Body Harmonization · Non-Surgical
Stretch Marks: laser to soften their mark on your skin
Many stretch marks tell a story: a pregnancy, a growth spurt, a change in weight. Even so, it is normal to want them to be less noticeable. Reddish or purple ones are usually more recent and white ones older, and they do not respond the same way to laser. Dr. Thuel reviews yours and your skin type, tells you what improvement is realistic and accompanies you session by session.
Medical consultation · US$100, VAT included. This amount is applied in full toward your treatment or procedure if you formalize it with your payment on the same day or within the following seven calendar days. It can be the full payment or a first payment of more than US$100.
Dr. Thuel personally sees every consultation, so her appointment availability is limited. We suggest booking in advance.
Dr. Irene ThuelMED10355 · More than 17 years
- Duration
- 20 to 45 minutes
- Recovery
- Generally, the same day
- When it shows
- A few months after the last session
- How long it lasts
- The improvement usually lasts
Your body, with a plan tailored to you.
Dr. Irene Thuel · Physician and Surgeon, Expert in Aesthetic Medicine and Surgery · MED10355
The essentials before you decide
How Stretch Marks treatment works, step by step
General information so you arrive at your consultation with a clear idea. In your case it may vary; Dr. Thuel will confirm it during the consultation.
It may be right for you if…
- You have had stretch marks since a pregnancy or a weight change and want them to be less noticeable.
- When choosing clothes or a swimsuit, you think about those marks.
- You want to know whether your stretch marks, reddish or white, can improve.
- You can protect the area from the sun during treatment.
- What it is
- A laser that creates small, controlled injuries in the skin. This stimulates new collagen and renewal of the area.
- How it is done
- The skin is cleansed, anesthetic cream is applied if needed and the laser is passed over the stretch marks.
- Advantages
- No operating room or incisions. In most cases you return to your routine the same day.
- Who performs it
- Dr. Irene Thuel, in the clinic's office.
- Anesthesia and discomfort
- Usually, an anesthetic cream applied before the session. You feel stinging or heat, which most people describe as tolerable.
- Duration
- In general, between 20 and 45 minutes, plus the time the anesthetic cream takes to work.
- Sessions
- Usually 3 to 5 sessions are done, one every 4 to 6 weeks.
- Recovery and care
- You can return to your activities the same day. Redness and swelling usually last from a few days to a week. Avoid the sun, use sunscreen and do not scratch the area.
- When it shows
- Improvement is gradual. It is usually assessed a few months after the last session, when the skin has finished renewing.
- How long the result lasts
- The improvement achieved usually lasts, although the stretch mark does not disappear. With pregnancies or weight changes, new stretch marks may appear.
- Who should not have it
- It is postponed during pregnancy, or with tanned skin, infection or wounds in the area. Darker skin is assessed with special care. The doctor reviews this at the consultation.
- Follow-up visits
- The skin is checked before each session, and usually 3 to 6 months after the last one.
What the treatment aims for
What does laser improve in stretch marks?
Appearance
For the stretch mark to blend better with the surrounding skin.
Texture
Less raised texture when you run your hand over the skin.
Color
For the reddish, or white, tone to come closer to the rest of your skin.
The areas we are asked about most: abdomen, hips, buttocks, thighs, breasts and arms.
Laser and aftercare
What the stretch marks treatment includes
Consultation
The doctor looks at the color of your stretch marks, your skin type and your medical history.
Session plan
The number of sessions is estimated and we explain what you will feel, as well as the care you need between sessions.
Laser sessions
The skin is cleansed and the laser is applied to the stretch marks.
Aftercare and follow-up visit
At home, the area is protected from the sun. At the follow-up visit, the plan is adjusted according to how your skin is responding.
What laser can achieve
Each stretch mark responds differently
Here are the risks too, which deserve special attention in darker skin.
What to expect
- Gradual improvement, assessed over the course of the sessions.
- Not all stretch marks respond the same way: their color, their age and each person's skin type all play a role.
- Protecting the area from the sun is part of the treatment.
Discomfort and risks
- Stinging, redness and swelling in the area.
- Darker or lighter spots, with a higher risk in darker or sun-exposed skin.
- If you are pregnant, have tanned skin or have wounds in the area, the treatment is postponed.
When there is also loose skin
Laser does not erase stretch marks or tighten the skin
If there is loose skin in addition to the marks, laser alone falls short. The doctor will tell you at the consultation and explain what other option could help you.
Is this treatment right for you? During the consultation, Dr. Thuel reviews your case and tells you frankly whether it suits you and what it involves. The consultation costs US$100, VAT included, which is applied in full toward your treatment or medical procedure if you confirm it with your payment the same day or within the following seven calendar days. This can be the full payment or a first payment of more than US$100.
Frequently Asked Questions
Questions about laser for stretch marks
Does laser erase stretch marks?
No. The aim is to make them less noticeable by improving their color and texture. How much they improve depends on each stretch mark and each skin.
Will laser for stretch marks hurt?
It stings during the session. Afterward, it is normal for the area to be red and swollen.
What is the investment for stretch mark treatment?
It depends on the area and the number of sessions. Once the doctor sees your stretch marks, we tell you the investment for each stage.
The consultation costs US$100, VAT included. If you decide to have a medical treatment or procedure, that amount is applied in full toward your treatment or procedure when you formalize it with your payment on the same day as the consultation or within the following seven calendar days. It can be the full payment or a first payment of more than US$100.
Can I sunbathe during treatment?
Better not. Sun increases the risk of spots on treated skin, so the doctor will tell you how to protect the area for as long as the treatment lasts.
What if laser is not enough?
If the stretch marks are in an area with a lot of excess skin, such as the lower abdomen, a Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty), which Dr. Thuel performs as a team with Dr. Juan Ramón Poveda Xatruch, Physician and Surgeon, Specialist in Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, can remove that skin along with part of the stretch marks.
So your skin tells its story more softly
At the consultation, Dr. Thuel looks at your stretch marks with you and tells you which may respond better. She also tells you how many sessions are estimated and the investment for each stage. If your case allows it, it can be done the same day; this is optional.
Medical consultation · US$100, VAT included. This amount is applied in full toward your treatment or procedure if you formalize it with your payment on the same day or within the following seven calendar days. It can be the full payment or a first payment of more than US$100.
Dr. Thuel personally sees every consultation, so her appointment availability is limited. We suggest booking in advance.