Stretch marks are something that most women of all shapes, sizes and ages have. But this week model and chef Chrissy Teigen bought them to the fore after she posted a picture of her  legs to Instagram. The 29-year-old Sports Illustrated star is seen cross-legged after an all-day cooking session and says: 'Bruises from bumping kitchen drawer handles for a week. Stretchies say hi!' Women have been taken to Instagram to share pictures of their stretch marks after the body Chrissy Teigen posted an image of hers to the social networking site . Since then hundreds of other women have rushed to join the wife of John Legend, proudly posting photographs of their own stretch marks to the social media site. User @saraelizabef wrote: 'Love it! Real women have stretch marks #respect.' Another follower @emmalittle5 commented: 'I have so much respect for you! I have stretchies too and I appreciate someone being real about them and acknowledging them thanks.' Another wrote: 'If there ever was a role model on this planet Chrissie,...it was you [sic]' Chrissy posted a picture of her stretch marks to Instagram also showing off the bruises that she had got whilst opening her kitchen cupboards . This woman posted pictures of her stretch marks running along her side - she said that she had got them whilst pregnant with her daughter . And since Chrissy shared her picture hundreds of other women have decided to do the same, posting their images along with the hashtag #loveyourlines. Some have shared pictures of their stomachs whilst others have showed their legs and bums. Chrissy's image has given a major boost to the campaign, which started last year. This woman showed off the stretch marks on her leg (left) saying she was proud of them and her body, whilst another shared a snap of the marks on her stomach (right) This lady said she shared her picture because she had hated her stretch marks for a long time . Stretch marks are thin lines that appear on the surface of the skin - they are usually purple in colour at first before they fade to a silver shade. They mostly effect the stomach, bottom or leg areas and can occur at any point in a woman's life - often they can be spurred on by weight gain or pregnancy. Often, once you have stretch marks, they can be hard to get rid of. One user who shared her picture said: 'I struggle with my body. It isn't what it used to be, but I'm learning that it's OK.' This lady commented that her pregnant belly looks like an orange as she proudly showed off her body . This Instagram user revealed that her stretch marks had come after having three children (left) while another said that she had learned to love the marks on her body (right) Stretch marks can start off as red or blue but they eventually turn silvery in colour . Another said: 'I have had these since I was 12 years old. I love my lines. Proud to share my stretch marks.' The love your lines campaign was originally started by two east-coast mothers - who chose to remain anonymous. They said of the project: 'This account is curated by two mommas hoping to make a difference in the world of the female body image. 'All women of different shapes, sizes and cultural backgrounds are encouraged to submit. We can't wait to see your love lines.' In a crop top the marks on this woman's tummy can be seen around her belly button . This picture was one of the first added to the campaign which encourages people to embrace their 'tiger strips'
Chrissy Teigen shared a picture of her stretch marks this week . The model was praised by those calling her a role model . Now hundreds of women have taken to Instagram to share their pictures .