Stretch marks, also known as striae, are whitish lines you may find on your stomach, thighs, arms, lower back and other parts of the body. These whitish lines do not cause any harm, but are despised by some people nonetheless. Unfortunately, they are not easy to get rid of.
Causes
Stretch marks commonly occur whenever the skin is required to stretch quickly to accommodate growth. Pregnancy is prime time for stretch mark formation on the abdomen and sometimes the thighs, breasts and other areas. Weightlifters are often plagued with stretch marks on their arms or wherever they've built muscle mass. The skin's middle layer, the dermis, contains elastin and collagen fibers that must stretch as the body grows. When they stretch too far, they snap and you have a stretch mark--red at first and as months go by it fades to a white or silvery appearance. The stretch mark is a kind of scar.
Excimer Laser
The excimer laser is one type of ultraviolet laser. When used to improve the appearance of stretch marks, the idea is to stimulate repigmentation. Stretch marks are generally lighter than the skin around them, and the excimer can get them closer to a matching color so they blend in better. There's no pain with the procedure and no broken skin. The treated area may be a little pink, but you'll go home without a bandage. You may see improvement, but don't expect miracles. The excimer acts on the color of the stretch marks; it can't change the texture of the skin. As of 2009, the cost is usually about $200 per session, and you may need between 10 and 20 sessions.
Pulsed Dye Laser
The pulsed dye laser is meant to get at stretch marks where they really occur: in the dermis. Most creams and lotions sold to treat stretch marks fail because they can only saturate the epidermis, which is the skin's surface layer, and cannot penetrate to the dermis. The pulsed dye laser is meant to stimulate the dermis to produce more collagen and elastin, thus filling out stretch marks that have a sunken appearance, which they often do. You can count on at least three treatments for a total of about $3,000, as of 2009. The procedure doesn't hurt, and it leaves the surface of your skin undamaged, apart from perhaps some mild bruising.
Tummy Tuck
A tummy tuck involves more than just removing stretch marks. It's a surgical procedure in which loose skin is removed and the muscles underneath are tightened. In the process, abdominal stretch marks are literally cut away and smooth, unscathed skin from nearby is stretched to cover the area. You are left with a horizontal scar below the bikini line. As of 2009, you can expect to pay between $3,000 and $8,500 for a tummy tuck.
Considerations
While many doctors recommend and offer laser procedures, some other doctors--usually plastic surgeons--believe they don't help at all. The one procedure everyone agrees can rid the body of stretch marks is the tummy tuck. Though the tummy tuck is more expensive than other methods, it may be the way to go if your stretch marks are on your abdomen and you want a surefire way of removing them. Of course, it won't help other areas of the body, such as the thighs or arms. And unlike the laser procedures, it is a full surgical procedure, with a risk, though small, of complications such as infection, bleeding and reaction to anesthesia. A tummy tuck makes the most sense if you're also interested in its other benefits, such as getting rid of loose skin and tightening the underlying muscles.
