Will CO2 work for me?

The CO2 laser is a great option for anyone who wants improvement in their fine lines, sun spots, sagging skin, and/or overall aging. CO2 laser treatment leaves skin smoother, tighter, bouncier, and with a more even texture and tone. This procedure will produce great results for anyone who has it done, but patients with darker skin tones, melasma, or lupus are not candidates for laser treatments.

How long will my results last?

CO2 results do NOT wear off over time in the way Botox or filler results do. CO2 turns back the clock about 5-10 years and then you age gracefully from that point on. We recommend taking care of your new skin with diligent SPF and moisturizer!

When will I see results?

Results happen in 3 stages:

1. Immediately: The laser vaporizes columns of skin, meaning you actually leave the treatment with less skin and therefore TIGHTER skin.

2. Days Following: During the week-long healing process, the top layers of skin containing many of the sun spots and wisdom spots slough/peel off.

3. Up to 6 Months Following: The intentional micro-damage caused by the laser stimulates the fibroblasts in our skin and arouses the production of new healthy collagen. These results can be seen as soon as a few weeks after the procedure, but this process continues to occur for 6 months following treatment.

What will it feel like during the procedure?

Numbing cream is applied to your skin an hour before the treatment. While this reduces most of the pain, you will still feel a hot and “prickly” sensation during the treatment. We hold a personal air conditioner on you during the treatment to minimize any heat and discomfort.

What will it be like in the days following the procedure?

Typically, the first 3-4 days your skin feels hot, swollen, and tight. After that, your skin moves into a stage of more peeling and itching. All of these sensations are normal and mean the laser has done its job, but it is imperative that skin is kept clean, moist, and away from UV light at all times during the 7-10 days of healing.

How long is the downtime?

Typically healing takes 7-10 days. This is dependent on the patients skin tone, the settings tolerated by the patient and the patient’s normal ability to heal. The higher the setting used, the longer the downtime, but the better the results. Full healing should be achieved 14 days after the procedure for all patients.

If you are doing CO2 in preparation for a special event, your treatment should be scheduled at least a month and a half before the event.

Why/How does this procedure work?

This laser works by intentionally creating small columns of damage through the epidermis to the dermis. This vaporization of skin leaves the patient with deep microscopic holes in the skin that will heal to make skin tighter. Additionally, a natural part of the healing process is sloughing off the top layers of skin to reveal a fresh new layer that existed underneath. Finally, the intentional micro-damage from the treatment stimulates skin’s fibroblasts to produce new collagen. Collagen is the protein in our skin that makes it smooth, bouncy, and youthful. Collagen production greatly decreases as we age starting in our late 20s. The CO2 laser gets rid of the old collagen and promotes creation of new healthy collagen. Hooray!

Will I need to repeat this procedure in order to keep my results?

Repeating treatment is NOT required for great results, however, having multiple treatments will produce results that increasingly get better because each treatment improves upon the previous. Typically, you can expect one treatment to shed 5-10 years off of your skin’s life. Each subsequent treatment will improve your skin by 5-10 years. With this treatment, there isn’t an end point where improvement will stop. It can only get better!

If you choose to repeat treatment of the same area within 12 months of the initial, you will receive a 50% off discount on the subsequent treatment.

CO2 vs Facelift?

While a facelift will tighten skin more than CO2, you will still have the same QUALITY of skin you did before your facelift, with all its textural and tonal imperfections. A facelift will simply pull that damaged skin tighter. CO2 laser leaves skin tighter, smoother, bouncier and with overall fewer imperfections. You would be better off getting a facelift AFTER Co2 laser, if it’s even still needed!

CO2 vs Liquid Face Lift aka Filler?

If you have significant volume loss, filler could still be needed to achieve your overall cosmetic goals. This is personal preference, as we often see patients who no longer feel as if they need filler after they have had a CO2 laser treatment. If you still desire filler injections after your CO2 treatment, the good news is that far less filler is required due to the increased amount of collagen that is produced in your skin during the healing process after CO2. Much like a facelift, filler alone will correct overall volume loss, but it will not correct irregular texture and extensive fine lines or improve the overall quality of your skin.

CO2 vs Anti-aging topical products

Co2 will yield better and faster results than topical cosmetic anti-aging products. We recommend investing in CO2 first in order to provide a new baseline from which to improve and maintain your skin with cosmetic topical products. To encourage maintenance of your post-CO2 fresh skin, we offer a one-time 20% discount on topical products during your complimentary post-treatment consultation.

Interested? Call us at 205.995.5575 to schedule a free consultation!