Stretch Mark Treatment
What are stretch marks?
Stretch marks, or striae, are a form of scarring in the skin. When the skin is stretched faster than it can adapt, the collagen and elastin fibres in the dermis tear. The body repairs the tear the way it repairs any wound, but the new tissue is thinner and less organized than the skin around it, so it shows as a line with a different colour and texture.
Stretch marks change as they age, and their stage decides which treatments work best:
New marks that are red, pink or purple and sometimes slightly raised or itchy. They still have an active blood supply and respond fastest to treatment.
Older marks that have faded to white or silver. They are thin, slightly sunken and wrinkled. They need collagen rebuilding and usually a longer course.
What causes stretch marks?
- Pregnancy, usually in the last trimester, on the belly, breasts, hips and thighs
- Rapid weight gain or weight loss
- Growth spurts during puberty
- Fast muscle gain from bodybuilding
- Hormonal changes and hormone therapy, and long-term use of corticosteroids
- Genetics and naturally less elastic skin
Why is stretch mark treatment at Paad Wellness different?
Committed to: a green beauty approach that stimulates the affected dermis to produce its own collagen and elastin, filling in the thin skin beneath each mark, while separate technologies correct its colour. Each plan is matched to the age, colour and location of your marks.
Against: conventional peeling or aggressive resurfacing that may slightly improve the marks at the expense of making the skin thinner, and single-device packages that treat every stretch mark the same way.
Vancouver’s evidence-informed skin clinic combining six green beauty technologies (Regenlite, LPG Endermologie, Nordlys, Sublative FRF, microneedling and Bloomea) to rebuild collagen and elastin beneath stretch marks, even out their colour and leave thicker, healthier skin.
Regenlite Laser
What is Regenlite?
Regenlite is a pulsed dye laser (PDL) with Smart Pulse technology. Its yellow-light wavelength (585–595 nm) is absorbed by the blood in small vessels while sparing surrounding normal tissue, and at gentler settings it reactivates collagen production in the dermis. Paad Wellness was among the first clinics in Vancouver to use Regenlite for stretch mark reduction.
How does Regenlite work on stretch marks?
Regenlite is set to match the stage of each mark:
For new red, pink or purple marks. It closes down the excess small vessels that give early stretch marks their colour, so the redness fades and the mark settles faster.
For mature white or silver marks. It reactivates collagen synthesis beneath the depressed skin, helping the mark become smoother and more consistent with the skin around it.
Combines both settings when an area has a mix of new and older marks.
What does Regenlite do for my skin?
- Fades the red and purple colour of new stretch marks
- Stimulates new collagen beneath sunken, mature marks
- Improves smoothness and skin thickness over a course
- Treats large body areas with minimal downtime
- Suitable for all skin types and shades
Which areas can be treated?
Abdomen, breasts, hips, thighs, buttocks, lower back and upper arms.
What can I expect?
Most clients feel a gentle warmth, or quick heat at stronger vascular settings. Session length depends on the size of the area. Mild redness usually settles within a few days, and you can return to your normal routine straight away.
Session
20–45 min
Typical course
3–6 sessions
Interval
2–4 weeks
Downtime
Minimal
Price range
$250–$750 per session
LPG Endermologie
What is LPG Endermologie?
LPG Endermologie is a French mechanical technology that uses no light, heat or needles. It is a painless preventative and therapeutic method for scarring, stretch marks and contouring the skin that works by gently massaging the tissue, without abrasive friction or uncontrolled pulling.
How does LPG work on stretch marks?
A motorized treatment head lifts and rolls the skin in a controlled fold. This mechano-stimulation signals fibroblasts, the cells that make collagen and elastin, to become active again and lay down new fibres in the thin, overstretched dermis under each mark. It also improves circulation and lymphatic drainage, which nourishes the skin and helps it recover its suppleness. The clear treatment chamber lets the therapist watch the skin fold throughout, so it is safe on thin, delicate tissue.
What does LPG do for my skin?
- Reactivates collagen and elastin production in stretched skin
- Improves suppleness, elasticity and firmness
- Smooths the surrounding skin so marks are less noticeable
- Improves circulation and reduces post-pregnancy puffiness
- Prepares the skin to respond better to laser and RF treatments
Which areas can be treated?
Abdomen, breasts, hips, thighs, buttocks, back and arms.
What can I expect?
The treatment feels like a deep, rhythmic massage, and the settings are adjusted to your skin’s sensitivity. The area may look slightly flushed for a short time from increased circulation.
