Summer arrives, the body discovers itself, and, for many, it means dealing with new or old blemishes left by diets, hormonal alterations, and, for women, even pregnancy. Indicative of stretch marks, these are authentic blemishes initially displaying a red pigment upon formation and evolving into a pearly-white tone as time progresses. Commonly known as atrophic striae, they can surface on the skin of individuals, irrespective of gender, at any life stage. These marks may emerge on diverse body regions such as the legs, abdomen, chest, hips, buttocks, arms, and back.
Stretch marks are a very common and feared blemish, and serums can help prevent them, but to eliminate them, it is necessary to resort to laser treatments, which are now more effective and selective for the type of stretch mark to be treated.
How do you eliminate stretch marks with a laser?
Stretch marks appear when the skin loses elasticity for various reasons that cause deficiency or damage to the collagen physiologically produced by the skin. The most effective treatment for stretch marks removal today is laser.
Thanks to a ray of light emitted according to specific parameters, the skin marked by the stretch mark heats up. As a result of a mechanism called thermal stress, generated by a phenomenon known as photothermolysis, the old collagen fibres are reorganized, and new collagen is produced by the dermis right in the depression created by the atrophic streak.
In practice, the lasers used to treat stretch marks induce heat deep into the dermis and trigger the skin’s natural defence when it is subjected to a sudden increase in temperature. This stimulates the production of new collagen, which tends to reorganize itself into new collagen and repair the scar left by the stretch mark on the skin.
Finally, the latest generation lasers make it possible to exploit the skin’s natural self-healing process for stretch mark removal, especially recent and not-too-deep ones, by intensely stimulating the production of collagen and other proteins without altering the superficial layer of the skin and inducing an essential response in terms of firmness and elasticity of the skin.
Every stretch mark has its light, even in the sun.
The colour of the beam emitted by the laser and the quantity and duration of the energy produced by the pulses can change based on the type of stretch mark to be treated. Each laser acts according to a precise wavelength and colour: yellow-green lasers, for example, are particularly suitable for shattering the pigmentation typical of red stretch marks, the most recent ones.
In particular, these lasers act by powerfully emitting short-duration light, such as a pulse or spot of light, which stimulates photothermolysis selectively only on the colour of the stretch mark present on the skin, preserving the healthy dermis around it.
In fact, for treating atrophic white stretch marks, i.e. older striae, the lasers used are generally more invasive, also called ablative. The result of the elimination of treated stretch marks depends on the regenerative effect of the damaged dermis, which is replaced by new fibroblasts that fill the depression in the skin created by the stria and on the age of the stria.
Depending on the type of laser used, chosen by the specialist following a medical examination, after the treatment, the skin may appear red, with small scabs like those that appear on the skin after an intense sunburn. It is preferable not to undergo laser treatment during the summer months because exposure to the sun after treatment could give rise to localized hyperpigmentation or induce the epithelial cell to overproduce melanin concentrated in the treated area.
However, recent technology non-ablative lasers allow stretch mark removal in just a few sessions, even in summer, with the sole precaution of avoiding direct exposure to the sun immediately after the treatment. Their use depends on the type of stretch mark to be treated and the desired results.
In essence, in the quest for flawless skin, laser treatments emerge as a compelling solution for banishing stretch marks. Their precision, adaptability, and ability to harness the skin’s natural healing prowess signify a promising stride in dermatological advancements.