Stretch marks, medically often called striae distensae, are a typical pores and skin situation the place scars or lengthy marks develop when your pores and skin stretches. This may happen from speedy weight achieve, muscle progress, being pregnant, breast augmentation, or medical situations.
Though stretch marks are bodily innocent, some folks favor to have them eliminated or minimized for look causes. A technique to do this is thru laser remedy.
Your dermatologist (medical physician specializing in pores and skin situations) could have a number of choices for treating stretch marks with laser remedy. Speak to them about which kind of laser they are going to use, in addition to the potential uncomfortable side effects and issues. Relying in your pores and skin colour and pores and skin kind, one kind of laser could also be extra well-suited than one other.
Right here is an outline of the generally used lasers:
Fractional CO2 laser: This laser is used to advertise collagen manufacturing and enhance the feel of stretch marks.
Pulsed dye laser: This laser is used to deal with newer stretch marks which are nonetheless purple and infected. It reduces redness and will maintain the stretch marks from progressing.
KTP laser: Whereas this laser is commonly used for pimples and capillary malformations (purple birthmark patches), it might additionally enhance stretch marks, significantly these which are purple or purple. To decrease the colour, it targets blood vessels in newer stretch marks, serving to scale back the looks.
Erbium laser: This laser is primarily used for the face. Nonetheless, when used on stretch marks, it might pose much less danger for hyperpigmentation (darkened pores and skin patches), particularly on darker pores and skin tones.
Erbium glass laser: Though extra analysis is required, this laser exhibits promise in treating stretch marks which are older (as much as 40 years). Researchers discovered that fifty% of individuals handled with this laser confirmed enchancment in stretch mark look after six months or extra.
Picosecond laser: With this laser, researchers have discovered that greater than 90% of individuals confirmed enchancment in older stretch marks after six months. It might particularly assist scale back the colour or darkish tones of stretch marks. Nonetheless, extra research are wanted to find out if this can be a viable possibility for folks with older stretch marks.
Laser mild remedy is a non-invasive process designed to enhance the looks and texture of your pores and skin. Nonetheless, it is not 100% efficient and will not take away each stretch mark. Additionally it is attainable you could want a number of therapies to get the outcomes you need.
A dermatologist can talk about the process with you, together with the kind of outcomes to anticipate, the related dangers, and the restoration course of. As a result of everyone seems to be totally different, you could not have the identical expertise as another person, particularly in case you have underlying situations or different medical issues.
As soon as you’re accepted for laser remedy, your dermatologist gives you directions to comply with earlier than the process. These could embrace:
Keep away from solar publicity, tanning beds, and waxing two weeks earlier than the process.
Chorus from getting chemical peels or collagen injections two weeks earlier than the process.
Don’t apply perfumes, deodorants, or different attainable irritants earlier than the process.
Ask your physician in the event you ought to cease the usage of aspirin, anti-inflammatory medicine, or natural dietary supplements previous to the process as a result of danger of bleeding.
You will need to anticipate the affect of laser remedy in your pores and skin. Laser remedy works by bodily altering your pores and skin. Your dermatologist will use a laser to rigorously wound your pores and skin with a purpose to encourage the manufacturing of collagen and the expansion of latest cells. This implies your pores and skin shall be tender and wishes time to heal after the remedy.
Identical to with another pores and skin harm, your pores and skin will want additional care afterward. It might be purple and tender for about eight hours after the process. You may additionally discover some swelling and stinging that can go away in about 4 to 6 hours.
Your dermatologist will doubtless present aftercare directions that will embrace:
Use cool packs and moist cloths to alleviate stinging and swelling
Apply a mild moisturizer to the realm twice a day
Keep away from irritants like make-up for at the least 24 hours or till redness is gone
Keep out of the solar whereas your pores and skin heals
Comply with your healthcare supplier’s directions and speak to them instantly in the event you expertise ache, extreme uncomfortable side effects, or indicators of an infection.
Getting laser remedy for stretch marks is usually secure, however like every process, there are some dangers. To attenuate these dangers, it is vital to solely obtain remedy from a board-certified dermatologist who’s expert in laser remedy.
You must also have a radical dialog with the dermatologist about what to anticipate. Stretch marks might have extra laser therapies, and in some instances, stretch marks will stay seen regardless of a number of therapies.
Listed below are another issues to concentrate on with this process:
Discomfort and redness: In the course of the process, you could really feel some discomfort, particularly because the laser heats your pores and skin. Some folks report a warming or mild burning sensation and may even see some redness on the pores and skin afterwards.
Swelling: You may additionally have some minor swelling. This often resolves inside just a few days with correct care.
Pores and skin discoloration: Adjustments in your pores and skin’s pigmentation is one other potential danger with laser remedy. This implies you could develop mild or darkish spots in response to the lasers. Speak to your dermatologist about your danger for hypopigmentation (mild spots) and hyperpigmentation, and whether or not or not these modifications might be everlasting.
Scarring: Though uncommon, there’s a danger of scarring with laser remedy, particularly if the laser will not be used correctly and damages the deeper layers of your pores and skin. If this occurs, you could discover modifications within the texture of your pores and skin.
Infections: As with all process on the pores and skin, it’s attainable to develop an an infection. Normally, this may be prevented in the event you comply with directions and maintain the realm clear.
Stretch marks, or striae distensae, are a typical pores and skin situation through which your pores and skin develops marks from stretching. They typically happen after modifications in your weight or muscle measurement. Whereas stretch marks are often innocent, some folks dislike how they appear.
Laser remedy will help diminish the looks of stretch marks. This non-invasive process is comparatively secure with minimal restoration time. You could expertise some gentle irritation, redness, and swelling after the process. Comply with your dermatologist’s suggestions for aftercare to keep away from issues.
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