BACKGROUND

Striae distensae are common disfiguring atrophic dermal scars. Fractonal lasers have been utilized to improve the appearance of this condition.

To compare the efficacy and safety of picosecond fractional 1064-nm Nd:YAG (PS Nd:YAG) laser versus fractional 10,600-nm Carbon Dioxide (CO2) laser in treating abdominal striae alba (SA).

Thirty-two women with Fitzpatrick skin types III-V and abdominal SA participated in a split-abdomen study, receiving four sessions of fractional PS Nd:YAG and CO2 laser treatments on each side at four-week intervals. Striae texture, atrophy, clinical improvement, and satisfaction were assessed for each side at one and three months, with striae length and width compared pre- and post-treatment. Adverse reactions were noted at each visit.

Abdomen treated with both lasers had significantly improved skin texture, atrophy and clinical improvements (assessed by physicians and patients) at both follow-ups (p < 0.05), with no difference between the two. Striae length and width did not change significantly (p = 0.203 and p = 0.558). Patients reported greater improvement on the CO2-treated side at 1 month, but not at the final follow-up. High satisfaction was noted for both lasers. Adverse reactions noted after both lasers include erythema, edema, crusting/scaling, pruritus, pain and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. The PS Nd:YAG laser was associated with greater pain (p < 0.05), but shorter healing time of 10.26 days.

Both fractional PS Nd:YAG and CO2 lasers were effective, well-tolerated and safe treatment options for SA.

No abstract available.
Humans ; Striae Distensae* ; Vitiligo*

Striae distensae is linear bands of atrophic or wrinkled skin, which is usually developed due to being overweight, pregnant or an endocrine alteration. Also, the prototype of striae distensae is observed as a linear band with skin atrophy. However, bullous type of striae distensae is rarely reported in the literature. The patient is a 27-year-old pregnant woman who had general edema and abdominal distension caused by systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) and pregnancy. On the lower abdomen and thigh, she presented with bullous striae distensae resulted from collagen fiber disintegration induced by generalized edema as the secondary mechanism. We report a case of bullous striae distensae in a pregnant woman with SLE.
Abdomen ; Atrophy ; Collagen ; Edema ; Female ; Humans ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; Overweight ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women ; Skin ; Striae Distensae ; Thigh

Cutaneous chronic graft versus host disease (GVHD) is classified into lichenoid and sclerodermoid forms and may be associated with xerosis cutis, dyschromia, nail and hair changes. A 52-year-old woman was diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia and underwent allogeneic non-myeloablative hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in October 2006. She presented with multiple linear atrophic striae on the erythematous to pigmented firm plaque on the abdomen for 1 year. A biopsy was taken from the linear atrophic striae and firm plaque, respectively. We report a rare case of striae distensae developed on the chronic sclerodermoid skin GVHD lesion diagnosed by clinicopathologic findings.
Abdomen ; Biopsy ; Female ; Graft vs Host Disease ; Hair ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive ; Nails ; Skin ; Striae Distensae

Linear focal elastosis (LFE) is characterized by several asymptomatic, yellow, palpable, irregularly indurated, striae-like lines extending horizontally across the middle and lower back. A focal increase in elastic fibers is a hallmark of the disease as seen from biopsy specimens. The pathogenesis of LFE is unclear, as is the association between LFE and striae distensae (SD). However, the prevailing opinion is that LFE represents an excessive regenerative process of elastic fibers and is analogous to keloidal repair of SD. Although the timing of onset of LFE and SD was not synchronous in our patient, the triggering factor was the same, which was the growth spurt. This case is supporting the putative association between LFE and SD.
Biopsy ; Elastic Tissue ; Humans ; Keloid ; Striae Distensae

BACKGROUND: Striae distensae is a common skin condition that can happen to everyone. Most cases do not have serious problems, but those who are affected may suffer from strong cosmetic stress. There was an epidemiologic study of striae distensae in Korean adolescents. Up to now, variable treatment modalities have been tried including topical application of tretinoin and light-based therapy using pulsed dye lasers or fractional lasers. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prevalence of striae distensae in Korean women and estimate their understanding. METHODS: We carried out a survey targeting 256 healthy female adults without a history of medical disease and analyzed the results. RESULTS: The number of patients with striae distensae were 219 (86.0%). Striae distensae was mostly seen at the thigh and calf (84.0%) and longitudinal formed striae, with their long axis parallel to the lines of skin tension, was the most frequent shape (44.0%). The most common color of the striae distensae was white (56.0%) and 78% of patients had experienced this before adulthood. Striae distensae is caused by two major factors, overweight (70.0%) and growth spurts (24.0%), and 244 patients (76.0%) replied that they felt uncomfortable because of this disorder. Nineteen patients (8.6%) with striae distensae had gone through treatment. Among them, 11 (5.0%) had technical treatment in dermatologic clinics such as, pulse dye laser, fractional laser, and chemical peeling. Eight patients (3.7%) were treated with folk remedies including moxibustion and acupuncture therapy. However, 154 patients (71%) responded that they wanted treatment for the striae lesion, and 93 patients (43%) have great intention to treatment. CONCLUSION: A lot of patients are still suffering from striae distensae, but so far there is no appropriate treatment. The biggest problem is that there is very little understanding of striae distensae. Patients should be aware of their striae distensae and we should provide appropriate treatment.
Acupuncture Therapy ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Cosmetics ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Intention ; Lasers, Dye ; Medicine, Traditional ; Moxibustion ; Overweight ; Prevalence ; Skin ; Stress, Psychological ; Striae Distensae ; Thigh ; Tretinoin

