Body treatment · Scars and stretch marks

Can you really soften body stretch marks and scars?

Yes, and that's exactly what this page sets out. At the Photoderma clinic in Laval, it is possible to effectively soften stretch marks and scars with mesotherapy. Whether the stretch mark is recent and purplish-red or long-settled and white, whether the scar is flat, raised or keloid, it belongs to a treatable family — provided the area is first read in the cabin.

Key point — "it's important to know that you can consult us for the treatment of a scar or stretch marks as soon as they appear. In many cases, treatment could begin immediately." Photoderma clinic sheet.

Photoderma · 4672 Blvd. Saint-Martin Ouest, Laval, Québec H7T 2X9 · Toll-free 1-844-252-3200

Stretch marks on the thigh, skin held between two hands
Related care · source sheet Mesotherapy · Microneedling
  • Purplish-red stretch marks, white stretch marks
  • Flat, raised, keloid scars
  • Treatment possible as soon as they appear

On stretch marks · source sheet

What exactly is a stretch mark?

Stretch marks are small scar-like fissures that form on the skin. They appear when the dermis is subjected to excessive and sudden stretching. The stretch mark first forms purplish-red; its color will fade over time, until it becomes white. Both stages can be treated, but the red window usually offers the best return on the elastic fibre.

Phase 01

Purplish-red

Recent inflammatory window

The stretch mark has just formed: the dermis has given way under tension, the elastic fibres have torn and inflammation produces this distinctive purplish-red tone. This is the ideal window to start mesotherapy: the intervention nourishes the dermis while it is still trying to reorganize itself.

Phase 02

Pink to pale mauve

Transition and fading

Inflammation subsides. The stretch mark fades, loses its warmth, becomes more discreet to the touch but remains visible to the eye. The scarred dermis closes without spontaneously regaining its original elasticity; mesotherapy remains relevant at this stage to restart neocollagenesis.

Phase 03

Settled white

Permanent white fissure

The stretch mark has finished fading: paler than the surrounding skin, sometimes slightly sunken. Treatment requires more sessions, but microneedling combined with mesotherapy can still visibly soften the fissure, harmonizing the relief and tone with the neighbouring skin.

The three origins named in the clinic

  • a

    Heredity

    Low skin elasticity is passed down. When the inherited dermis tolerates stretching poorly, a fissure appears from a strain that would have produced nothing in another person.

  • b

    Significant weight gain

    A rapid weight gain mechanically stretches the skin on the belly, hips, chest or thighs. The source sheet specifically names this significant weight gain as the second typical origin.

  • c

    Muscle gain

    The mirror of the previous case: rapid mass gain in an athlete, growth spurt in adolescence, intensive weight training. Volume grows faster than the skin can keep up, and a fissure appears in the most strained areas.

The common denominator: a rapid stretching the body did not have time to support with the production of elastin and collagen. Mesotherapy works precisely on this local deficiency, not on its general cause — a healthy return to a stable weight or build remains a useful prerequisite before treatment.

On scars · source sheet

And a body scar, what exactly is it?

A scar is the visible part of a dermal lesion after the tissue has repaired itself, following a surgical incision or an injury. On the body, it often marks a cesarean section, an appendectomy, an accidental wound, sometimes the removal of a mole. The Photoderma sheet distinguishes the classic scar from the keloid, a specific case that must be identified before any session.

01

Standard scar

The flat or slightly marked trace

It is evidence of normal dermal repair. Healing cells have filled the wound and left a thin mark, sometimes paler or darker than the surrounding skin, but without exaggerated relief. This is the most common configuration after a clean surgical incision or a small injury.

Relief
Flat or very discreet
Firmness
Supple to the touch
Goal in the cabin
Even out the tone, soften the dermis

02

Keloid

The surplus-collagen raised scar

When the healing process is engaged, excess collagen production sometimes occurs, giving the scar height. This is called a keloid. It extends beyond the contours of the initial wound, forms a firm raised shape, sometimes sensitive, and may continue to thicken for several months. The source sheet reminds us that it is just as treatable.

