Striae gravidarum treatment: evaluating non-ablating fractional laser (NAFL) efficacy and safety

Background Striae gravidarum (SG) is a common pregnancy-related dermatologic problem, for which finding an effective treatment remains a challenge.Aim To evaluate the safety and efficacy of 1540 nm non-ablative fractional laser (Star lux 500) in the treatment of SG in Iranian women and peruse the relationship between clinical improvement rate and patient characteristics as well as clinical features of striae.Method A prospective before-after study was conducted on 50 patients with SG who received three monthly sessions of 1540 nm non-ablative fractional laser and were followed for 2 months after the last treatment session. Clinical changes were measured using both provider-rated outcome through before/after pictures represented by final clinical score (from 0 to 5) and patient-reported outcome (patient global assessment or PGA).Results Over the course of the study both final clinical score and PGA increased significantly from week 4 to week 20 (P value: <0.001 and 0.048, respectively). Only modest adverse effects including erythema, edema and hyperpigmentation were noted.Conclusion In conclusion, patients with SG of different type (rubra/alba) or maturity may somehow benefit from treatment with NAFL experiencing minimal transient side effects.Therefore, NAFL may be considered a safe and partially effective treatment option for stretch mark of patients with SG.