Stretch marks are pink, red or even purple streaks on the skin and are sometimes indented. They are most often found on a person’s abdomen, thighs or breasts. The Mayo Clinic states that the most frequent causes of stretch marks include weight gain, use of medications such as steroids, and pregnancy. Although stretch marks are harmless to the body, they are sometimes harmful to a person’s self-esteem. Certain treatments, done in spas or dermatologists’ offices, may be helpful in reducing the appearance of stretch marks.
Microdermabrasion
Many people know microdermabrasion as a facial treatment that reduces the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. Microdermabrasion, however, can be done on almost any part of the body that has stretch marks. Microdermabrasion involves the use of a hand-held device with an abrasive tip that scrapes off the very top layer of the skin. The result is a newer, lighter, more elastic layer of skin in which stretch marks are less visible.
Pulsed Laser Dye Therapy
Many different types of laser treatments can reduce the appearance of stretch marks. BabyCenter.com states that laser treatments can lighten the color of dark stretch marks while increasing skin elasticity to improve the small dents or depressions that stretch marks sometimes have. Pulsed laser dye therapy is one specific type of laser treatment that uses various wavelengths of light to increase collagen and elastin production. The Mayo Clinic states that pulsed laser dye therapy is effective in reducing the appearance of both new and old stretch marks.
Excimer Laser
The Mayo Clinic states that excimer laser treatments do not boost collagen or elastin in the skin like some other treatments do, but they do make stretch marks less visible by evening out the skin tone. Excimer laser treatments use lasers with low-dose light to stimulate the body’s own melanin production, which gives pigmentation to the skin. This lightens the color of pink, red and purple stretch marks, making them look more like the normal skin tone.
Fractional Photothermolysis
Fractional photothermolysis is a type of laser treatment that enhances the body’s ability to produce collagen and elastin. This makes skin more even and reduces the visibility of stretch marks. The Mayo Clinic states that fractional photothermolysis is unique in that it sends very small dots of laser light to treat specific areas and avoid damaging tissues that do not need to be treated. This makes the healing time faster than with other treatments.
About this Author
Sarah Davis earned her bachelor’s degree in nutrition from San Diego State University. She has worked in nutrition in the clinical setting and currently works as a licensed Realtor in California. Davis began writing about nutrition in 2006 and had two chapters published in “The Grocery Store Diet” book in 2009. She enjoys writing about nutrition and real estate and managing her website, RealtorSD.com.
