Can Laser Therapy Get Rid of Your Stretch Marks? What To Expect From the Procedure

Stretch marks, medically often called striae distensae, are a standard pores and skin situation the place scars or lengthy marks develop when your pores and skin stretches. This will happen from speedy weight acquire, muscle progress, being pregnant, breast augmentation, or medical circumstances.

Though stretch marks are bodily innocent, some individuals choose to have them eliminated or minimized for look causes. A method to do this is thru laser remedy.

Your dermatologist (medical physician specializing in pores and skin circumstances) could have a number of choices for treating stretch marks with laser remedy. Discuss to them about which sort of laser they’ll use, in addition to the potential uncomfortable side effects and problems. Relying in your pores and skin colour and pores and skin kind, one kind of laser could also be extra well-suited than one other.

Right here is an summary of the generally used lasers:

• Fractional CO2 laser: This laser is used to advertise collagen manufacturing and enhance the feel of stretch marks.
• Pulsed dye laser: This laser is used to deal with newer stretch marks which are nonetheless pink and infected. It reduces redness and will hold the stretch marks from progressing.
• KTP laser: Whereas this laser is usually used for acne and capillary malformations (pink birthmark patches), it might additionally enhance stretch marks, significantly these which are pink or purple. To decrease the colour, it targets blood vessels in newer stretch marks, serving to scale back the looks.
• Erbium laser: This laser is primarily used for the face. Nevertheless, when used on stretch marks, it might pose much less danger for hyperpigmentation (darkened pores and skin patches), particularly on darker pores and skin tones.
• Erbium glass laser: Though extra analysis is required, this laser exhibits promise in treating stretch marks which are older (as much as 40 years). Researchers discovered that fifty% of individuals handled with this laser confirmed enchancment in stretch mark look after six months or extra.
• Picosecond laser: With this laser, researchers have discovered that greater than 90% of individuals confirmed enchancment in older stretch marks after six months. It could particularly assist scale back the colour or darkish tones of stretch marks. Nevertheless, extra research are wanted to find out if this can be a viable choice for individuals with older stretch marks.

Laser mild remedy is a non-invasive process designed to enhance the looks and texture of your pores and skin. Nevertheless, it is not 100% efficient and will not take away each stretch mark. Additionally it is doable chances are you’ll want a number of therapies to get the outcomes you need.

A dermatologist can talk about the process with you, together with the kind of outcomes to anticipate, the related dangers, and the restoration course of. As a result of everyone seems to be totally different, chances are you’ll not have the identical expertise as another person, particularly when you have underlying circumstances or different medical considerations.

As soon as you’re accepted for laser remedy, your dermatologist gives you directions to comply with earlier than the process. These could embody:

• Keep away from sun exposure, tanning beds, and waxing two weeks earlier than the process.
• Chorus from getting chemical peels or collagen injections two weeks earlier than the process.
• Don’t apply perfumes, deodorants, or different doable irritants earlier than the process.
• Ask your physician should you ought to cease the usage of aspirin, anti-inflammatory medication, or natural dietary supplements previous to the process as a result of danger of bleeding.

It is very important anticipate the influence of laser therapy in your pores and skin. Laser remedy works by bodily altering your pores and skin. Your dermatologist will use a laser to rigorously wound your pores and skin in an effort to encourage the manufacturing of collagen and the expansion of latest cells. This implies your pores and skin shall be tender and desires time to heal after the therapy.

Identical to with another pores and skin damage, your pores and skin will want additional care afterward. It could be pink and tender for about eight hours after the process. You may additionally discover some swelling and stinging that can go away in about 4 to 6 hours.

Your dermatologist will possible present aftercare directions that will embody:

• Use cool packs and moist cloths to alleviate stinging and swelling
• Apply a delicate moisturizer to the world twice a day
• Keep away from irritants like make-up for a minimum of 24 hours or till redness is gone
• Keep out of the solar whereas your pores and skin heals

Observe your healthcare supplier’s directions and phone them instantly should you expertise ache, extreme uncomfortable side effects, or indicators of an infection.

Getting laser therapy for stretch marks is usually secure, however like all process, there are some dangers. To reduce these dangers, it is vital to solely obtain therapy from a board-certified dermatologist who’s expert in laser remedy.

You also needs to have a radical dialog with the dermatologist about what to anticipate. Stretch marks might have further laser therapies, and in some circumstances, stretch marks will stay seen regardless of a number of therapies.

Listed below are another issues to concentrate on with this process:

• Discomfort and redness: Through the process, chances are you’ll really feel some discomfort, particularly because the laser heats your pores and skin. Some individuals report a warming or mild burning sensation and might even see some redness on the pores and skin afterwards.
• Swelling: You may additionally have some minor swelling. This normally resolves inside a couple of days with correct care.
• Pores and skin discoloration: Modifications in your pores and skin’s pigmentation is one other potential danger with laser remedy. This implies chances are you’ll develop mild or darkish spots in response to the lasers. Discuss to your dermatologist about your danger for hypopigmentation (mild spots) and hyperpigmentation, and whether or not or not these modifications might be everlasting.
• Scarring: Though uncommon, there’s a danger of scarring with laser remedy, particularly if the laser just isn’t used correctly and damages the deeper layers of your pores and skin. If this occurs, chances are you’ll discover modifications within the texture of your pores and skin.
• Infections: As with all process on the pores and skin, it’s doable to develop an an infection. Normally, this may be prevented should you comply with directions and hold the world clear.

Stretch marks, or striae distensae, are a standard pores and skin situation through which your pores and skin develops marks from stretching. They usually happen after modifications in your weight or muscle measurement. Whereas stretch marks are normally innocent, some individuals dislike how they give the impression of being.

Laser remedy will help diminish the looks of stretch marks. This non-invasive process is comparatively secure with minimal restoration time. It’s possible you’ll expertise some gentle irritation, redness, and swelling after the process. Observe your dermatologist’s suggestions for aftercare to keep away from problems.