CO2 Fractional Laser CO2 and Erbium Fractional Lasers

This minimally-invasive procedure can take years off your face, even out skin tone, diminish brown spots and wrinkles, remove precancerous lesions, and atone for the sins of sun worshiping in your past.

We have performed over 11,000 ablative fractional laser treatments.

What It Is:

In a matter of minutes, these ablative laser treatments remove small columns of skin, leaving the fresh, glowing, plump skin underneath. The columns allow for collagen to generate where the skin was vaporized. This also results in fewer complications and a down time of looking mildly sunburned for three to four days. These quick treatments are performed with the aid of a chilling spray that cools the skin to negative 30 degrees, thus making the procedure extremely tolerable. The cooling spray also prevents damage of surrounding tissue that is not the target for removal. Recovery time is thus reduced, with no significant swelling or bleeding associated with other procedures like the weaker, less precise Fraxel.

Effective Treatment For:

Strengthens & thickens skin
Restores elasticity
Reduces pore size
Reduces acne scars & stretch marks
Reverses aging by 5–10 years

Erbium fractional laser before and after treatment

What It Does:

These lasers stimulate collagen to help fill in fine lines and wrinkles, stretch marks, acne scars, thicken crepey undereye or neck skin, and even out irregular skin tone and texture.

Downtime:

CO2 Fractional: Three to four days of looking sunburned and greasy (from ointments needed for optimal recovery).
Erbium Fractional: one to three days of looking sunburned and greasy.

Where It Can Be Used:

Anywhere you have skin needing improvement in texture and tone
Wrinkled skin
Acne scars
Stretch marks
Thickens thin skin, like around the eyes, neck, backs of hands
Results can be enhanced with PRP (platelet-rich plasma) or Sculptra

What To Expect:

Three to four days of mildly sunburned appearance. No oozing; minimal aftercare.
You will see subtle results in the first month, but full results six to nine months later with the CO2; three to four months with the Erbium.

Aftercare:

Three days for the CO2; One to two days for the Erbium, every 3 – hours while awake.
Cool compresses (old T-shirts soaked in 2 tsp white vinegar per 1 qt water) x 10 minutes (20, if the dots turn brown), followed by separate compresses with whole milk x 10 minutes.
Wipe off previous ointments and dead skin with soaking T-shirt. Clean shirt for next use.
Olive squalane or Lavender / rose hip oil (blue bottle, provided). Aquaphor or Alba Unpetroleum Jelly may be used after. You may apply aloe vera gel prior to the rosehip oil.
Saran wrap (at night, or if you’re bored at home. Seals face. Avoid this if you have a latex allergy)

Difference Between the Lasers:

The CO2 laser is the most powerful laser created that can vaporize material, be it skin, or metal. The technology was developed several decades ago, but was initially poorly controlled, so there was a recovery time of months, since it removed the entire surface of the face. Then, erbium lasers came into vogue. They were a bit weaker, but more controllable. Then the concept of fractionating the laser into smaller, more manageable beams came into play…and thus emerged the fractionated laser. The term “fractional” laser refers to any laser, CO2 or not, that vaporizes smaller, pinpoint areas, instead of large swaths. This leaves healthy skin between to heal the surface while the magic happens below.

The Fraxel was the first and best marketed of these fractional lasers, although it is not well controlled. You can power down a strong laser…you can’t power up a weak laser. Other lasers attempt to make up for their shortcomings, but usually results in more collateral damage, pain, and risk for scarring. The expected down time with the Fraxel, including bleeding and oozing from the face, is about ten (10) days. Since the damage is more superficial, multiple treatments (each with 10 days of down time) are required for optimal results with the Fraxel.

The down time with the CO2 laser we use is three to four days. It is significantly more powerful (goes deeper), and much more precise, so it does not burn the surface. Because this laser reaches so deeply, it takes several months for full results to appear at the surface. This CO2 laser (it’s my second) has the added benefit of radiofrequency for more skin tightening and collagen production. In the following months, you will look younger as time passes, as your body creates its own collagen to fill lines and improve texture. Clients should follow these pre-procedure instructions before receiving this treatment. Clients should plan for a productive weekend indoors, as they will need to apply ointments and follow other aftercare measures every few hours for at least three days.

The downtime with the Erbium laser is one to two days, as it does not penetrate as deeply as the CO2, but does show results sooner.