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thank you for rating! Getting Rid of Stretch Marks

Stretch marks are usually thin, shiny, slightly indented and wrinkled lines that appear on the body after the skin has been stretched beyond its capacity to snap back. While they are in no way harmful, most people who acquire them view them as unsightly and fervently wish to be rid of them.

Although they are often regarded as scars, stretch marks (medically known as striae distensae) are not scars because they are not comprised of fibrotic tissue. Instead, they represent an absence of tissue—gaps in the dermis left by stretched or torn elastic fibers just beneath the skin’s surface. They occur following rapid weight gain and/or increase in body size that abruptly stretches the skin. Striae first appear as deep, red marks that gradually fade into a silvery white color. The epidermis over the stretch mark becomes thinner, giving the surface a fragile feel and appearance.

The laser recommended for treatment depends on the type of stretch mark. Red or pink stretch marks respond to pulsed dye laser (PDL) treatments, whereas Fraxel laser treatments can improve the appearance of silvery white stretch marks. The laser-treated areas remain pink for several hours to days. Treatments are usually performed at monthly intervals.

Dr. Tina S. Alster, founding director of the Washington Institute of Dermatologic Laser Surgery, is a clinical professor at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Dr. Alster earned her B.S. and M.D. degrees from Duke University where she graduated magna cum laude and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa honor society. She interned at the University of Pennsylvania Hospital and completed her dermatologic residency at Yale, specializing in laser surgery. Dr. Alster pioneered the use of cosmetic lasers, having published numerous textbooks and related articles in the medical literature and lectured at symposia and congresses worldwide. She has been honored by her peers by receiving numerous awards and accolades and currently serves as the consulting dermatologist to Lancome. Send your questions to Tina@smartnow.com.