Up to 90 percent of pregnant women experience stretch marks as their bodies grow to accommodate new life. Stretch marks can also appear for people who have gained weight quickly and then lost it.
If you have stretch marks, you don’t have to resign yourself to one-piece bathing suits forever. At Skintherapy, we have a treatment that can diminish the appearance of stretch marks: Laser Genesis.
First, let’s talk about how stretch marks happen.
The 411 on Stretch Marks
It’s called striae gravidarum in the medical community, but everyone knows them by stretch marks.
Stretch marks happen when the outermost layer of the skin literally tears because it is stretching too fast as a result of rapid expansion under the skin – whether that’s from weight gain or from a baby.
One 2007 study found that what often predisposes women to stretch marks during pregnancy is family history (thanks, Mom!). No relationship was noted between skin type, socioeconomic status, smoking, cream use, and fetal gender, and the risk of developing stretch marks. Click here to read more.
So, unfortunately, while those expensive creams may feel great on your itchy, expanding skin during pregnancy, it may not be enough to prevent stretch marks. Good thing there’s a great postpartum treatment to take care of that!
How Laser Genesis Helps
Laser Genesis is an excellent treatment for addressing many kinds of scarring, including stretch marks. It works by stimulating collagen regrowth in the lower levels of the skin.
Collagen is what likely caused the appearance of your scars in the first place, but that collagen is thick and poorly arranged, making the injured skin discolored as it heals (what we call a scar). By stimulating new, healthy collagen growth, the laser will encourage the scar to be diminished by replacing the unhealthy collagen.
It takes about four or five treatments to achieve desired results.
About Jennifer
Jennifer Curtin is a medical aesthetician, who is nationally recognized for her expertise in medical skin care. With more than 20 years of experience in medical aesthetics, she is dedicated to the aesthetic industry and has received awards of merit including the International CIDESCO Certification, Assistant Cosmetic Laser Practitioner and National Leadership Award. Jennifer is also an expert in IPL photofacials and the president of Skintherapy, which is located in the Buckhead section of Atlanta. To schedule a complimentary appointment with Jennifer, call 404-358-2961 or click here to submit a consult request online.
