Stretch marks (striae) are scar-like bands that form when skin stretches rapidly and its collagen and elastin are disrupted. At Santa Barbara Face & Body in Santa Barbara, California, a board-certified facial plastic surgeon fades them with microneedling and fractional laser, chosen safely for your skin tone, with the honest understanding that treatment reduces rather than erases them.
Stretch marks are a type of scar caused by rapid skin stretching that disrupts collagen and elastin. New marks are red or purple (striae rubrae) and respond better; older marks fade to white (striae albae) and are more resistant. Microneedling and fractional laser rebuild collagen to soften them, with microneedling often chosen first for darker skin tones because it carries less risk of color change.
What it is
Stretch marks are essentially scars, and understanding that sets honest expectations.
- How they form. When skin stretches quickly, the collagen and elastin that support it tear, leaving narrow, scar-like bands.
- New versus old. Fresh marks are red or purple (striae rubrae) and respond best to treatment; over time they fade to white or silver (striae albae) and become harder to improve.
- Where they appear. Commonly the abdomen, breasts, hips, thighs, and upper arms, often after pregnancy, growth, or weight change.
Because they are scars, the honest goal is to fade and soften them, not to erase them, and starting while they are still red gives the best result.
What causes it
The mechanism is mechanical and quick. When the skin is stretched faster than it can grow, most often in pregnancy, adolescence, rapid weight change, or bodybuilding, the dermis tears and the supporting collagen and elastin are disrupted, leaving the scar-like bands. Genetics and hormones influence who gets them and how much.
The timing matters for treatment. While the marks are still red or purple, the skin is actively remodeling and responds well to collagen-building treatment; once they turn white, the same treatments help less. That is why acting early, rather than waiting, tends to pay off.
What kind of marks, and what helps
This is what the consultation sorts out, because color, skin tone, and area all shape the plan.
| What you notice | Usually means | The route that fits |
|---|---|---|
| Red or purple, recent marks | Striae rubrae, actively remodeling | Collagen-building microneedling, sometimes laser |
| White or silver, older marks | Striae albae, mature | Microneedling or laser, with more modest gains |
| Marks on deeper skin tones | Higher pigment-change risk with laser | Microneedling, often the safer first choice |
| Rough or crepey texture with the marks | Surface and collagen | Fractional laser resurfacing |
| A large area after pregnancy or weight change | Extensive striae | A staged series, with realistic goals |
The value is not the list. It is that a physician reads the color, your skin tone, and the area, and chooses microneedling or laser accordingly, so the treatment helps without risking discoloration, and the expectations are honest from the start.
Why Santa Barbara Face & Body
Stretch-mark treatment is where overpromising is common and where the wrong laser setting on the wrong skin tone can leave marks worse. Dr. Pontius does the opposite: she is candid that stretch marks are scars and that treatment fades rather than erases them, and she chooses microneedling or laser based on your skin tone to avoid discoloration. That honesty, and settings matched to your skin, is what makes the improvement real and safe.
When it is worth a consultation
Worth coming in if you
- Have new red or purple stretch marks and want to act while they respond best
- Have older white marks you would like to soften
- Want treatment chosen safely for your skin tone
- Prefer an honest read on what is realistic before spending on treatment
Better to talk it through first if you
- Are pregnant or breastfeeding, since some treatments and topicals are deferred
- Have very fresh marks that may still be changing on their own
- Expect complete removal, since treatment fades rather than erases scars
What to expect from a visit
Dr. Pontius looks at the color and maturity of your marks, your skin tone, and the area involved, and explains what each option can realistically do. New red marks and darker skin tones often point to microneedling first; some cases add fractional laser. You leave with a staged plan and honest expectations, understanding that stretch marks are softened over a series rather than erased in one treatment.
What we offer for this
People come in wanting stretch marks gone and leave with a realistic plan to fade them safely. Microneedling and laser are matched to the marks and your skin tone.
- What they are
- Scar-like bands from rapid skin stretching
- Respond best
- New, red or purple marks (striae rubrae)
- Safer for darker tones
- Microneedling, lower color-change risk
- Honest goal
- Fade and soften, not erase
- Treated by
- Dr. Allison Pontius, board-certified facial plastic surgeon
Improving Stretch Marks in Santa Barbara, CA
Stretch marks are incredibly common, but that doesn’t make them any less frustrating when you’d rather not see them. Here in Santa Barbara, Dr. Pontius offers treatments that soften their appearance and improve the surrounding skin’s texture and tone. If stretch marks have been on your mind, we’d love to help. Fill out the form below or call us at (805) 764-9074.