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Stretch marks are lines that appear when the skin stretches faster than it can adapt. They appear during pregnancy, in adolescence, with weight changes or with training, and they are not a disease. They don't disappear completely, but they can be improved, especially while they are still red or purple.
At the El Poblado practice, Dr. Olga Gómez Montoya, physician and surgeon from the University of Antioquia, checks what type of stretch marks you have, their color and your skin type before proposing a treatment.
Reviewed by Dr. Olga Gómez Montoya · Updated: October 2026
Aesthetic medicine guided by medical judgment · El Poblado, Medellín
Stretch marks are linear scars in the skin that appear when collagen and elastin fibers break due to rapid stretching. Their medical name is striae distensae.
They appear mainly on the abdomen, buttocks, thighs, hips, breasts and arms. They are very common and don't affect your health, but they can be bothersome.
They appear when the skin stretches faster than it can produce new collagen. The most common causes are:
If wide, purple stretch marks appear without a clear cause, along with other changes in your body, see your doctor: they may have a hormonal origin that needs to be investigated.
It's for you if…
It's not the right time if…
There are two main types, depending on how long they have been there: recent ones, which are red or purple, and older ones, which are white. The color changes the treatment. They are also named by their cause: pregnancy stretch marks, adolescent stretch marks, stretch marks from weight changes or from corticosteroids.
Pink or red, sometimes raised or itchy. Early stage, with inflammation. These respond best to treatment.
Violet and darker. Early stage; more noticeable on darker skin. They respond well to treatment.
Silvery, sunken and thinner. Mature stage, with the scar already formed. They improve more slowly and to a more limited degree.
They can't be removed completely. What can be achieved is an improvement in their color, texture and width, until they are much less noticeable. The more recent they are, the better they respond. So if your stretch marks are still red or purple, this is the best time for an assessment.
There is no single best treatment. It is chosen according to the color of the stretch mark and your skin type, and techniques are almost always combined. Learn more about CO2 laser and microneedling in regeneration, scars and texture.
Stimulates new collagen and improves texture. Indicated for white and red stretch marks.
Controlled micro-injuries that stimulate collagen. Indicated for white and red stretch marks.
Stimulates collagen in recent stretch marks. Indicated for red stretch marks, depending on the assessment.
“Stretch marks can't be erased, and I'd rather tell you that before we start. What we can do is make sure they stop being the first thing you see when you look at yourself.” — Dr. Olga Gómez Montoya, physician and surgeon, University of Antioquia
They help very little. Creams and oils moisturize and can improve the surface texture, but they don't repair the broken fibers in the skin. No cream or oil eliminates stretch marks.
Some prescription creams can improve recent red stretch marks. Several of them cannot be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding, so don't use them without medical advice.
To prevent stretch marks during pregnancy, the evidence on creams and oils is limited. Moisturizing the skin does no harm, but it doesn't guarantee they won't appear.
Yes, with extra care. Olive and brown skin, very common in Colombia, has a higher risk of developing dark spots after a laser or an aggressive procedure. That is why the technique, intensity and timing are adjusted, the skin is prepared beforehand and protected from the sun afterward.
On the buttocks and thighs they often appear together, and each has its own treatment: cellulite is dimpling and uneven texture, and loss of firmness in the buttocks is skin with less support. At the assessment all three are reviewed and a single plan is put together.
Dr. Gómez reviews the type, color, area and your skin type.
For darker skin, the skin is prepared before the procedure.
Techniques are combined, with several weeks between sessions.
Strict sun protection and a follow-up visit to decide whether more sessions are needed.
They are linear scars in the skin that appear when collagen and elastin fibers break due to rapid stretching. Their medical name is striae distensae. They are very common and don't affect your health.
They appear when the skin stretches faster than it can adapt: during pregnancy, in adolescence, with weight changes, with rapid gains in muscle mass or with prolonged use of corticosteroids. Genetics also plays a role.
There are two main types, depending on how long they have been there. Recent ones are red or purple and respond better to treatment. Older ones are white, because the scar has already formed, and they improve more slowly.
Red and purple stretch marks are recent, with inflammation and active blood vessels. White ones are mature stretch marks. The color indicates the stage and helps choose the treatment.
Not completely. With medical treatment, their color, texture and width can be improved until they are much less noticeable. Red and purple stretch marks respond better than white ones.
They help very little. They moisturize and can improve the surface, but they don't repair the broken fibers. Some prescription creams improve recent red stretch marks, but several cannot be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
Oils moisturize the skin, but there is no solid evidence that they prevent or eliminate stretch marks. They can be part of your skincare, without expecting them to erase them.
There isn't just one. It is chosen according to the color of the stretch mark and the skin type, and techniques that stimulate collagen, such as fractional laser and microneedling, are almost always combined. The assessment determines the combination.
Yes, with extra care, because darker skin has a higher risk of developing dark spots after a procedure. The technique and intensity are adjusted, the skin is prepared beforehand and protected from the sun afterward.
It depends on the type of stretch marks, the area and the techniques that are combined. At your assessment in El Poblado we explain the plan and its investment clearly.
At your assessment, Dr. Olga tells you what type of stretch marks you have, how much they can improve and with what. No promises of perfect skin.
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