Stretch marks, or striae gravidarum are probably the most discussed and feared of the changes to the body during pregnancy.

These marks appear in 50 - 90% of all pregnant women, usually showing up in the later half of pregnancy as bright red or even purplish lines. While the majority of stretch marks will be on the lower abdomen they can also be found on the thighs, hips, buttocks, breasts and arms of women.

Stretch marks tend to be pinkish in light skinned women; in dark skinned women they will be lighter than the surrounding skin after pregnancy. They reflect the separation of collagen of the skin. While not painful, the stretching of the skin may cause a tingling or itchy sensation. A good lotion can help with the increased dryness or itchiness of the skin, but will not prevent or remove stretch marks no matter how diligent you are or how much you spend on the cream.

There are some factors that contribute to the appearance of stretch marks:

• Family (If your mom or sister has them, guess what?)
• If you had stretch marks in a previous pregnancy you may get them again, although usually the old stretch marks just darken (temporarily) or sometimes a light extension appears on the old lines.
• Weight Gain (rapid or excessive will make this worse.)
• Nutritional Status (well hydrated and healthy skin stretches better.)
• Ethnicity (African American women get them less frequently.)

Our office treats stretch marks with the Quantum SR and Cooltouch lasers.  For successful stretch mark removal, multiple treatments are needed over a period of several weeks to months.

Dr. Junker is a leading physician in the Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia area. Schedule a free consultation today to learn more about our safe and effect stretch mark removal procedures.