Linear focal elastosis (LFE) is a rare dermal elastosis characterized by hypertrophic yellowish linear plaques and increased abnormal elastic tissues in the lumbosacral area. Although the pathogenesis of this disorder remains unknown, it may be associated with keloidal repair process (KRP) of elastic tissues in striae distensae (SD), because there have been some reported cases of LFE accompanied by SD. We herein report a 14-year-old boy with LFE following SD in the lumbar region. Our case supports the hypothesis of KRP in the pathogenesis of LFE. Immunohistochemical study for transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) was negative. Therefore, we assume that the pathogenesis of KRP in LFE is different from that of keloid development, which is the TGF-beta signaling pathway.
Adolescent ; Elastic Tissue ; Humans ; Keloid ; Lumbosacral Region ; Striae Distensae ; Transforming Growth Factor beta

BACKGROUND: Striae distensae are atrophic dermal scars with overlying epidermal atrophy causing significant cosmetic concern. Although a variety of laser and light sources have been used for the treatment of striae distensae, to date no definite 'gold standard' treatment modality has been determined. OBJECTIVE: To assess and compare the efficacy and safety of nonablative fractional photothermolysis and ablative CO2 fractional laser resurfacing in the treatment of striae distensae. METHODS: Twenty-four ethnic South Korean patients with varying degrees of atrophic striae alba in the abdomen were enrolled in a randomized blind split study. The patients were treated with 1,550 nm fractional Er:Glass laser and ablative fractional CO2 laser resurfacing. Each half of the abdominal lesion was randomly selected and treated three times at intervals of 4-weeks using the same parameters. Digital photography was conducted and skin elasticity and the width of the widest striae in each subject were measured at the baseline and 4 weeks after the final treatment. Clinical improvement was assessed by comparing pre- and post-treatment clinical photographs by two blinded physicians and participant satisfaction rates were evaluated. Skin biopsies were taken from three participants. All adverse effects were reported during the study. RESULTS: Although they do not statistically differ, both treatments with nonablative fractional laser and ablative CO2 fractional laser showed a significant clinical and histopathologic improvement of striae distensae over pretreatment sites. CONCLUSION: These results support the use of nonablative fractional laser and ablative CO2 fractional laser as effective and safe treatment modalities for striae distensae of Asian skin. However, neither treatment showed any greater clinical improvement than the other treatment.
Abdomen ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Atrophy ; Biopsy ; Cicatrix ; Cosmetics ; Elasticity ; Humans ; Lasers, Gas ; Light ; Photography ; Skin ; Striae Distensae

Striae Distensae is a very common cosmetic problem. The effectiveness of various lasers, such as the 585-nm pulsed dye laser on the treatment of striae distensae has recently been reported. However, the potential pigmentary alteration of dark skin by pulsed dye laser is known. Thermage is a radiofrequency capable of delivering higher energy fluences to a greater volume of tissue than nonablative lasers, with no epidermal injury. We report three patients who had striae distensae. They were treated with Thermage and 585-nm pulsed dye laser. The treatment was effective and safe for dark skin.
Humans ; Lasers, Dye ; Skin ; Striae Distensae*

Striae distensae are characterized by linear, smooth bands of atrophic-appearing skin. In histologic findings, the epidermis is thin and flattened. There is a decrease in the thickness of the dermis. Separation of collagen fibers and small, fragmented elastic fibers are seen in the dermis. Striae distensae develop as a result of disruption of the connective tissue framework. Main mechanism of edematous striae distensae is disintegration of collagen, followed by the pressure induced by generalized edema as the secondary mechanism. The patient is a 17-year-old boy who had generalized pitting edema and abdominal distension due to nephrotic syndrome. On the abdomen, he has presented with edematous striae and ulceration with exudate for 1 week. Edematous striae distensae are uncommon but can develop from the combined effects of glucocorticoid and generalized edema. We report a case of edematous striae distensae in nephrotic syndrome.
Abdomen ; Adolescent ; Collagen ; Connective Tissue ; Dermis ; Edema* ; Elastic Tissue ; Epidermis ; Exudates and Transudates ; Humans ; Male ; Nephrotic Syndrome* ; Skin ; Striae Distensae* ; Ulcer