overview
Mini Tummy Tuck Candidates
Striae, or stretch marks, are the streaks or lines that appear on the skin due to pregnancy or significant weight fluctuations. As the skin stretches to accommodate a growing baby during pregnancy or as a result of rapid weight gain, stretch marks may develop as the skin is expanded quickly, which causes injury to the dermal layer of the skin under the epidermis. While in some cases, the resulting lines are white or pink, in other instances, they appear red, purple or even blue, which can be very difficult to conceal.
As a result, individuals who develop stretch marks are often quite self-conscious about these troublesome markings, which typically appear on the abdomen, hips, buttocks, and thighs. Luckily, abdominoplasty, frequently referred to as a tummy tuck, can effectively remove stretch marks from the lower abdomen which is a common location for excessive stretch marks post-pregnancy.
Stretch Marks Below the Navel
Stretch Marks Above The Navel
Post-Operative Stretch Mark Reduction
In order to further reduce the appearance of any stretch marks that remain following abdominoplasty, it is recommended that patients avoid UV exposure and be vigilant when it comes to sunscreen application, as UV rays can cause the hyper- or hypopigmentation of stretch marks, which may be permanent. In addition, lasers and retinoid creams can work to reduce the appearance of bothersome stretch marks.