CO2 Fractional Laser

How it works

An ablative fractional CO2 laser emits infrared light at 10,600 nm, which is absorbed by water in the skin. The beam vaporizes tiny columns of tissue and leaves bridges of untouched skin between them, which helps healing. The body then remodels the treated area over weeks to months. The same technology, set differently, is also used to remove small surface lesions.

Good to know

• Ask about depth and density settings, since they determine both result and recovery.
• Clarify how long crusting and redness usually last for the settings planned.
• Disclose cold sore history, keloid tendency, isotretinoin use, and recent sun exposure.
• Prolonged redness, pigment change, infection, and scarring are recognized risks, higher with deeper settings.

Checking a CO2 Fractional Laser treatment before you book

The manufacturer of the laser should be named by the clinic; ask for the make and model rather than only the treatment label. Fractional CO2 settings differ widely from a light refresh to a deep resurfacing, and those are very different experiences.

Because this is a more intensive treatment, the doctor's role in aftercare matters. Ask what the follow-up schedule is, what to do if healing seems slow, and who to contact.