If you feel too self-conscious to reveal your legs, arms, or tummy because of stretch marks, there’s great news: permanent stretch mark removal is now available, without surgery. Dalewood Medical Center in Woodbridge, Virginia, uses the state-of-the-art Cynosure Palomar ICON™ laser system for fast and effective stretch mark removal. Schedule your consultation online or by phone now. ​

Q & A

What causes stretch marks?

The cause of stretch marks is obvious — overstretched skin. This often happens with pregnancy or simply with any weight gain. However, there’s another problem at play with stretch marks, too. Collagen deterioration in the stretch mark area means that your skin can’t simply bounce back.

The depressions in your stretch marks are the areas where your collagen has broken down and needs replacing. Although your body makes less and less natural collagen as you age, it’s possible to prompt your body to start the collagen production again through laser stretch mark removal.

The reason that stretch mark removal creams and lotions simply don’t work is that they’re not able to prompt new collagen production. At best, such products can smooth the skin surface a bit, but they don’t have any real effect on stretch marks.

How does laser stretch mark removal work?

Dr. Neda Montameni uses the latest laser system for stretch mark removal which delivers fractional laser light, targeting both the surface of the stretch marks and the tissue below the stretch marks.

The laser triggers your body to make new collagen, and that fresh collagen moves up to smooth out your stretch marks and provide ongoing support for your skin. The result is dramatically smoother skin surface without obvious stretch marks.

Is laser stretch mark removal painful?

No, most patients don’t experience significant pain during laser stretch mark removal. Dr. Montameni applies a topical anesthetic before treatment, and the ICON laser system has built-in cooling to offset the heat.

After the treatment, you may still feel a little warmth in the stretch mark area, but this is generally quite well tolerated. Most patients go back to work right away with no issues at all.

How many treatments do I need to get rid of my stretch marks?

It depends on the number of stretch marks and the size of the treatment area, but most patients need around 3-6 treatment sessions in total. Your treatments are usually a month apart, as this gives you time to see the full effect of the new collagen synthesis.