Modern aesthetic cosmetology offers several ways to deal with stretch marks. One of them is laser resurfacing, with which you can almost completely remove even old striae.
The essence of the procedure
Laser skin resurfacing is the action of the laser beam, which evaporates the upper cells of the epidermis, warms the tissue and enhances the production of new collagen and elastin fibers. So the process of intensive skin rejuvenation is launched. The cells of the connective tissue that formed the stretch evaporate under the laser beam, and a new, more even skin appears in their place.
Adjust the thickness of the layer removed by the laser can be accurate to a micron, which eliminates the errors of the specialist and the so-called human factor. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia (emla cream).
Types of lasers
Today, two types of equipment are used for carrying out laser grinding of stretch marks.
- Er: YAG-erbium "cold" laser acts on the cells very quickly, because the surrounding tissues do not warm up. Grinding with such a laser is not accompanied by "sealing" (coagulation) of cells, and a crust is not formed on the treated site. After the procedure, you must wear a special bandage to prevent infection in the wound. In connection with these inconveniences, the erbium laser gradually displaces the improved model - Fraxel fractional laser. It acts on the cells of the epidermis pointwise, but still does not have a thermal effect on the tissue, and after laser resurfacing through the formed on-site processing, the crust can leak blood. Therefore, in order to avoid getting the infection, the wound should again be covered with a bandage.
- CO2 laser is considered to be more effective and safe, as its rays penetrate deeper, so that in the dermis renewal processes are started, accompanied by the production of neocollagen. Cells after such a laser grinding "sealed", forming a crust, which does not need to be covered with a bandage. In this case there is no risk of infection.
Types of grinding
Salons of aesthetic cosmetology today offer polishing of two types.
- "Classical" - the laser beam evaporates the epidermal cells from the entire treated area. The procedure activates the rejuvenation processes, the skin is leveled. Such laser resurfacing of the stretch marks is accompanied by crust formation, and the recovery period is 14 days. But after the first procedure, striae become almost imperceptible.
- Fractional laser resurfacing - the beam acts on the skin pointwise, and around these so-called microthermal therapeutic zones remain viable cells that have not been evaporated. The rehabilitation period after this procedure is 2 to 3 days, but for a better effect, the laser resurfacing of the stretch marks will have to be repeated several times.
Cost of grinding
The prices for this procedure depend on the rating of the clinic, which also provides services from the equipment used. Fractional laser resurfacing of stretch marks is the most expensive - the cost of processing 1 square centimeter of skin is 25 - 60 cu. In large cities, prices are higher than in the provinces.
It should also be noted that during the preparation for the procedure, you may need to use special creams on a retinoid and non-glycolic basis. Sometimes, before polishing, a specialist prescribes to drink antibiotics or antiviral drugs - this will be an additional expense item.
Contraindications and complications
Laser resurfacing of stretch marks is contraindicated when:
- exacerbation of chronic diseases;
- elevated body temperature;
- herpetic rash;
- pustular rash in the stretch area;
- urgent conditions (arrhythmia, hypertensive crisis, etc.);
- diabetes mellitus;
- systemic skin diseases.
In exceptional cases, such effects of laser resurfacing as hyperpigmentation, erythema, hypopigmentation, atrophic scars, diffuse fibrosis can manifest themselves.