thighs. I was in middle school, already feelings awkward and out of place, and seeing this angry red streak on my leg confused me. Growing up, I only saw marks like that on pregnant women and larger people. At my age, I knew I wasn’t pregnant- middle school me barely knew what sex was- so I jumped to the only other conclusion I could think of: I’m fat.

As I got older and my body continued to change, more stretch marks emerged and spread to new places. I found more on my thighs, my hips, and even my breasts. They weren’t as red as the one I first one I noticed, but they were still there. Anytime I wore something where they could be visible, all I could think was that people were just seeing the marks and not me. I kept hoping that if I lost weight, they would go away. I tried cream to eradicate them, as well as working out and other tactics to lose weight, but nothing helped. Even at my skinniest, they were still there.

As I got into my first year of college, I started to notice them less, but anytime I did it was like a dagger to my brain. I would spiral and feel horrible about myself. I knew I wasn’t the only person who has them, but I still felt like I should be ashamed of them. So finally, I did some research and my views changed.

I learned that while, yes, stretch marks do come from strains on the skin such as gaining weight, they also can be a result of gaining muscles or having a growth spurt. Most children have growths spurts as they get older and as the bones grow, the skin grows too which causes stretch marks in many people. There are also medical conditions that can contribute to stretch marks. Even girls who are super skinny and seem like they wouldn’t be “the type” to have them have stretch marks.

Another thing is that stretch marks usually don’t go away. Which means all those “treatments” for stretch marks aren’t going to take them away. If the coloring of the stretch mark irritates you, there are ways to fix that, but it will not take away the mark itself, it will just be a less noticeable thing on your body.

Stretch marks are as normal as someone having a zit or a mole. It is something that just happens. And even if it is because you are gaining weight, as long as you are healthy it is totally fine! Skin is elastic and is meant to stretch. That means when you get taller, your skin grows too. When your breasts grow, so does the skin. People grow so the skin has to accommodate it. And the color of the marks don’t matter to. Whether the mark is a barely noticeable color or bright and angry, you shouldn’t have to hide it away and feel self-conscious. If you feel like you want to use treatments for it, do it! If you don’t want to, don’t feel pressured to because of society. All in all, you love your body the way it is.

I am finally at a point in my life where I am not ashamed of having these lightning bolts on my body. We as a society must fight back against those who tell us we must change our bodies to fit their needs and that we must be airbrushed to be beautiful. My body made it happen, it is natural, and something no person should be ashamed of.