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Stretch marks

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Stretch marks are marks that appear on the skin, scar-like bands that take the form of linear atrophic lesions. They result from a tear in the collagen fiber in the skin’s dermis.

First it appears as a red or pink mark, then the stretch mark intensifies as it deepens, the skin cracks and leaves behind a scar.

Aesthetic medicine provides different solutions depending on the depth and the age of the stretch marks to erase them and restore the skin’s radiance.

What causes stretch marks?

Even though men can also be affected, the appearance of stretch marks is mainly present in women, with nearly 80% of women affected.

Several factors can lead to the appearance of stretch marks:

  • Hormonal upheavals: During adolescence and puberty, young girls’ bodies change. When their skin is thinner, with the evolution of their shape, the skin can crack and allow stretch marks to appear.
  • Pregnancy: For women, the primary cause of stretch marks is pregnancy. For 9 months, the skin is subjected to distensions that can lead to tears in the collagen fibers located in the skin’s dermis. This tension will create a stretch of the skin without breaking the epidermis. But the epidermis leaves white or red or even purplish marks when it is in an inflammatory stage. The combination of a hormonal upheaval and a strong weight gain usually results in the appearance of stretch marks. They can be located on the areas where there is the most weight gain, the hips, the stomach, the buttocks, or the chest.
  • Excessive and rapid weight gain: True for both men and women, heavy weight gain favors the installation of stretch marks on different areas of the body such as the thighs, torso, buttocks, or abdomen. The elasticity of the skin does not have time to evolve and the fiber tears. This phenomenon can be accentuated by high intensity sports and rapid muscle gain. Teenagers, when they grow up too fast, can also be prone to this.
  • The quality of the skin: Depending on its genetic heritage, the elasticity, quality, appearance, or texture of the skin can be different for each individual. Lifestyle and external factors also influence skin aging and on the skin. Stress, for example, increases the level of cortisol, which slows down collagen production and makes the skin more fragile. The thinner the skin, the less supple it will be and the more prone it will be to stretch marks.
  • Cushing’s disease: This is a very rare disease that results from a benign tumor of the pituitary gland and increases the rate of cortisol secretion. The more this rate increases, the more the production of collagen is slowed down and the skin becomes fragile due to a lack of collagen.

What solutions are offered by aesthetic medicine?

Today, there are several treatments offered by aesthetic medicine that can reduce or erase stretch marks depending on their causes but also on their “age” and severity.

  • Red or purple stretch marks (recent) are easy to treat, especially with peels, mesotherapy or microneedling sessions that include antioxidants and growth factors to help regenerate the cells. Excellent results are also obtained with LEGATO III on red scars associated with LED.
  • White stretch marks (older) should be treated with a combination of radiofrequency and focused ultrasound techniques using the Legato III device and LED (light therapy) sessions to stimulate the cell’s mitochondria and produce collagen and elastic fibers.
    • The TCA peel is applied by the doctor to the affected area. The skin must be prepared beforehand and cared for after the peel to optimize the results. Generally, three sessions are required, with a two-week interval between sessions. In some cases, the peel can be completed using microneedling.
    • Microneedling or mesotherapy with AQ SKINSOLUTION growth factors is a mixture of growth factors and antioxidants that improve the regeneration of cellular tissue.
      These two techniques differ depending on the depth of the injection into the dermis and the depth of the stretch mark being treated.
      We use the Recovery Serum, a very innovative discovery that allows us to send messages to the fibroblasts of the cells so that they restart the production of your own collagen.
      The microneedling Recovery Serum is also effective on white stretch marks.
    • The Legato III laser is a highly effective trans epidermal solution for stretch marks, with a precise action on the skin lesions by combining three phases.
      • A micro-ablative phase with unipolar radiofrequency that will create micro-channels,
      • A thermal phase based on radio frequency which will trigger the neo-collagenesis necessary to reconstitute the tissue depressions,
      • and finally, a sonophoresis phase based on ultrasound that will allow the penetration of powerful active ingredients based on either growth factor or a cocktail of powerful ingredients such as NCTF 135HA from FillMed.
    • Photo modulation therapy, more commonly known as light therapy, is a complementary treatment that is perfect for reducing stretch marks by increasing collagen synthesis and fibroblast proliferation with red light. It is practiced by the session.
    • Stretch marks can also be treated with PRP injections. This treatment can be considered by our surgeon after a medical consultation and can only be proposed for therapeutic purposes.
      • French regulations prohibit the use of concentrated platelet plasma for aesthetic purposes. Only under specific circumstances will we be able to prescribe this solution to reduce stretch marks.
      • Commonly called “vampire lift”, this technique applied to the face is a quite popular in the USA because it makes the skin firmer and smoother and gives it a rejuvenated appearance. A nurse takes blood from your arm. Then the plasma, rich in growth factors and proteins, is injected into the area to be treated and stimulates your skin’s stem cells while boosting the production of collagen and elastin.

Answers to your questions about the treatment of stretch marks

  • What's the best treatment for stretch marks?

    • The effectiveness of the treatment depends on the type of stretch marks you have. The first step is to consult an aesthetic doctor to determine the cause and category of your stretch marks. He will then be able to define an appropriate protocol, more or less aggressive, to repair your skin and obtain the best results.

  • Are stretch mark treatments painful?

    • Some of the more abrasive treatments, such as Legato, can be painful, but are performed under the effect of a powerful anesthetic cream. Other treatments are painless.

    In all cases, your Personal Beauty will be on hand to give you detailed information about each treatment, and to ensure that it runs smoothly.

    Personalized support to help you manage your treatment

    • Your Personal Beauty consultant will welcome you and accompany you to your consultation with the aesthetic doctor or surgeon to help diagnose and establish the personalized protocol best suited to your case.
    • Then, at every stage of the protocol, your Personal Beauty will be there to prescribe the treatments to be carried out before each session, carry out the aesthetic procedures, assist the doctor with the medical procedures and monitor the effects of the treatment with you as the sessions progress.
    • She will also be available to answer any questions you may have.

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