Which is the best treatment for stretch marks post-pregnancy, red on breasts and white around belly? (Photos)

Question

Which is the best treatment for red and white stretch marks post-pregnancy? Red stretch marks with a little depression on breast after milk came in and white ones around the belly shown after baby is born? Would you recommend Fraxel, Sublative with microneedling, carboxytheraphy or any other one? Baby is only three months old so the stretch marks are new ones.

Raffy Karamanoukian, MD, FACS · Answer

Fractional laser is an amazing and highly effective treatment in our office. We use the laser treatment to help with acne scars, large pores, fine wrinkles, tissue collagen loss, scars, sebaceous hyperplasia, active acne, and for brightening dark pigmentation. Although there are very strong fractional lasers such as CO2 laser, we use lighter treatments for corrective skincare and maintenance of results. Our Thulium fractional laser, clear and brilliant laser, and Ultra Thulium laser are excellent options in our clinic. We also perform CO2 fractional and erbium depending on skin tone and tolerance for downtime. Patients do have to use a Melarase cream before and after treatment to help further reduce pigmentation after laser.  Melarase AM, Melarase PM, and Melapads can seriously improve surface sun damage and UV related pigmentation. Dark spots can improve with these treatments. I recommend fractional laser for incisional scars as well, especially after plastic surgery.  
Best,
Dr. Karamanoukian 
Realself100 Surgeon

Heidi A. Waldorf, MD · Answer

The best treatment for a given stretch mark depends on its color.  Early inflammatory stretch marks are red -- those are the most amenable for treatment.  Using an over the counter topical product like Mederma Stretch Mark formula and a prescription retinoid (no retinoid if you are pregnant or breast feeding) can improve red stretch marks.  Adding several treatments with a vascular laser like the VBeam pulsed dye laser will speed improvement.  None of this is an eraser, but they often respond nicely when started early.  Unfortunately, treating older, white stretch marks is not as simple.  Topical therapies don't work for white stretch marks.  Luckily, combination treatments with a fractionated resurfacing laser like the Fraxel Dual using the erbium wavelength and a biostimulatory injectable like Radiesse or Sculptra  have been shown to be helpful.  Seeing results takes patience but they can become much less obvious. 
One Caveate -- if you have significant lax skin in the area of the  white stretch marks, you may want to visit a surgeon first for a tummy tuck.  After the skin is made more taught, you will have a better chance of success with the treatments described.
I hope this answer was helpful. Best wishes.

Jared Mallalieu, DO · Answer

Thanks for posting your question. For the red stretch marks we often start with a V Beam PDL laser. This will normalize the color. For texture Fraxel Restore can be helpful. Bet of luck and congrats! Dr. M

Davin Lim, MBBS, FACD - Account Suspended · Answer

Try this cost effective method for DIY removal as it may work in some people, use DermaRoller and StrataMark. Take some pictures every 3 weeks, roll every 2 weeks with a 0.25 mm roller or a 0.5 mm roller. You can buy this off ebay at $5. Do Not over roll, 2-3 rolls horizontally and 2-3 rolls vertically. Stratamark in the am, and pm. If your skin is bleeding do not use Stratamark, use a bland moisturizer like aqueous cream, then recommence Stratamark in the next day. Do not over do the skin rolling, as prolonged healing and PIH or skin colour changes may result. Do this for 3 months, then post the before and after progression. This treatment can work, especially for early stretch marks. Stay safe, and remember to take your photos and posts the results. Stratamark can be bought online, and is the best stretch mark cream with sound clinical papers behind it.  This will save you time and money.
 
  
New stretch marks are easier to treat than older ones. For new stretch marks (red-purple-pink), my treatment of choice is V BEAM vascular laser combined Stratamark. This can reduce stretch mark colour and width by up to 50% or more. 
  
 
  
For resistant old stretch marks there is no miracle cure if skin rolling and Stratamark fail. My preferred option for old, white, silvery- papery stretch marks is a combination of CO2 fractional laser, or with INFINI RF and PRP. I also use Fraxel ReStore 1550, and also lasers in the 1440 to 1540 wavelength. Of all the methods I find microneedling with RF energy and PRP the best, as it has the lowest rate of skin colour changes, and the fastest healing time. Results wise, it outperforms CO2 laser! Still not a miracle cure. In some patients with laxity and stretch marks I combine RF using eMatrix and TCA peels followed by daily application of Stratamark. Many combinations are possible depending on the skin type and laxity as well as downtime and budget. 
  
 
  
The truth is that stretch mark treatments are HIGHLY variable, depending on your own immune system, your skin type and the age of the stretch marks. Some get a 30% improvement, others up to 80%. Regardless of the treatment multiple sessions are need – anywhere from 3 to 8 sessions, always use a cream (Stratamark) as the foundation of treatment – much like one would use a sunscreen prior to laser treatments on the face. An assessment is the very first step for high level laser-energy based treatments. Regards,
  
Dr Davin Lim, Laser and aesthetic dermatologist.
  
Brisbane, Australia.

Which is the best treatment for stretch marks post-pregnancy, red on breasts and white around belly? (Photos)

Answers (4)

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