Social media gave us dozens of unachievable body trends, and “ab crack” is the one most people lust after. It’s the line that goes down the center of your flat belly, brought to prominence by models Emily Ratajkowski and Bella Hadid.
After “ab cracks| started appearing all over Instagram, many people immediately headed to the gym in hopes they’ll achieve this new beauty goal. Others started wondering if it’s a healthy trend or just another unattainable measure of beauty.
Several experts agree that it isn’t a sign of healthiness or athleticism. Just like belly button challenge and the thigh-gap craze that came before it, this trend can’t be achieved by everyone. It doesn’t just require regular workouts and a healthy diet. The right combination of genes is also essential.
Scientific term used to describe this phenomenon is “linea alba”. It’s starting to form before birth, as your body fuses the right and left side of the abdominal wall together. That’s the main reason why some people will never develop it, no matter how hard they try.
It’s also important to remember pictures you see online aren’t always realistic. They can be a product of decent lighting, make-up, and retouching. Keep this in mind the next time you start feeling bad because these pics don’t reflect your reality.