Session
20–35 min
Typical course
10–15 sessions
Interval
1–2 per week
Downtime
None to minimal
Price range
$200–$250 per session
Nordlys by Candela
What is Nordlys?
Nordlys is a Health Canada licensed multi-application platform by Candela. For stretch marks we use two of its technologies: the Frax 1550™ non-ablative fractional laser (NAFL) to rebuild the thin, sunken skin, and Selective Waveband Technology (SWT®), a narrowband intense pulsed light, to correct colour.
How does Nordlys work on stretch marks?
Boosts collagen in sunken marks
Frax 1550 places microscopic columns of heat deep in the dermis while leaving the skin surface intact. The skin responds by producing new collagen inside the atrophic, depressed part of each mark, so it gradually fills in and its texture becomes closer to the skin around it.
Corrects colour
Many stretch marks stand out mainly because of colour. SWT’s dual filters target the red and purple of small blood vessels in newer marks and the brown of excess pigment, so the marks blend more closely with your natural skin tone.
What does Nordlys do for my skin?
- Stimulates new collagen in the depressed part of the mark
- Smooths wrinkled, uneven stretch mark texture
- Fades red and purple colour in newer marks
- Reduces darker, post-inflammatory pigment around the marks
Which areas can be treated?
Abdomen, breasts, hips, thighs, buttocks, back and arms.
What can I expect?
You will wear protective eyewear. Most clients feel warm snaps, and a numbing cream may be used for the Frax 1550 step. The area is usually red and slightly swollen for one to a few days, depending on the settings.
Session
~30–60 min
Typical course
3–6 sessions
Interval
4–6 weeks
Downtime
Minimal to moderate
Price range
$400–$850 per session
Sublative FRF (Elos Plus)
What is Sublative FRF?
Sublative is a fractional radio frequency (FRF) treatment on the Elos Plus platform. It does not rely on light, so it is suitable for all skin types and tones. It is our most advanced option for clients looking for maximum improvement in mature, textured stretch marks.
How does Sublative work on stretch marks?
An array of multi-electrode pins delivers bipolar RF energy in a fine grid. Each dot is a tiny treated zone, while the untouched skin around it drives fast healing. The energy works mainly in the dermis, where stretch marks form, so it remodels deeper collagen and thickens the skin with less recovery than ablative laser resurfacing.
What does Sublative do for my skin?
- Rebuilds collagen in the dermis beneath mature marks
- Smooths sunken, crepey stretch mark texture
- Tightens and firms loose skin after pregnancy or weight loss
- Colour-blind RF energy, so it is well suited to darker skin tones
Which areas can be treated?
Abdomen, breasts, hips, thighs, buttocks and arms.
What can I expect?
A topical numbing cream keeps you comfortable. Expect redness for several days and a faint grid of tiny dots that fades within a few days.
Session
~30–45 min
Typical course
3–5 sessions
Interval
3–5 weeks
Downtime
Several days
Price range
From $300 per session
Microneedling
What is microneedling?
Clinical microneedling, also called Percutaneous Collagen Induction (PCI), is a minimally invasive treatment. We use a German-made technology whose single-use needle cartridges have a patented safety membrane for high hygiene standards.
How does microneedling work on stretch marks?
Very fine needles create thousands of controlled micro-channels along each mark. The skin responds by releasing growth factors that trigger new collagen and elastin in the thin dermis beneath it. The channels close quickly, and over the following weeks the mark becomes thicker, smoother and less visible.
What does microneedling do for my skin?
- Stimulates collagen and elastin directly inside the mark
- Improves the texture and depth of mature white marks
- Helps marks blend with the surrounding skin
- Suitable for all skin tones, including darker skin
Which areas can be treated?
Abdomen, breasts, hips, thighs, buttocks and arms.
What can I expect?
A numbing cream is applied first, so most clients feel only light pressure. The area looks pink, like a mild sunburn, for 1–4 days.
Session
~30–60 min
Typical course
3–6 sessions
Interval
4–6 weeks
Downtime
1–4 days
Price range
$300–$390 per session
Bloomea Skin Resurfacing
What is Bloomea?
Bloomea® is a mechanical skin resurfacing device from France, first developed by plastic surgeons to fade post-operative scars. It boosts elastin and collagen naturally, without heat, light or needles.
How does Bloomea work on stretch marks?
Bloomea is a two-step treatment. First, macro-exfoliation gently levels the surface of the mark layer by layer to smooth its texture. Second, high-frequency micro-vibration tones the skin and stimulates elastin and collagen. A manufacturer study reported about 20% more elastin after four sessions.
