FDA has cleared a breakthrough light therapy to treat two common skin conditions-stretch marks and acne scars, conditions in which pigment loss often occurs. Stretch marks, the unsightly consequences of childbirth that affect 90 per cent of all pregnant women, as well as acne scars, can now be a thing of the past.

The Relume system is the first device of its kind to offer a practical solution for patients with white stretch marks and scars. Relume uses a therapeutic light source and fiber-optic delivery device to darken the scar tissue until it matches the healthy, normal skin surrounding the scar. Each treatment stimulates the production of melanin to repigment the skin over time.

Treatments with the Relume System are uncomplicated, rapid and painless. Patients lie on a bed in their dermatologist's office while the light is precisely targeted to the affected areas. Typical treatment consists of six to twelve weekly visits.