Stretch Marks

For most women, stretch marks make them feel self-conscious, but they don’t have to. At Flawless MedSpa & The Beverly Hills MedSpa we offer stretch mark reduction treatment and can help you look and feel your best! Contact us for more information or schedule an appointment online! We have convenient locations to serve you in Beverly Hills, CA and Las Vegas, NV. We serve clients from Beverly Hills, CA, Las Vegas NV, Pinto Palomino NV, Winchester NV, Spring Valley NV, Los Angeles, CA, Century City, CA and BEYOND!

About Stretch Marks

Common Questions Asked by Clients: Is there a way to permanently remove stretch marks? Are there different methods to remove stretch marks? What is the most effective treatment for stretch marks? How much does it cost to get stretch marks removed?

Stretch marks, also known as striae or striae distensae, are a form of scarring on the skin with an off-color hue. Over time, they may diminish, but will not disappear completely. Striae are caused by tearing of the dermis during periods of rapid growth of the body, such as during puberty or pregnancy, in which they usually form during the last trimester. Usually on the belly, these striae also commonly occur on the breasts, thighs, hips, lower back, and buttocks.

Signs and symptoms

Striae, or “stretch marks”, begin as reddish or purple lesions, which can appear anywhere on the body, but are most likely to appear in places where larger amounts of fat are stored; the most common places are the abdomen (especially near the navel), breasts, upper arms, underarms, back, thighs (both inner and outer), hips, and buttocks. Over time, they tend to atrophy and lose pigmentation. The affected areas appear empty, and are soft to the touch.

Causes

Stretch marks appear to be caused by stretching of the skin. This is especially true when there is an increase in cortisone; an increase in cortisone levels can increase the probability or severity of stretch marks by reducing the skin’s pliability. More specifically, it affects the dermis by preventing the fibroblasts from forming collagen and elastin fibers necessary to keep rapidly growing skin taut; this can create a lack of supportive material as the skin is stretched, and lead to dermal and epidermal tearing, which in turn can produce scarring in the form of stretch marks.

Treatment

There are no clearly useful treatments for stretch marks, although there are many different suggestions on how to remove them or lessen their appearance.

Various efforts have been tried, including laser treatments, glycolic acid, and microdermabrasion. Tretinoin (0.1% w/w), which is a retinoid, has been found to be effective on early stretch marks in several studies. Hyaluronic acid also improves the appearance of stretch marks. Topical tretinoin is categorized by the FDA as a known teratogen (causing malformations in fetuses) in animals, without adequate human studies on safety in pregnancy.

References