CO2 Laser for Stretch Marks

Abstract

Stretch marks or striae distensae (SD) are a well-recognized, common dermatologic entity, which affect patients of all ages, genders, and ethnicities and rarely cause any significant medical problems but can have a deep psychological impact on affected patients. Risk factors have been reported, but much remains to be understood about their epidemiology. Although there is no standard treatment for SD, many topical applications, peeling, light, and laser systems, have been tried. Considering the many modalities used to improve SD, lasers have recently become a popular therapeutic alternative. The aim of this chapter is to discuss the causes and possible treatments described in literature, to approach the clinical efficacy and safety of fractional CO2 laser in the treatment of SD, and to show 5 years of our experience using this device.