Stretch marks are sometimes unavoidable and usually affect those people who quickly gain weight. There is nothing like having flawless skin, but many people can only dream about this.
What are stretch marks?
Stretch marks are lines with an unusual texture on the skin. These lines are also called striae; they are red initially and fade to white with time. They usually appear on the buttocks, breasts, thighs, abdomen, upper arms and hips.
Laser treatment for stretch marks
Laser skin resurfacing can be categorised into three types, all of which can improve the appearance of skin.
Fractional resurfacing is also known as fractional photothermolysis. It is used to treat stretch marks on ageing and scarring skin. It is different in comparison to normal laser treatment. The laser precisely targets cells under the skin; it breaks down the old cells and starts the healing process instantly. This leads to quick rejuvenation of the skin. This treatment encourages quick healing because it targets only 20 per cent of the skin per session.
In non-ablative laser treatment, a pulsed dye laser is used to stimulate the production of collagen and elastin in the skin. Non-ablative laser treatment tends to eliminate roughness of the skin. If you hate long recovery periods, then non-ablative laser treatment is a good option because once the treatment is done you can carry on your daily routine.
Ablative lasers come in two types, carbon dioxide lasers and erbium laser systems. These lasers target and discharge laser energy on the skin. This treatment involves heating the water within the surface of the skin, which causes the water and the tissue to vaporise. This eventually allows fresh new skin to emerge.
Hope for treating stretch marks seems to be renewed with the advent and versatility of lasers in the cosmetic world.
