What Guys Think About Stretch Marks

What Guys Think About Stretch Marks

Women have always been identified as having smooth, flawless, and scar-free skin.  It is a common fact that they have naturally softer skin than men.  Although, the skin on a women’s body can somehow lose its suppleness overtime because of external factors such as too much sunbathing and other contributing things, it is a universal truth that they do generally have healthy, glowing skin. Men on the other hand, are somewhat fascinated with this actuality. Covers of men’s magazines are usually filled with great looking models, all of which have unblemished skin. No doubt having such a perfect skin is one man’s criteria for defining beautiful women. However, does it really matter?

Does skin free from scars and stretch marks really characterize women?

Do guys really care about stretch marks?

Anatomically speaking, the skin is the largest organ of the body. It is indeed a masterpiece of design and wise crafting. It not only protects the deeper structures, but also has a number of other important functions to perform. It is a highly complex structure and contains numerous blood vessels, nerves, and tiny lymphatic channels throughout its entirety. The health and vitality of the body depends to a large extent upon the condition of the skin.

The skin gives us protection against germs and there is no other body part we have which equals it. Healthy skin has the power to destroy many germs. It stops the tissues from drying up and also shields the rest of our body from the detrimental effects of over-exposure to light. At the same time it regulates the temperature of the body, producing various cooling and warming effects according to the outside environment.

By default, our skin naturally creates Vitamin D, which is vital in maintaining strong bones and healthy teeth. Through the many nerve endings in the skin, you become aware of various sensations, such as heat, cold and pain. The sense of touch is very acute, especially in certain areas, such as the tips of the fingers for which special nerve endings are numerous.

A person’s skin also reflects their age and indicates in some ways the condition of their health. Even their sex and other personality traits are clearly indicated by this remarkable covering tissue. The human skin takes on many physiologic alterations associated with the general process of aging. A lifetime of excessive sun exposure, systemic diseases, and poor nutrition can increase the range of skin problems and the rapidity with which they appear.

In addition, there are such medications as antihistamines, antibiotics, and diuretics, which are photo-sensitizing and can increase the damage which results from sun exposure. The outcome is an increasing vulnerability to injury and to certain diseases. Skin problems are common among older people, maybe more so than in children and young adults. When we look at a person, it is mainly their skin that we see. So when we see something unusual or odd, we immediately judge with prejudice thinking that they are not taking good care of their body. We even look at people, especially women, who have some form of scar or stretch marks on their skin, which for some can be a turn-off.  Scars and stretch marks are quite normal, especially when women who have undergone pregnancy.

Stretch marks in dermatologic science are forms of scarring on the skin which are characterized with an off-color tone.  They are also referred to by other names such as striae cutis distensae vergetures, striae distensae, linea albicante, striae atrophicae, linae atrophicae, or simply striae. These usually appear during a pregnancy, typically throughout the latter part of the pregnancy, and more often than not are likely to be seen on the stomach which is where the skin will be stretched the most. They are also common on certain other parts of the body such as the thighs, hips, lower back and the buttocks. These stretch marks are called striae gravidarum.

Stretch marks first appear as a reddish or purple line but slowly change into a lighter range. They are soft to the touch and appear to be hollow. They occur in the dermis, the inner layer of the skin, which is responsible for helping the skin keep its shape.  A stretch mark will not be formed as long as there is support coming from the dermis. Although stretching may contribute to where the marks occur, it is not the main cause of it. Of course, with any skin condition can be managed and treated until the scars disappear.

Even though stretch marks are a normal phenomenon occurring in both men and women, this type of skin condition has over the years made the female population, and also believe it or not a few men, quite conscious about them.  It is probably more common in a woman that she will question whether guys care about her stretch marks or not, and whether they make her less attractive to them.

A survey conducted in England in 2001 showed that out of 1,500 male correspondents, who were asked this question 94.9 % revealed that they don’t really care about women having stretch marks.  A similar survey was also conducted in the United States and it showed that women with stretch marks are not a turn-off.  Quite the contrary, in fact, the male participants in the survey attested that all the scars represent experience and endurance in a women’s life.  Specifically the experience they had or will have when bearing a child. Women, who are not ashamed of their scars or skin imperfections, are those women that don’t have any insecurity about themselves or how their body looks. They are the ones that are not so much proud, but content for their scars to be seen because it only tells of their struggles in life and how they have successfully defeated them.

There have been many different surveys carried out on this subject over the years, with varying different results, but the general consensus is that in general most women don’t worry too much about the small details such as stretch marks on women.  Another such survey revealed a small number of guys who quite sensibly pointed out that if a women didn’t have any scars or marks on her body, it would make them wonder just how much of a “sheltered life, wrapped up in cotton wool”, they had led?  Now that certainly gives women something to think about.

Men and women alike have plenty of body imperfections and these are not supposed to be a prerequisite for having good romantic relationships with the opposite sex. As they say “if the right person falls for you, it is going to be more than just your body that attracts them.”    So in general, when you ask whether stretch marks really bother men, it could be said that the majority of the male population will say No, they don’t!

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