Platelet-rich plasma for striae distensae

Striae distensae, aka stretch marks, are particularly associated with female sex, pregnancy, obesity, and/or hormonal change and are linear bands of benign dermal lesions. Although they do not pose any health risk, aesthetically unattractive stretch marks can cause considerable psychological distress among those affected. 

Among various therapeutic approaches, some literature sources proclaim platelet-rich plasma as a promising treatment modality for striae distensae. A present study elaborated on current literature evidence of platelet-rich plasma for treating stretch marks and performed an English literature analysis with two independent reviewers per PRISMA guidelines searching the PubMed and Web of Science databases. 

Among the 12 found studies, 6 matched the inclusion criteria. With no control groups in two, just two other reports utilized intraindividual comparisons, and all but one publication conducted histopathological assessments. All the studies observed clinical and subjective improvements without using validated scores or patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). 

The study found multiple treatments with platelet-rich plasma increased epidermal thickness, rete ridges formation, and collagen/elastin formation while decreasing the inflammatory cell infiltrate. 

This study found poor current literature evidence supporting the use of platelet-rich plasma for striae distensae. 

Sawetz I, et al. Platelet-rich plasma for striae distensae: What do we know about processed autologous blood contents for treating skin stretchmarks?—A systematic review. International wound journal. 2021;18(3):387-395. https://doi.org/10.1111/iwj.13541