Resurfacing lasers are one of the best options to smooth textured stretch marks and discoloration, says Dr. Akhavan. There are two different types of laser treatments for stretch marks that your dermatologist may recommend: Ablative remodeling lasers and non-ablative lasers.
Ablative lasers
Ablative lasers, like Erbium YAG, fractional CO2 lasers, or nonfractionated lasers including Fraxel Re:Pair—use intense wavelengths of light to destroy the upper layers of your skin, triggering the formation of new skin that’s smoother and brighter. Ablative lasers are considered the most intense and painful of laser treatments, and they usually require five to seven days of downtime afterward, due to swelling, inflammation, and peeling. Treatments are on the longer end (around an hour to an hour and a half), but require fewer sessions to treat stretch marks (usually one to three) than non-ablative lasers, which usually require five to eight.
Non-ablative lasers
Non-ablative lasers (like Nd:YAG lasers, fractional and nonfractional lasers, and pulsed-dye lasers, —which target your blood vessels, i.e. reddish or purple stretch marks) use precise wavelengths of light that emit heat into the lower layers of your skin to damage the skin and trigger collagen production and repair. Dr. Akhavan uses the Icon 1540 Fractional Laser for stretch marks in his practice, a fractional laser that’s been shown to give a 50 to 75 percent improvement in stretch marks after a few sessions. Non-ablative lasers are known to be less painful, and they only have one to three days of downtime, generally. But you’ll need between five and eight treatments spaced a month apart to completely see results (smooth, faded scars).
Either way, if you’re considering a laser treatment, talk to your dermatologist to find out which laser will be best for your needs. If you’ve had your bumpy stretch marks since puberty, then you might benefit from one or two procedures with an ablative laser to resurface your skin. But if you’ve got newer, bright-red stretch marks, a non-ablative laser might be a better bit for you.
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