Stretch marks are unsightly; there are no two ways about that. These annoying red, purple – or if you’re lucky and they’ve faded – silver marks, can be found on the legs, stomach, buttocks and even on your arms. If you have ever been embarrassed by your stretch marks and just wished you didn’t have to cover them up all the time, you may want to consider laser removal, which is becoming very popular with the beauty industry.
It is only recently that laser treatment has begun to be used to remove stretch mark scars. The excimer laser which is used is very similar to that used in laser eye surgery, which has been around a while now. It was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2002 as a safe and effective way to reduce the appearance of stretch marks.
How Laser Treatment Works on Stretch Marks
With a high energy ultra-violet light, the excimer laser takes out very thin layers of skin around the stretch marks. It does not burn, nor does it cut the skin, as people sometimes fear it must do. Instead, the highly focused ultra-violet light the skin’s molecular construction, making it disintegrate in the small area it is focused i.e. the stretch marks.
Very soon, though, the affected area heals and new, healthy skin is formed.
Recovery from Laser Treatment
Laser treatment is not a painful treatment for stretch marks; however, the area may be a little tender and red for a while after the treatment. Some people experience a burning sensation and blistering but even if they occur, these symptoms are short-lived. The skin will normally be healed in just a few days.
How effective is Laser Treatment for Stretch Marks?
This is considered and extremely effective treatment for stretch marks, but it does differ on an individual patient basis. One factor which makes a difference to the healing and success rate is how old your stretch marks are. Very old scars may require a course of up to ten treatments before they are faded completely by laser treatment.
Laser treatment is not guaranteed to get rid of one hundred per cent of stretch marks in any case, but it should, depending on their severity, significantly reduce the appearance of your stretch marks.
Benefits
1. Lasers are very effective on the majority of stretch marks. Most patients achieve a success they are happy with through this treatment.
2. Laser treatment for stretch marks is not painful. It is quite painless compared to many beauty treatments, which do carry at least some discomfort.
3. Laser treatment is relatively non-invasive when compared to other cosmetic procedures such as liposuction or tummy tucks. This means that laser treatment takes a lot less time to recover from.
4. Laser surgery is a very safe treatment for stretch marks. That is partly because it is non-invasive and partly because the lasers are extremely focused. Only a very small area is subject to the laser beam, so tissues outside the area of the stretch marks are not affected.
So, you can see why laser treatment is an effective way or improving the appearance of stretch marks.
ArrivaCostaRica.com is the primary web site for information about plastic surgery and dentistry in Costa Rica. See www.arrivacostarica.com.
Tags: laser stretch marks