Most of us have them – stretch marks! When our skin is subjected to more stretching than it can handle, it will tear. Stretch marks are often the result of the rapid stretching of the skin associated with rapid growth or rapid loss of weight. Stretch marks may also be influenced by hormonal changes associated with puberty, pregnancy, muscle building, hormone replacement therapy, etc. The most common spots for stretch marks are on the abdomen, breasts, upper arms, underarms, back, thighs, hips and buttocks.
Something Exciting is Happening in the Laser Industry!
Recently new advances in skin treatments have been tried on these marks such as dermabrasion, prescription retinoids, and laser treatments and they offered some success on stretch marks. But something exciting is happening in the laser industry today!
Using scattered pulses of light only a fraction of the scar is zapped by the laser over the course of the treatment, which creates microscopic wounds. The body responds to the treatment by producing new collagen which improves both texture and appearance of mature white stretch marks.
A Caddell’s patient had fractional CO2 treatment. She said it removed stretch marks from an earlier pregnancy. “I’m ecstatic”, she said. Another patient had embarrassing stretch marks removed from her breasts after a fast growth spurt. These before and after photos are below.
The fractional CO2 laser treatment is an easy, uncomplicated treatment. Most patients chat away through the procedure. A recent article from Webmd.com called the treatment “the anti-aging breakthrough of the decade.” It is now the gold standard in laser wrinkle removal – without the long down time and complication rate.
Downtime After Treatment
There is little downtime with the stretch mark treatments – it may burn a little the evening of the treatment and is tender for one or two days. After about a week any tiny dot scabs fall off; so with this technology Caddell’s is now able to help women and men reduce their new, reddish stretch marks more than ever before.
It can take up to 6 months to see the full effect of the treatment. The laser penetrates so deeply and affects the deeper structures of the skin in such a way that collagen remodeling will still occur a year and a half after the initial treatment.
I hope I will have the opportunity to help you and I hope you will gain comfort in seeing other patients on their journey to a less stretch-marked body!
