If you have pregnancy stretch marks or you have started to see stretch marks forming after sudden weight gain or weight loss, you may be thinking about laser stretch mark removal in London.
At Skin Perfection, we provide laser stretch mark treatment to help reduce the appearance or even remove stretch marks from the body. But you may be wondering, how does laser stretch mark removal work? And what results can I expect? We have the answers for you.
What causes stretch marks?
Stretch marks are a common skin condition that affects both men and women. They tend to appear as a result of the skin rapidly stretching, which causes small tears in the dermis layer of the skin. The main reasons why stretch marks form is due to rapid weight gain or weight loss, pregnancy, and genetic or hormonal changes.
Red stretch marks are the most common, however, they can also be purple, pink or dark brown, depending on your skin colour. They can appear on different areas of the body, but mostly on the thighs, upper arms, hips, stomach, and chest, including breasts.
There are ways to help prevent stretch marks from forming such as maintaining a healthy diet, getting enough vitamin C and D, and staying hydrated.
While there is no permanent cure to stretch marks, there are laser treatments that can help reduce their appearance, and in some instances remove stretch marks completely. Stretch mark removal treatments include laser therapy such as laser skin resurfacing or microneedling and the use of topical creams.
What is the best laser stretch mark removal treatment?
There are two types of laser treatment that can help with stretch mark removal. They are ablative lasers and non-ablative lasers.
Ablative lasers are more invasive as they work by removing the outer layer of your skin. They can be effective on deeper scars such as acne scars, or to reduce the appearance of deep lines and wrinkles. Ablative lasers require a much longer recovery period and come with a higher risk. Most patients require one or two weeks to recover.
Non-ablative lasers, on the other hand, are a more comfortable and less invasive laser treatment. This laser technology works by heating the targeted skin tissue without damaging the skin’s surface.
The heat from the laser penetrates below the surface of the skin to promote the renewal of skin cells. Non-ablative lasers also help stimulate the production of collagen, which plumps the skin and reduces the appearance of stretch marks.
Laser skin resurfacing
At Skin Perfection, we provide laser skin resurfacing treatment for stretch mark removal. This laser treatment uses a non-ablative laser to break down the damaged collagen and elastin fibres that cause stretch marks.
The heat and light from the laser energy encourage the production of new collagen, which helps to smooth out the skin and improve its texture. By doing so, it also reduces the appearance of visible stretch marks.
Laser skin resurfacing can also treat other skin concerns such as skin pigmentation and reducing the appearance of lines and wrinkles. After a course of treatment, you will see skin that looks more healthy, radiant, and younger-looking.
You can have laser skin resurfacing treatment on various areas of the body where stretch marks occur including the face, legs, and abdomen. The treatment is easy to fit in with your normal routine as it does not require much downtime.
What results can I expect from laser resurfacing treatment?
This laser treatment can help significantly reduce the appearance of old stretch marks, but you will see the best results with newer stretch marks. For old stretch marks, you may need a longer course of treatment.
Following your laser skin resurfacing treatment, your skin may look a little red and swollen. We will apply cool packs to the treatment area to help your skin calm down more quickly. However, in more sensitive areas such as under the eyes, redness may take 7-14 days to go down.
As soon as your skin finishes the healing process, you will start to see your results. This is usually in the first 2-3 weeks after your treatment. You will need more than one laser skin resurfacing session to see the best results.
We generally recommend a course of four treatments. However, this will be discussed during your consultation, where our practitioners will assess your skin type and stretch marks to determine how many sessions will give you the results you want.
Combine laser treatments with microneedling
To help you get the most out of your stretch mark removal treatment, we may discuss combining your laser treatment with microneedling.
At Skin Perfection, we use Dermapen microneedling to help boost collagen and elastin production in your skin. This helps to improve the overall texture and appearance of your skin. Not only can this help reduce the appearance of stretch marks, but it can help your skin look fresh and radiant.
If you are ready to start your journey to reducing your stretch marks, get in touch with our expert team today.
How to book your consultation for laser stretch mark treatments
Your first step to smoother and stretch mark-free skin is by booking a no-obligation consultation with our London skin clinic. You will meet with one of our friendly laser practitioners who will help you learn more about laser skin resurfacing and our other treatment options.
At your consultation, you will also have a patch test. This will help us see whether you are suitable for our laser treatments. If you are not suitable, we will run through our other treatments that will work for you and your skin.
Finally, you will also get to see some of the results from our other patients. This will help you get an idea of what results you can expect from treatment.
