Treating Scars and Stretchmarks With Lasers

Almost everyone on earth has a scar or stretchmark somewhere. Scars form as part of the skin’s healing process whenever multiple layers of skin are injured. The injury may be the result of an accident, surgery, a burn or even severe acne. Stretchmarks form when the skin is pulled to the extent that it loses its tissue elasticity.

Stretchmarks are common in people who have been pregnant and in people who have lost a lot of weight. The marks are the result of your skin’s collagen and elastin breaking down under stress. Pregnancy, body building and weight loss are the leading causes of stretch marks. Stretch marks occur most frequently in on the breasts, abdomen, thighs, groin or buttocks. In the beginning, stretch marks are red.  You know they are healing if they look like white stripes or bands.

In the past scars and stretchmarks have been treated with surgery, steroids and the use of topical creams and ointments meant to bleach, thicken or shrink the skin’s tissues. The results of these treatments depended on a lot of factors and nobody had a guarantee of positive effect. In this modern day and age. many new laser techniques are available to treat various types of scars and stretch marks.

Lasers work well on scars and stretchmarks because they stimulate the skin under the scar or stretchmark. This stimulates cells to start healing. This can also stimulate the production of collagen in the area, which causes the skin beneath the scar to thicken so that it is a closer match to the surrounding skin.

The great thing about laser treatments for scars and stretchmarks is that they are in-office procedures that don’t require painkillers or anesthesia. You can get treated over a lunch hour. Some people note that they feel a slight tingling or a feeling similar to the “snapping of a rubber band” against their skin when they get the procedure done.

Will laser treatment for your scars and stretchmarks work for you? The good news is that about 70% of people do see a real improvement in the appearance of a scar or stretchmark after laser treatment so your odds are good. Keep in mind though that the older the scar or stretchmark is the more difficult it may be to diminish. This is why in some cases your plastic surgeon or laser technician may recommend the use of a trentinoin cream or a glycolic acid cream before and after your treatments to help reduce redness and thicken the skin. Keep in mind that not everybody’s scars and stretchmarks can be removed with laser treatments. It works best on shallow scars and stretchmarks and also on people with fair skin who have lightly pigmented scars the best. The darker your skin, the less likely this treatment is to work. It is not recommended for people with a history of vitalago, pigmentation disorders or dark tans.  However lasers can be used to effectively remove birthmarks from all colors of skin as well as treat scars and stretchmarks.