Stretch marks are caused by the skin stretching or shrinking quickly.  The abrupt change causes the collagen and elastin, which support our skin, to rupture. Common causes of stretch mark formation are growth spurts, pregnancy, rapid weight loss or gain, and weight training resulting in rapid muscle growth.

Unfortunately, topical creams have not proven to be highly successful in the treatment of established stretch marks while used alone.  However, there are several in-office modalities that can be used alone or in combination to reduce their appearance.  These include:

• Chemical Peels
• Laser Therapy including CO2 resurfacing
• Microneedling
• PRP (platelet-rich plasma) therapy

It is important to be confident that your provider is experienced and well-versed in these procedures as a precise plan should be in place, and side effects, although uncommon, can occur.