What does Bloomea do for my skin?
- Softens the texture of stretch marks
- Stimulates elastin, the fibre stretch marks lose most
- Tightens and tones the surrounding skin
- Reduces uneven pigmentation around the marks
Which areas can be treated?
Abdomen, breasts, hips, thighs, buttocks and arms.
What can I expect?
Bloomea is gentle and comfortable, and each client has a personal single-use tip. The skin may look slightly pink for a few hours, and results improve with each session.
Session
~30 min
Typical course
4–6 sessions
Interval
1–2 weeks
Downtime
Minimal
Price range
$220–$270 per session
Which Technology Is Right for Me?
| Technology | Energy | Best for | Comfort | Downtime | Price range | Skin types |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regenlite | 585–595 nm pulsed dye laser | Red marks; collagen in white marks | Gentle warmth | Minimal | $250–$750 | All |
| LPG Endermologie | Mechanical stimulation | Elasticity, firmness, skin quality | Massage-like | None to minimal | $200–$250 | All |
| Nordlys | Frax 1550 NAFL + SWT | Sunken texture; red or brown colour | Warm snaps | Minimal to moderate | $400–$850 | Assessed at consultation |
| Sublative FRF | Fractional bipolar RF | Mature marks, loose skin | Numbing cream used | Several days | From $300 | All, including darker tones |
| Microneedling | Mechanical micro-channels | Mature white marks, texture | Numbing cream used | 1–4 days | $300–$390 | All |
| Bloomea | Exfoliation + micro-vibration | Surface texture, elastin, tone | Gentle | Minimal | $220–$270 | All |
Your Personalized Stretch Mark Plan
Stretch marks respond best to a combination approach, tailored after a free consultation to the age, colour and location of your marks.
1. Skin assessment
We look at whether your marks are new (red or purple) or mature (white or silver), how deep and wide they are, and check your skin type, medical history and whether you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
2. Correct colour and prepare the skin
Regenlite (vascular mode) and Nordlys SWT fade the red, purple or brown colour of the marks, while LPG Endermologie reactivates fibroblasts and improves the quality of the surrounding skin.
3. Rebuild collagen and elastin
Regenlite (rejuvenating mode), Nordlys Frax 1550, Sublative FRF and microneedling stimulate new collagen and elastin beneath each mark so the thin, sunken skin fills in and thickens. Bloomea refines the surface texture.
4. Maintain
A home-care routine with moisturizing, sun protection and occasional simple sessions such as LPG, Bloomea or Regenlite keeps the skin supple and helps prevent new marks.
Who is suitable?
These treatments suit healthy teens (with parental consent) and adults, both women and men, with new or mature stretch marks from pregnancy, weight change, growth spurts or bodybuilding. Newer red or purple marks usually respond fastest, and older white marks can still improve with a longer, combined plan. After pregnancy, energy-based treatments usually begin once you have finished breastfeeding, while LPG can often start sooner.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can stretch marks be removed completely?
No treatment can make stretch marks disappear entirely. Our goal is to make them flatter, smoother and closer in colour to your skin, so they are far less noticeable. How much they improve depends on their age, depth and location.
How many sessions will I need?
Most clients need several sessions over a few months, often combining two or three technologies. Newer red marks generally need fewer sessions than older white ones. We give you a realistic plan and estimated cost at your consultation.
Do old, white stretch marks respond to treatment?
Yes, although they take longer. Mature marks no longer have an active blood supply, so we focus on rebuilding collagen and elastin beneath them with Regenlite in rejuvenating mode, Nordlys Frax 1550, Sublative FRF and microneedling.
Is it painful?
Regenlite feels like gentle warmth and Nordlys like warm snaps. LPG and Bloomea feel like a massage. A numbing cream might be used for microneedling and Nordlys Frax 1550. Most clients find all of them tolerable.
Can I have treatment during pregnancy or while breastfeeding?
We do not use laser, light, RF or microneedling during pregnancy, and we usually wait until you have finished pregnancy. Please mention it at your consultation so we can plan the right timing for you.
Is it safe for darker skin?
Yes. Regenlite, LPG, Sublative, microneedling and Bloomea suit all skin types. For Nordlys we choose settings after assessing your skin type.
Begin Your Clinical Journey
Every skin profile is unique. Schedule a complimentary, in-depth consultation with our medical aesthetics experts. We will carefully assess your physiological needs and engineer a customized “Green Beauty” treatment plan utilizing our industry-leading technologies.
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