Can cosmetic procedures remove stretch marks?
Nearly every patient who meets with Dr. Kirby has the question, “Can you remove my stretch marks?”
Her answer is yes. And no.
Let’s delve into why that is the case, and the benefits and limits of our surgical and non-surgical options.
What are stretch marks? What causes them?
Stretch marks, medically known as striae, are a form of scarring that occurs when the skin stretches or shrinks rapidly. If this suddenly changes, it causes the collagen and elastin fibers in the dermis—the middle layer of the skin—to break. This can happen due to pregnancy, rapid weight gain, growth spurts during puberty, certain medical conditions, or steroid use, among other causes.
When these fibers break, the underlying dermis splits, and you might see this through the outer layer of skin (the epidermis). This splitting is a scar, and like any scar affecting the dermis, it never goes away entirely.
However, there are some options to reduce the appearance of stretch marks non-surgically, as well as surgical corrections that may remove some stretch marks for certain patients.
Non-surgical stretch mark reduction
While nobody can completely remove stretch marks non-surgically, laser and microneedling treatments can improve their appearance by reducing pigmentation or smoothing out the skin’s texture.
Laser Therapy for Discoloration
If your stretch marks are new, they might appear pink or purple. Some stretch marks might be permanently discolored. Lasers that are specifically designed to target these colors can fade the redness or pigmentation, helping the stretch marks blend more seamlessly with your surrounding skin.
Microneedling for Uneven Texture
If your stretch marks are already close to your skin tone, but have contour irregularities like a raised and uneven skin texture, then we can improve their appearance with microneedling. Microneedling uses tiny needles to create micro-openings in the skin at specific depths, initiating your body’s natural healing response and promoting the production of new collagen and elastin. Adding Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) to microneedling can turbo-charge results, as PRP is derived from your own blood and helps accelerate healing and tissue remodeling.
We offer both SkinPen microneedling and Morpheus8 RF microneedling at Kalos Medical Spa. Both options can be effective for stretch marks, but Morpheus8 further combines microneedling with heat from radiofrequency, which helps the tissue to shrink and tighten.
Surgical stretch mark removal
In some cases, stretch-marked skin can be surgically removed, such as during a tummy tuck surgery (abdominoplasty), thigh lift, or 360-degree body lift. If your surgical plan involves tissue removal, and that tissue to be removed has stretch marks, that means those stretch marks will be permanently removed. Of course, any future weight fluctuations could lead to the formation of new stretch marks.
Body contouring procedures are major surgeries designed for those looking to address loose skin and (sometimes) muscle laxity, often post-pregnancy or significant weight loss. They are not recommended to treat stretch marks alone.
If you are ready to learn about your options for reducing stretch marks, we would be happy to meet with you in a consultation. We will examine your skin, discuss your goals, and educate you about all of your options. Reach out to Kirby Plastic Surgery and Kalos Medical Spa at 817-292-4200 to schedule a consultation with Fort Worth Plastic Surgeon Dr. Emily Kirby or one of our non-surgical specialists.
