What is stretch marks treatment?

• Genetic factors: It can be seen more in some families, can be associated with the weight and eating habits or even medical conditions more prevalent in that family.
• Hormonal changes: They are commonly seen in a lot of hormonal problems like hypothyroidism, Cushing’s disease & PCOP (Polycystic ovarian disease)which is very common these days in females because of the unhealthy life style.
• Pregnancy and Post partum period
• Alcohol consumption
• Less water intake leads to poor hydration levels of the skin & can lead to this problem.
• Medicines: Like oral steroids, hormonal preparations & even topical steroids can lead to development of stretch marks in the skin.

Like every other treatment these treatments also have their pros and cons. Here we give a controlled injury to the skin and in response to the injury the skin heals by forming new collagen and elastin tissue. If the injury is not controlled properly it can cause temporary pigmentation or scarring in the skin. We at SATYA keep in mind the pros and cons of our treatments & educate our patients properly about the treatments and precautions which one need to take along with the treatments. We recommend that the treatments should always be taken under the guidance of a qualified and experienced dermatologist. A lot of people opt for these types of treatments at parlours or beauty chain clinics, which is not safe.

In these treatments we give a controlled injury to the skin and in response to the injury the skin heals by forming new collagen and elastin tissue. If the injury is not controlled properly it can cause temporary pigmentation or scarring in the skin. We recommend that the treatments should always be taken under the guidance of a qualified and experienced dermatologist.

These treatments reduce stretch marks by inducing the production of new collagen & elastin. So whatever skin tissue one treatment produces stays there. It means the benefits which you get from the treatment are going to stay. The condition comes back only when the cause continues to persist. That is the reason why you need to be under the supervision of a dermatologist to keep everything under check.

Post procedure one has to apply healing creams as prescribed by your dermatologist. Moisturisers also help. Sometimes when extensive areas or sensitive areas are involved one might need to take a small course of antibiotics as prescribed by the doctor. One should stay away from sun and vigorous physical activities for at least a week’s time, post procedure.

According to Dr. Ruchi Agarwal, MD stretch marks take away the freedom, freedom of wearing what they want to. Sometimes patients become so conscious about stretch marks that it starts affecting their self esteem. In India women wear saaries, which is a traditional dress and looks beautiful. But the abdominal portion is visible through it. Having stretch marks right there is so problematic for them. Dr. Agarwal has been treating patients with stretch marks, successfully for almost 2 decades.

No, but soon after the treatment one must take care of their Skin where the treatment was done. In fact this treatment induces new collagen in the skin so it improves the basic strength of the skin. The skin which is sensitive because of stretch marks, improves significantly after these treatments.

You can have redness, swelling, mild itching or pain in the treated region for a couple of days. Then small tiny scabs are formed in the treated area & these scabs usually fall in a week’s time in most of the cases. The actual healing will vary depending upon the type of treatment and the response of patient’s skin to the treatment.

A numbing cream is applied on the skin, half an hour before the procedure, which makes the treatment quite comfortable for the patients. Some patients still feel slight discomfort. Some itching or mild pain might even persist for a couple of days in few patients.

Mostly stretch marks are present on the abdomen, thighs, underarm areas. All these areas can be treated easily.