Stretch marks, medically known as striae, can be caused by pregnancy, rapid weight loss or gain, certain medical conditions such as Cushing's syndrome and medications that contain corticosteroids. According to the Mayo Clinic, stretch marks appear when the adrenal glands produce an abundance of the hormone cortisone, which makes the fibers of the skin weak, coupled with the physical stretching of the skin due to one or more of the above-mentioned reasons. Though they will eventually fade, stretch marks can be unsightly, so some people choose to remove them using a variety of available surgical methods.
Pulsed-Dye Laser Therapy
This type of laser surgery uses pulses of light radiation to promote the growth of new collagen and elastin--the skin's building blocks--while removing very thin layers of the stretched skin until it is gone and healthy skin growth takes place. According to the Baylor College of Medicine, these treatments do not require anesthesia and have few side effects, the most common being temporary bruising. One to three outpatient treatments may be required to get rid of stretch marks.
Fractional Photothermolysis
Similar to the pulsed-dye laser treatment, fractional photothermolysis involves pulses of light that stimulate new skin growth. The May Clinic states that since this surgery is more targeted than pulsed-dye therapy, concentrating on key areas of the damaged skin as opposed to the entire stretch mark, it has fewer side effects and a shorter healing period.
Microdermabrasion
According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, doctors use hand-held microdermabrasion devices to spray very small crystals to literally polish the skin's surface. This is done while a vacuuming effect removes the used-up crystals along with the dead skin cells, revealing healthier skin cells underneath the damaged ones and promoting healthy skin growth. The Mayo Clinic states that this method is particularly effective for older stretch marks.
