Stretch marks are visible scars occurring on the skin. They are caused by tearing of the dermis and they continue to increase rapidly during skin growth. Stretch marks increase when the volume of the skin increases. As the skin volume increases, the collagen fibres eventually break and cause scarring.

Both men and women are susceptible to stretch marks. The marks usually appear on the thighs, hips, arms, buttocks, abdominal area and lower back. It occurs during puberty, pregnancy or even during weight gain.

Methods to Remove Stretch Marks

There are several options for patients to get rid of stretch marks. Patients can opt for natural ways of removing stretch marks.

Natural Methods for Stretch Marks Removal

There are a wide variety of creams, lotions and oils that can help to reduce stretch marks, when combined with a healthy work regime and diet. Although these products are cheaper and widely available, they might not work for the old scars. Also, some of the ingredients present in these products could cause allergy to some users creating some serious complications.  

Laser Stretch Mark Removal Treatment

Laser stretch mark removal treatment is another surgical procedure, which involves a beam of light that helps to remove thin layers of skin around the stretch marks. Instead of burning or cutting the affected regions, laser treatment uses high-energy UV light to disrupt molecules in skin tissue. Once laser therapy is completed, the treated area heals quickly and new skin layers are formed. Laser therapy removal treatment is highly effective in most of the cases. The success rate depends on the age of the scars. Laser therapy is highly effective and has a high rate of patient satisfaction. It is an extremely safe procedure and with little to no side effects. If surgery is not done efficiently, then it could lead to temporary superficial tissue damage. 

Surgical Stretch Mark Removal Treatment

Surgical excision is a procedure through which one can either target individual stretch marks or scrap off a segment of skin that has numerous stretch marks, such as, tummy tucks and body lifts, etc. This is the only treatment option that provides a permanent solution to stretch marks. Abdominoplasty, commonly known as “tummy tuck” is one of the surgical procedures for stretch marks. Tummy tucks tightens abdominal muscles and removes excess skin in the mid to lower abdominal region. All stretch marks below the naval are removed along with the excess skin. Patients who wish to opt for this surgical procedure should be in good health, should not smoke and have significant amount of excess skin on the stomach region.

There are some other stretch marks removal treatments which are equally popular and effective such as chemical peels, microdermabrasion, and blue light therapy. These options are more effective on newer scars unlike surgical treatments, and are generally less expensive