Stretch Marks

Stretch marks (striae) are white, red or brown atrophic or thinned linear areas of the skin. These are usually a series of lines radiating from areas of stretched skin. They often occur after recent weight loss or weight gain, pregnancy, surgery or as a result of some medicines. Although stretch marks usually start out red, they may progress to white or brown pigmentation.

Treatment for stretch marks can be very successful and often includes lasers. The pulsed dye laser, VBeam Perfecta^®, can very effectively reduce redness especially in new striae. At times the Smoothbeam laser may be used in conjunction with VBeam Perfecta^® for further skin tightening. For wide or extensive areas of stretch marks or for spread scars, the Fraxel Re:store skin resurfacing laser may be utilized to further enhance improvement in skin tightening and texture.

What to Expect

• Length of Time for Procedure? Treatment can last between 15-30 minutes
• Who Will Perform This Procedure? Dr. Atkin performs all laser procedures
• What is the Recovery Time? There is virtually no down time involved in the treatment of stretch marks. The area of treated skin may appear red for 7 days.
• Final Results of Procedure? Number of required treatments: a series of treatments are recommended but improvement can be seen with even one treatment
• Other Treatments or Skincare Products that May Improve My Result? SkinMedica’s TNS Essential serum and Retinol can help improve collagen stimulation and repair.

Contact Dermatology & Laser of Del Mar

Do you have additional questions? Contact us to schedule a consultation with Deborah H. Atkin, M.D..