Women worldwide who have unwanted stretch marks can rest easy. The FDA has cleared Palomar Medical Technologies Inc.’s Lux1540 fractional non-ablative laser handpiece for the treatment of striae (stretch marks) utilizing a fractional laser. The clearance will allow aesthetic practitioners to treat the unwanted marks. Ongoing clinical studies have shown that subjects treated with the laser have achieved an average improvement of between 51 and 75 percent in the appearance of the striae, based on a blinded review of photographs comparing the pre-treatment appearance of the striae versus the results three months post-treatment. “For the right patient, the Lux1540 provides a laser treatment option for stretch marks that offers significant improvement,” said Dr. Vic Narurkar, a dermatologist in San Francisco, Calif. and past president of the American Society of Cosmetic Dermatology and Aesthetic Surgery. “The non-ablative fractional laser allows for comfortable treatments with little to no impact on the patient’s daily activities.” The laser can also be used to treat surgical and acne scars, melasma and non-ablative skin resurfacing. Additionally, it is available for use with the company’s StarLux 500 laser and pulsed light platform, which allows practitioners to attach a variety of application-specific handpieces to one base unit for easy expansion with practice growth. Palomar is a provider of light-based systems for cosmetic treatments. In the past, the company has received 510(k) clearance for patented over-the-counter (OTC) home-use, light-based hair removal devices and home-use laser devices for the treatment of periorbital wrinkles. For more information, visit: www.palomarmedical.com