Stretch marks are a type of scarring that occurs due to rapid stretching of the skin. They are irregular areas of the skin, in the form of stripes or lines that are usually reddish at first (red stretch marks) and eventually turn white (white stretch marks).
Stretch marks usually appear on:
- Chest
- Hips
- Thighs
- Buttocks
- Abdomen
The rapid stretching of the skin that causes stretch marks occurs when a person is growing (at puberty), gains weight in a short time, during pregnancy or in certain conditions or diseases.
When this happens, the collagen fibers – which are what determine the skin’s ability to stretch – can break or become excessively separated from each other, forming stretch marks.
For dermo-aesthetic professionals, scars such as stretch marks are a challenge. However, medical treatments are now available to improve and soften their color and appearance. All these treatments aim to stimulate collagen and the regeneration of the affected tissue.
Treatments for stretch marks
- Non-ablative fractional laser: emits high-precision thermal columns that activate fibroblasts, the cells responsible for the production of new collagen and elastin, which improves the appearance of stretch marks.
- The collagen induction technique with dermaroller: consists of applying a sterile roller-shaped device with very fine surgical steel or titanium microneedles to the skin. It is a treatment indicated for marks and scars such as stretch marks.
- Biostimulation with platelet-rich plasma: a concentrate of bioactive proteins, growth factors and peripheral stem cells, obtained from the patient’s own plasma, is applied intradermally to stimulate the production of collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid.