9 Body Features That Women of the 21st Century Should Stop Feeling Insecure About

According to statistics, 85% of people worldwide have low self-esteem. The experiment conducted by Dove has proven this to be true. An artist was asked to paint 2 portraits of the same woman: the first one according to her description of herself and the other one according to her description by a stranger. Eventually, the portrait revealed that the woman’s own description turned out less attractive than the other. Women tended to assess themselves too rigorously, drawing attention to all their imperfections. So, with that in mind, we decided to find out what physical features many women tend to feel insecure about when they have no reason to be.

Scars and stretch marks

Many people avoid wearing clothes that reveal their scars or stretch marks. This happens even if they know that scars are just as normal as moles or pimples. By the way, 100 million patients worldwide acquire scars after surgeries each year, so having a scar is not a big deal.

For example, singer and actress Selena Gomez felt insecure about her scar, which she got after a kidney transplant. But later, she dared to publish a photo where her scar was visible. This has become an inspiration for many people.

• I have scars on my back that prevented me from wearing a bikini for a long time. I have an appendix scar that I remember I wanted to put a tattoo over. Eventually, I got to thinking they looked pretty cool. My appendix scar, for example, looks cute because it resembles a caterpillar. © chokeholder / Reddit

Armpit folds

Many women avoid wearing sleeveless tops because they are frustrated by skin folds in the armpit area. The widespread opinion is that these folds form in people with excess weight. This is partly true: if a person has excess weight, these folds increase in size.

But other factors can cause their appearance as well. The fact is that when a breast is lifted by something like a push-up bra, a fold forms at the site where the natural breast volume ends, and the pec and deltoid muscles cross paths. Genetics and hormones can also contribute to the appearance of armpit folds, so having them is entirely normal.

Hair on the big toes

Some people experience hair growth in the most unexpected places, like their toes. Some women revealed that plucking and shaving their toe hair holds the first place among the beauty procedures they tend to hide from men.

Hair on the toes is a good sign. It means that you have normal circulation. Also, hair density can change with age. The older a person is, the denser their hair can become.

Not-so-perfect skin above the knee

There was an opinion in the past that you shouldn’t shave your legs above the knee because this supposedly makes hair grow thicker and faster. Now we know that shaving doesn’t make the hair any thicker or coarser. The hair on the thighs is usually finer and less visible than the hair below the knee, so many women don’t shave it at all. Anyway, it’s up to the individual whether they want to remove their body hair or not.

Another widespread source of frustration in women is spider veins on their legs. Even though they are harmless, you should monitor them to ensure they don’t grow into varicose veins. However, almost everyone has spider veins, so they are nothing to feel insecure about.

Sweat under the breasts in summer

It’s natural to sweat. As a rule, sweat is visible in the areas where body parts touch each other: in the armpits, between the legs, or under the breasts. Scientists even claim that sweating is good for your health because it prevents the body from overheating.

Fingernails without nail polish

The manicure industry is on the rise. Women like to have their fingernails covered with nail polish or gel, which can stay on the nails for about 3 weeks. But it’s also normal to wear your nails free of nail polish because they look natural this way.

There are many reasons why you might want to avoid getting a manicure in a salon. For example, you may want to save time or money or be afraid of getting an infection.

• I think it looks tacky, especially the elaborate and bedazzled ones; it’s just not for me. I don’t want to spend money and time on something I am not interested in. And my hobbies aren’t very friendly for having manicured nails, like painting and gardening. © sparrow_304 / Reddit
  

Neck lines

Scientists discovered fleshy lines or so-called “Venus rings” on the neck of an antique statue of a young woman. They concluded that these lines were probably a status symbol, indicating the health and good nutrition of the model.

Nowadays, many women try to avoid these lines at all costs because they think they’re a sign of aging. But these lines are entirely natural and can appear at any age. Even celebrities don’t try to hide them.

Chub rub

Many women experience the problem of their thighs chafing against each other, especially when they wear a skirt or shorts. But there are many ways to prevent this problem from appearing. You can use an antiperspirant or wear short cotton shorts or band fabric under your skirt.

• If I wear a skirt in summer, my thighs rub against each other painfully. I was dating a guy and was afraid that he would notice I had shorts under my skirt. Once he put his hand on my knee, the skirt pulled up and revealed the shorts. He was surprised when I told him I wear them because of the skin chafing. But he didn’t think it was a problem at all. After that, I stopped feeling insecure about this condition.

A protruding belly button

88% of people have a belly button that looks like an indentation. At the same time, others have a protruding belly button that can be seen through clothes. And this is entirely normal. One girl, for example, regularly posts videos online where she performs belly dancing. And her belly button is quite prominent. However, her followers say that she’s beautiful the way she is.

In your opinion, what other insecurities about our appearance should we leave in the past?