What Are Stretch Marks, Exactly?
Stretch marks are a type of scar. They can be purple, red, pink, brown or black in color. True to their name, stretch marks usually form when your skin stretches to accommodate the new size of your body. The sudden change in body shape can rupture collagen and elastin, which are proteins in the skin. As the skin heals from this rupturing, stretch marks may appear.
Stretch marks are most likely to appear after significant weight gain or pregnancy. In some cases, people who put on a lot of muscle mass quickly can develop stretch marks too. Hormones can also play a factor. Cortisol, a common stress hormone, can weaken your skin’s elasticity; having high levels of cortisol can put you at greater risk for stretch marks.
Stretch Mark Treatments
D Luxe Lab offers two highly effective treatments for stretch marks: ICON laser and microneedling.
ICON Treatment
ICON is a non-ablative fractional laser with ultra-accurate control for targeting specific areas on your skin. While it can tackle several problems, including age spots, wrinkles and visible facial veins, it is most often recommended for scar reduction, including stretch marks. The laser reaches to deep layers of the dermis to trigger collagen production, which helps smooth the texture and tone of the skin. Most patients need at least three treatments (each only about half an hour) to see the full benefits, but the results can last for multiple years.
Microneedling
Microneedling is a therapy that uses many miniature needles to penetrate the skin and stimulate additional collagen production. This boost of collagen gradually evens out skin for an improved appearance. At D Luxe Lab, microneedling can be paired with radiofrequency or plasma. RF energy enhances the results of the microneedling, producing faster results and helps to heal skin marred by stretch marks. The plasma treatment uses platelet-rich plasma taken from your own blood and rubs it into the microneedling micro-wounds to improve the healing process and produce better results.
Meet with Our Stretch Mark Experts
D Luxe Lab has helped many patients in and around Toronto to minimize their stretch marks. If you would like to meet with our knowledgeable team to determine which treatment is best for you, please call (647) 660-9660 today.