Stretch marks are caused by skin stretching during periods of rapid weight gain or loss.
This is why stretch marks most commonly affect pregnant women, but can also affect teenagers, bodybuilders and weightlifters, or anyone starting a new athletic or fitness regime.
People considering laser surgery for stretch marks are generally warned to consider their options very carefully before going ahead with any procedures.
While some physicians recommend laser surgery, there is very little evidence to support any positive results from this procedure.
It is a general consensus of dermatologists, skin specialists, plastic surgeons and most general practitioners that laser surgery is of little or no value.
Lasers work by removing layers of tissue.
As stretch marks occur on the deepest layer of the dermis, all one can expect from a laser surgery is to disguise or hide the appearance of the marks by altering the layers of skin above the source of the scarring.
In addition the procedure is expensive and painful, usually requires several sessions, and can leave even worse permanent scarring when things go wrong.
Clinical studies have shown no improvement when laser treatment is applied to stretch marks.
The only proven surgical method of removing stretch marks is the tummy tuck, which can remove much of the skin on the abdomen, effectively cropping the areas affected by scarring off the body.
The best bet for combating stretch marks on the body is a topical treatment that promotes the body's production of elastin and collagen.
These treatments will not completely remove stretch marks, but can drastically reduce their appearance, and are a much cheaper, safer and effective alternative to laser surgery for stretch marks.