Stretchmark Reduction
At A Glance
Pain Relief
Numbing cream
Duration
90min
After Treatment
Redness and crusting
Recovery Time
5-10 days
No. of Sessions
Usually 1
Results Last
Years+
Stretchmarks are lines that appear on the surface of the skin. They are often seen around the stomach, buttocks and thighs and can be pale, pink, purple, red or brown in colour. They form due to rapid stretching of the skin which tears the middle layer of the skin (the dermis). Stretching of the skin can happen during a growth spurt, pregnancy or rapid weight gain. Laser resurfacing is the most effective treatment to reduce the visibility of stretchmarks.
How does Stretchmark Reduction work?
Laser resurfacing for Stretchmark Reduction works by creating small areas of trauma in the skin; the injured skin then repairs and creates new collagen, elastin and skin hydrators. This process converts scarred, uneven or porous skin into healthy skin. Carbon dioxide (CO2) laser resurfacing is the gold standard treatment for skin resurfacing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s involved in Stretchmark Reduction?
Will it work for me?
Do I need a patch-test?
How many sessions?
How long do results last?
Is it painful?
Any side-effects?
Who will do my treatment?
How to prepare?
All our laser treatments require a consultation prior to full treatment. This enables you to ask any questions you may have, prepare your skin for the treatment and to try the laser out, so that you know what to expect during your treatment and recovery. The patch-test also enables us to identify which laser settings will work best for you.
On the day of your treatment the doctor will help you through the consent form and take photographs of the area to be treated. They will then clean the skin (so don’t worry if you have makeup on) and apply numbing cream which will be left on for around 30-40 minutes. Special protective goggles are then placed over the eyes.
The treatment is then carried out which takes approximately 30 minutes.
After treatment, the skin will feel hot (like a sun burn), be swollen and have some white or brown crusts across the surface. We provide you with special aftercare skin products to use and in some cases, we may also give you antibiotic cream or tablets and/or antiviral tablets to prevent risk of infection.
The CO2 laser has long been established as a safe and effective treatment for stretch marks. The treatment is best suited to light to olive skin types. In some cases, darker skin types may be suitable for the treatment.
Yes, we require a patch-test at least 1 week prior to your treatment (even if you have had this treatment done previously elsewhere). The patch-test takes 10 minutes to do and can sometimes be done at your consultation appointment. We recommend stopping retinol 5 days prior and avoiding sun exposure 4 weeks prior patch-test.
Usually one session is needed
The results of this treatment are permanent. However, over time, concerns such as pores, pigmentation or fine lines may return. Thus you may benefit from doing CO2 laser again in the future.
The procedure is very well tolerated with numbing cream and a cooler system.
There is some redness, swelling, sensitivity and crusting of the skin. Most people can be back to work within 5 days and back to normal social activities within 7 days. With more intense treatments, the recovery may be a little longer.
Laser treatments are carried out by our experienced doctors.
We recommend that you pause any treatments like retinol, tretinoin, salicylic acid or glycolic for 14 days prior treatment. We recommend that you do not tan for at least 4 weeks prior to and for at least 6 weeks after this treatment.
