Laser Resurfacing Stretch Marks - What Works?

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. 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

Thank you for your question. Until recently there have been very few good options for treating stretch marks. IPL treatments can reduce the redness but not much more. The newest laser, the ICON1540 is FDA approved for treating stretch marks. This is what's called a non-ablaitive laser, which stimulates new collagen and causes the scar or stretch mark to change appearance. Often several treatments are needed, but there is little or no down time. I hope this helps. Good luck.

Although there is no technology or cream that will completely erase stretch marks, there are options available to improve the appearance of stretch marks. For example, red stretch marks are treatable with pulsed dye lasers to resolve the redness associated with these newer lesions. Current research supports that early treatment may enhance the outcomes for both color and texture improvement.
For brown stretch marks, treatments with Q-Switched Yag lasers offer dramatic results. For older, more mature stretch marks, the Excimer laser is used to restore pigment that has been lost by blending in the stretch marks to match the surrounding skin. Unfortunately, these treatments are quite tedious and offer only temporary results when treating hypopigmented (white) stretch marks.
Our facility incorporates the Aramis Quantel laser for collagen stimulation to improve the appearance and texture of the stretch marks.
In some situations, surgical intervention may be more appropriate for those patients that present with very large lesions depending on the location of the stretch marks. However, when surgery is not appropriate or not an option that a patient would like to consider, class IV medical lasers provide a good alternative.
If a patient does not have realistic expectations, then lasers are not the best option. If one's goal is improvement, then laser treatments for stretch marks is a good treatment to consider.