Well, in a way, it’s kind of wild how skin care seems to stop right at the bra line. Basically, anything above that gets the attention; it gets that much-needed love and revitalization, too. The face gets the special creams, the serums, the routine with like twelve steps, you’ve got the neck, and chest (which some people don’t even give much love there either).
The stomach gets… basically nothing. It’s just hanging out, doing its best, while everyone pretends it doesn’t need attention. Well, at least when it comes to skincare specific here. But honestly, that area deals with a lot, and ignoring it kinda comes back around later.
Your Stomach is Always Changing
As you already know here, the stomach doesn’t just stay the same forever. It stretches, shrinks, grows, softens, tightens, then does the same cycle again. Well, that and there’s also weight changes, different workouts, hormones, and yeah, for a lot of people, pregnancy. The skin there is constantly adjusting; it might not seem like it, but yes, it’s constantly, it’s all the time.
So it needs hydration, it needs some love, or else it basically loses elasticity. So yeah, the “why” behind caring for it really comes down to helping that skin keep up. It’s working overtime, even though it’s usually hidden under a sweater or high-waisted leggings.
Comfort Counts Just as Much as Looks
Again, like what was mentioned, your average person cares about what their stomach looks like, but that’s as far as it goes (wait, shape, body fat, those things). But the skin matters too (and this is outside of stretch marks and the fear of that). So, even a little dryness in that area can feel super annoying.
The stomach bends literally every time someone sits down, and tight skin doesn’t love that. Now, you can probably agree here that beauty gets treated like it should always be about what people see. But comfort is a huge part of feeling good in your own body. And that’s where the stomach deserves some attention, too.
A Lot of Body Image Stress Starts Here
People worry about their stomachs way more than they say out loud. At this rate, who isn't? It’s constantly pushed, even as a kid, to be self-conscious about it. And yeah, as an adult, that’s usually the first place someone grabs when they say they “feel different.” But all means here, it’s common and totally fine for there to be stretch marks and softness, that’s totally are so normal, and it’s also pretty normal for a tummy tuck for women after a personal journal too (giving birth or losing a lot of weight). So, it’s all normal here.
Now, with that all said, as you know, though, the world loves to act like the belly should stay perfectly flat forever. So yeah, taking care of stomach skin can make it feel less like something that needs to be covered up, and more like a part of you that deserves kindness.
Just Consider Picking Up Small Habits
This doesn’t need to be a whole new routine or anything stressful. But of course, feel free to if that’s what you want. Instead, just start out small. For example, maybe apply lotion to your stomach more often, consider exfoliating from time to time, maybe massage moisturizer into it every once in a while, those sorts of things. But build habits to where they’re eventually fully incorporated into your skincare routine.
