Nope. Stretch marks, or striae, are where the skin has expanded so rapidly (pregnancy) or been exposed to such tension (obesity) that it has torn. So, a stretch mark is a tear of the deep layer of the skin called the dermis. The dermis tears and thins. Another way of thinking about them is that they are scars of the undersurface of the skin. Regardless of what the 2 a.m. infomercial says, there is no cream, lotion, potion or spa treatment that will get rid of stretch marks. Period. Save your money. At best you will get a slight improvement with any over the counter products. Whatever you see or hear about…it probably doesn’t work! Now, some things do improve their appearance. Lasers can help with the discoloration and can give some skin tightening. Chemical peels and microdermabrasion can help as well. Liposuction, because it results is skin tightening after the fat is removed, can also give an improvement. Surgical excision via a tummy tuck or breast reduction can permanently remove them if the stretch marks fall within the area of skin that is removed. This is most often the case when we do tummy tucks or body lifts. Short of surgical excision of the affected skin, in 2009 we still don’t have a definitive treatment for stretch marks. Lee Corbett, MD http://www.CorbettCosmeticSurgery.com 4121 Dutchmans Lane, Ste 305 Louisville, KY 40207 502.721.0330

All posts on this blog are authored by Louisville tuumy tuck expert Dr. Lee Corbett. Dr. Corbett specializes in cosmetic plastic surgery including facelifts, browlifts, blepharoplasy, Botox, Juvederm, Restylane, breast augmentation, breast lifts, breast reductions, body lifts, liposuction,  and tummy tucks.