Laser Surgery for Stretch Marks

Stretch marks are generally an outcome of hormonal changes or stretching of the skin caused during pregnancy, excess weight gain or rapid muscle growth. Stretch marks occur when the middle layer of the skin i.e. the dermis is stretched beyond the point of its elastic capacity. At this point, minute amount of bleeding accompanied with tissue inflammation gives rise to the raised skin marks called stretch marks. The stretch marks may fade away to a certain limit over time however, they do not disappear completely. Many creams that are available in the market help in stimulating the process of fading of these stretch marks. However, laser surgery for stretch marks is found to be effective too. Read more on stretch marks.

Treatments like cream and gels take some time for causing the stretch marks to fade away. If you want an instant cure for the stretch marks than laser surgery is an ideal option. Again, there is a possibility of failure in the laser surgery performed for stretch marks. Generally, if the stretch marks are pink and thin, laser treatment proves to be considerably effective on them whereas, if the stretch marks are white and flat, laser treatment may be less effective. Also, stretch marks that are a result of speedy weight gain are said to be deep and hence, laser treatment may not be very effective on such stretch marks. Read more on laser in dermatology.

Laser Surgery for Stretch Marks - Before and After

Before the surgery, consult with the dermatologist about your skin type and the treatment that will be used. Follow the pre-surgery instructions for ease of surgery. Although, the surgery is not painful, you may experience slight pinching and needle-pricking like sensations. The surgery may last from 10 minutes to 1 hour depending on the intensity of stretch marks. Green light and yellow light lasers are focused on the stretch marks that are to be treated. The scar tissues that are formed at the stretch marks are removed in the process. A new layer of skin begins to form over the damaged one and it looks normal. The side-effects seen in this process are rare. The noted ones are blistering, bruising or swelling in that region however, they disappear after a few days or may never occur if the post-treatment instructions for skin care are followed carefully. Read more on skin care.

Laser Surgery for Stretch Marks - Prices

The cost of laser surgery for stretch marks is quite high. The surgery may not show immediate result in some cases hence, more number of sessions can be conducted. Depending on the sessions, the cost of laser surgery for stretch marks may vary. Each session may cost in hundreds.

There is also an interesting explanation about laser treatment for stretch marks wherein, it is suggested that the laser beam concentrated on the stretch marks stimulates new collagen growth and fills up the stretch mark from under. However, this concept has a contradictory opinion about the process that is expressed by some. According to that opinion, lasers are actually used in zapping the tissues rather than in repairing them. Stretch marks are caused by damaged tissues, so repairing them using lasers is technically not possible.

After this argument, it depends on one's interest whether to opt for laser for treating stretch marks or no. People who have undergone this procedure would be in a better position to tell the truth. Contacting such people will be beneficial as this may help you to know more about this laser surgery for stretch marks. This way you would be better prepared, if you finally decide to go for it.