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The New Beauty 'Goal' That's Even More Disturbing Than the Thigh Gap

July 5th 2016

As if women weren't already stressed about their appearances, there's a new beauty trend that is sure to make women feel even more insecure about their bodies.

It's called the "Ab Crack," and it's another trend reinforcing unrealistic beauty standards for women, according to Elite Daily.

What is the "ab crack" exactly?

It refers to the crease that appears down the middle of your body when you have a flat stomach, and thus, favors those with thinner body types.

You can see it below on celebrities such as actress Emily Ratajkowski and supermodel Bella Hadid.

The trend has been criticized on social media, with some scoffing at the idea that having a defined line in the stomach is an ideal sign of beauty.

Much like the "thigh gap," which refers to the gap between the legs of people with slimmer thighs, the "ab crack" is difficult to achieve, and excludes a variety of body types. 

According to USA Today, "specialists say achieving a so-called 'thigh gap' is risky and virtually impossible." In fact, the thigh gap is usually seen on "exceptionally thin models." But despite the high number of people who do not have the thigh gap, it is often considered desirable and a benchmark women's beauty. 

"The intrusion and presence of social media in our lives really does make it very difficult," Nancy Albus, chief executive officer of Castlewood Treatment Center, told USA Today. "The important distinction about thigh gap is it gives you an actual visual to achieve, this visual comparison of how your body does or doesn't stack up."

In an attempt to address the illusion of the thigh gap, model Iskra Lawrence posted a picture of herself on Instagram showing how easy it is to falsely create a thigh gap for social media.

Lawrence's photo is proof that, in some cases, the very people setting those unrealistic beauty standards aren't even living up them. 

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