‘DWTS’ Pro Lindsay Arnold Posts Bikini Picture on Instagram to Show Off Her C-Section Scar

Dancing with the Stars pro Lindsay Arnold welcomed her daughter Sage via C-section in November 2020 and, since then, she's posted a few photos on Instagram of herself in a bikini. Apparently Arnold has received some comments about why people can't easily see her C-section scar—and she's speaking out about it in a new Instagram post.

The post features a photo of Arnold, 27, poolside in a strapless red bikini. She's wearing a floppy hat and you can see a faint C-section scar just above her bikini bottoms.

In the caption, Arnold shared that "there has been some speculation on my last couple posts about whether or not I have been photoshopping my scar out of my pictures." Arnold said that she usually doesn't "even give time of day to comments like this BUT I feel like this needs to be addressed as it's important to me that you all know that my C-section scar is now my favorite part of my body."

"It is the representation of the thing I am most proud of in my life and that is our sweet Sagey," she continued. "I seriously want to show my scar to everyone I see cause I think it's so insane and crazy cool that Sage came out of that little cut in my belly?! I mean come on how incredible is that?!"

In case you're not familiar with it, a C-section (short for cesarean birth) is the delivery of a baby through incisions in the mom's abdomen and uterus, per the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). Nearly 32% of babies in the U.S. are delivered by C-section, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

During a C-section, a cut is made through the skin and wall of the abdomen, ACOG explains. The abdominal muscles are separated and may not need to be cut. Another incision will be made in the wall of the uterus, and the baby will be delivered through the incisions. The umbilical cord will be cut, and then the placenta will be removed. The uterus will then be closed with stitches that dissolve in the body, while the abdominal skin will be closed with stitches or staples.

Arnold said it's also "incredible" that "amazing doctors" are able to do a C-section and "have the scar be so low it is not even visible in a bikini (had to pull my suit down low for this) which is why you all are not seeing it in my pics."

Arnold stressed that she "would never and have never photoshopped any part of my body and wanted a dedicated post to my beautiful scar that I truly love so much ❤️❤️."

Plenty of people related in the comments. "I've had 3 csections 🙌 It's the coolest scar," one wrote. "I have had 2 c-sections and it brought my 2 biggest blessings into this world," another said. "I'm not ashamed of my scar, my babies are healthy and I love them 💕."

Arnold ended her post on this note: "So hahaha for those who care or even read this far, no I am not photoshopping my scar out of anything and in case anyone forgot WOMENS BODIES ARE INCREDIBLE 🤗🤗 #csection #birth #scar."