What Treatments are Available to Remove Stretch Marks

Stretch Marks — By Diva on January 24, 2009 at 5:41 pm

If stretch mark creams have left you wondering if you will ever have a streak free body again, and you have some extra money saved up, you may want to take a different approach to ridding your body of those unsightly marks. Creams and lotions are not the only option for those of us who have developed stretch marks from pregnancy, weight gain, or adolescence, there is another option that many people don’t know about…Cosmetic procedures.

Now, cosmetic procedures do not always mean having a portion of your body nipped, tucked, or taken off. Many specialized/cosmetic dermatologists can perform some common procedures in their office that are essentially pain free, in comparison to other cosmetic surgeries, and much more cost effective. These procedures include chemical peels, microdermabrasion, and blue light therapy. Similar to the cream, these non-surgical procedures are much more effective on new stretch marks and tend to have lesser effects on older marks. Also keep in mind that these non-surgical procedures will simply minimize the appearance of the marks…not eliminate them, for this you will need have cosmetic surgery.

Surgical procedures to remove stretch marks are obviously the most extreme of all mark removal procedures, and as with any surgical procedure should only be considered if you are in great health. Remember, stretch marks are a cosmetic concern, and in no way shape or form harmful to your health. The number one procedure performed to eliminate stretch marks is the surgical removal of the affected tissue, an example of this is a tummy tuck.
During this procedure the affected skin is cut off and the healthy, mark free skin, is pulled down and sewn in place. This procedure is a very serious procedure and shouldn’t really be performed solely for the purpose of removing stretch marks. As with any serious surgery, this surgery requires a lot of recovery time…usually about 6- 8 weeks depending on your specific condition and procedure.

A less invasive but equally successful procedure to remove stretch marks is with the use of a laser. Laser stretch mark removal has gained much popularity in the last decade, and can be performed at many cosmetic surgery centers across the country. During this procedure a laser beam is aimed directly at the mark and then turned on, at this time the laser begins to destroy the scar tissue that makes up a stretch mark. Directly after the procedure the skin will be tender and very red, this is because new tissue is forming in place of the scar that was just obliterated. The only draw back of this procedure is that it can take as many as 10 treatments to successfully, and completely eliminate the scar. However, this is an extremely successful procedure and only very old, very bad, stretch marks have a tendency to need this many treatments.

If you are considering a cosmetic procedure for stretch mark removal you should of course research all your options, and then find a doctor…that you trust! Sit down with him or her, and they will gladly go over all your options and answer any questions you may have. What ever you do make sure the end result will make you happy, and allow you to feel great in your own skin again!