OBJECTIVE: We compared the long-term clinical effectiveness of a 1550-nm non-ablative fractional laser (NAFL) in treating SR and SA.
METHODS: We included 16 female patients (8 with SR and 8 with SA) who had developed abdominal SD during pregnancy. All underwent five moderately high-energy sessions of 1550-nm NAFL treatment at 4-week intervals. The strial widths and lengths were measured before, and 1 month and 1 year after treatment.
RESULTS: The mean strial width decreased from 6.94 mm before treatment to 3.25 mm at the first follow-up visit (p = 3.95 × 10-5) and to 3.13 mm at the second follow-up visit (p = 2.44 × 10-5). Similarly, the mean strial length decreased from 6.06 to 2.88 cm at the first follow-up visit (p = 1.7 × 10-4) and to 2.75 cm at the second follow-up visit (p = 9.52 × 10-5).
CONCLUSIONS: NAFL treatment was effective long term in both SR and SA patients.