Stretch mark or striae distensae are breaks in the skin. They resemble scars in the skin. They start early as pink, red, purple, reddish brown or dark brown linear streaks (striae distensae rubra) which later become white(striae distensae alba)
Common causes of stretch marks
- Sudden stretch to the skin during puberty or when there is rapid increase in weight
- Pregnancy
- Side-effects of topical steroid use and abuse
- Medical conditions: Cushing’s syndrome, Marfans
Common sites of stretch marks
- Abdomen
- Thighs
- Hips
- Breasts
- Upper arm
- Lower back
Treatment for stretch marks
- Prescription creams
- Pulse dye laser and 1064nm vascular laser : reduces red stretch marks and releases growth factors to smooth out the breaks in the skin
- Ablative and non-ablative Laser resurfacing, Hybrid CO2/GaAs Laser
- Jet volumetric remodelling (JVR)
- Thermo-mechanical remodelling (TMA)
- Fractional radiofrequency (FRF) and radiofrequency microneedling (RFMN)
- Dermal filler injection
- Microfocused Ultrasound with Visualisation (MFU-V)
- Skin Infusion