Relief
Raised, sometimes overflowing
Firmness
Dense, firm under the finger
Goal in the cabin
Smooth the relief, relax the excess tissue

Related care · named in the sheet

How does mesotherapy work on stretch marks and scars?

The source sheet names only one treatment for this dual indication: mesotherapy / microneedling. Its principle is simple to describe, precise to carry out. Very fine controlled perforations open the dermis over the marked area, and during the same session, the aesthetician diffuses active ingredients targeted at neocollagenesis and elastin. Two levers, one gesture.

Mesotherapy / Microneedling

The session combines micro-needles and custom-injected serums. Micro-perforations relaunch collagen production in the fissure or scar; active ingredients — hyaluronic acid, peptides, vitamins, depending on the area — nourish the dermis and modulate pigmentation. For keloid scars, the pressure of microneedling also helps relax the excess relief.

Mechanical lever

Controlled micro-perforations

Relaunches neocollagenesis at the heart of the scarred dermis.

Biological lever

Targeted actives during the session

Nourishment of the dermis and modulation of local pigmentation.

Treated areas

Belly, hips, thighs, arms, chest, back

The session adapts to any marked body surface.

Format

Short course, then maintenance

Number and pace defined after assessment of the area.

An experienced aesthetician will give you, at the first appointment, all the required information on this treatment: needling density, selected actives, approximate number of passes, maintenance schedule. The full technical detail is on the dedicated sheet.

What mesotherapy does not replace

Mesotherapy supports healing; it does not replace medical advice when a scar remains painful, oozing or poorly closed, nor a surgical consultation for a rapidly evolving keloid. It also does not correct a skin stretching settled for several decades the way a surgical procedure would, but visibly softens the relief and tone.

Before the first session

Frequently asked questions · Body stretch marks and scars

Can you really soften an already-settled stretch mark?

Yes, it is possible. The Photoderma sheet indicates that mesotherapy and microneedling effectively soften stretch marks, whether recent purplish-red or old white. The sessions relaunch the production of collagen and elastin in the dermal fissure to fill in the relief and harmonize the colour with the surrounding skin.

What is a keloid and can it be treated?

A keloid is a scar whose healing process has produced excess collagen, creating a raised shape. The clinic's source sheet specifies that it is just as treatable as a classic scar. The aesthetician assesses the relief, firmness and colour in the cabin before proposing a suitable mesotherapy plan.

When can treatment of a scar or stretch mark begin?

As soon as they appear. The clinic sheet specifies that a consultation remains possible for a scar or stretch marks that have just formed, and that in many cases, treatment could begin immediately. Acting early, during the purplish-red phase for a stretch mark, favours better results before final fading.

Is body mesotherapy painful?

The sensation is targeted but tolerable. The microneedling combined with mesotherapy involves very fine micro-perforations of the dermis, which stay within the comfort of a cabin session. Intensity is adjusted by the aesthetician depending on the area — belly, hips, thighs, arms — and depending on the depth of the stretch mark or scar.

Can pregnancy stretch marks be treated after delivery?

Yes. Pregnancy stretch marks belong to the category the source sheet calls "excessive and sudden stretching" of the skin. Once the breastfeeding period is over, a mesotherapy plan can be started on the belly, hips, chest or thighs. The aesthetician sets the pace after an assessment of the area.

Next step · open a file for the marked area

Have the stretch mark or scar read before intervening.

An experienced aesthetician receives you in the cabin, takes the time to listen to the history of the area — pregnancy, weight gain, muscle gain, incision, injury — then assesses the relief, firmness and pigmentation under the light. At the end of this reading, she proposes a mesotherapy or microneedling plan suited to the intervention window and the stage of the mark. Medicard financing is presented at this stage, without commitment.

  • 01History of the marked area and context of its appearance
  • 02Reading in the cabin: relief, tone, suppleness of the dermis
  • 03Mesotherapy or microneedling plan, pace and maintenance