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Topical Tretinoin (Retinoic Acid) Improves Early Stretch Marks
Sewon Kang, MD;
Kwang J. Kim, MD, PhD;
Christopher E. M. Griffiths, MD;
Tai-Yuen Wong, MD;
Harvinder S. Talwar, PhD;
Gary J. Fisher, PhD;
David Gordon, MD;
Ted A. Hamilton, MS;
Charles N. Ellis, MD;
John J. Voorhees, MD
Arch Dermatol. 1996;132(5):519-526.
Abstract
Background and Design
Stretch marks are disfiguring lesions usually caused by excessive stretching of skin. We investigated the response of early, clinically active stretch marks to topical 0.1% tretinoin (retinoic acid) cream. In a double-blind, randomized, vehicle-controlled study, 22 patients applied either 0.1% tretinoin (n=10) or vehicle (n=12) daily for 6 months to the affected areas. Patients were evaluated by physical examination monthly and by analysis of biopsy specimens of stretch marks obtained before and at the end of therapy in comparison with untreated normal skin.
Results
After 2 months, patients treated with tretinoin had significant improvement in severity scores of stretch marks compared with patients who received vehicle (P<.05). After 6 months, eight (80%) of the 10 tretinointreated patients had definite or marked improvement compared with one (8%) of the 12 vehicle-treated patients (P=.002). Targeted stretch marks in patients treated with tretinoin had a decrease in mean length and width of 14% and 8%, respectively, compared with an increase of 10% (P<.001) and 24% (P=.008), respectively, in patients who received vehicle. There were no significant differences in various measures of quality and quantity of dermal collagen and elastic fibers in stretch marks when tretinoin and vehicle treatments were compared.
Conclusions
Topical application of tretinoin significantly improves the clinical appearance of early, active stretch marks. The processes that are responsible for the clinical improvement remain unknown.
(Arch Dermatol. 1996;132:519-526)
Author Affiliations
From the Dermatopharmacology Unit, Department of Dermatology (Drs Kang, Kim, Griffiths, Talwar, Fisher, Ellis, and Voorhees and Mr Hamilton), and the Department of Pathology (Dr Gordon), University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor; and the Department of Pathology, Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Mass (Dr Wong). Dr Griffiths is now with the Section of Dermatology, University of Manchester School of Medicine, Salford, England, and Dr Wong is with the Division of Dermatopathology, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY.
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