Do you have lines, wrinkles, or an uneven skin tone? Has acne or too much time in the sun left your face with visible scars or sun spots?
You can reverse skin irregularities with fractional CO2 laser resurfacing. The state-of-the-art treatment can help your skin look more vibrant, healthier, and younger again.
Keep reading to learn how to get beautiful results and resurfacing with CO2.
What is Fractional CO2 Skin Resurfacing?
Fractional CO2 skin resurfacing is an anti-aging, breakthrough treatment that uses a carbon dioxide (CO2) laser to resurface the skin. These lasers precisely remove aged and damaged skin layer by layer and activate collagen production for comprehensive skin rejuvenation.
Resurfacing with CO2 can be done as a standalone treatment or combined with other cosmetic procedures.
Dr. Ronald Moy at Moy-Fincher-Chipps says, “CO2 laser resurfacing has improved tremendously so that we have not seen any complications for years and the results for skin tightening and wrinkle improvements are much better. The results are so good with skin tightening that fewer facelifts are needed to make anyone look younger.
CO2 laser resurfacing gives the most natural cosmetic results because the skin is tighter, smoother and thicker in any area without the possibility of pulling too tight or overfilling the skin unnaturally. For example, CO2 resurfacing often replaces eye lift surgery because the eyelids tightening is significant without any cutting or stitching.”
Why is Fractional CO2 Skin Resurfacing One of the Best Treatments?
With CO2 laser resurfacing, you can reset the clock on aging skin and enjoy the long-lasting benefits of a revitalized and youthful complexion. The tried and true procedure leverages the power of fractional CO2 laser technology to eliminate aged and damaged skin, unveiling smoother, firmer, and younger-looking skin.
Resurfacing with CO2 can be customized to address various skin concerns, making it an ideal option for individuals with different needs. This transformative and versatile procedure can address a range of skin concerns on the face, neck, arms, chest, and hands, including:
- Sun damage
- Sagging skin
- Acne scarring
- Enlarged pores
- Uneven skin tone
- Hyperpigmentation
- Lines and deep wrinkles
- Traumatic and surgical scars
- Pucker marks, smoker’s lines, and wrinkles around the mouth
- Skin lesions such as skin tags, moles, warts, seborrheic keratosis, and actinic keratoses
How Has Resurfacing Improved Over the Last 20 Years?
About two decades ago, fully ablative CO2 was the only technology that helped resurface damaged skin. The procedure involved removing the entire surface of the skin to address various skin concerns.
Although the treatment worked, there was a higher risk of side effects, such as permanent pigmentary changes or scarring after treatment and longer recovery times. Recent innovations have replaced fully ablative CO2 with fractionated CO2. Fractional CO2 laser skin resurfacing has significantly improved precision and customization and reduced the risk of complications post-treatment compared to fully ablative CO2.
The procedure has advanced skin rejuvenation and enhanced patient experience. Fractionated CO2 removes damaged skin in a more controlled manner, is highly effective, and has minimal downtime.
How Does Fractional CO2 Laser Skin Resurfacing Work?
A fractional CO2 laser fires columns of laser energy microbeams into specific areas of the skin in a grid pattern. During the procedure, your dermatologist at the Dermatology Center of Northern California can precisely target the damaged areas of the skin so the surrounding healthy skin is left intact.
This fractional approach accelerates healing and minimizes downtime, setting it apart from fully ablative CO2. Beams from the CO2 laser then penetrate the skin’s surface, where water molecules absorb them in the skin cells.
When that occurs, the water and superficial layer of the skin are vaporized. Simultaneously, the beam of light energy heats the middle layer or dermis, creating controlled micro-injuries.
These micro-injuries trigger the body’s natural healing process, which activates collagen production. As the treatment area heals, new, firmer, smoother, more evenly toned, and younger-looking skin replaces the old layer.
The production of collagen continues for up to 6 months. Consequently, the results continue improving after the initial healing phase.
How Can Fractional CO2 Skin Resurfacing Cure Skin Cancer?
Actinic keratoses are scaly, rough patches of skin. They can be red, pink, or brown and may itch, although they’re usually not painful. Actinic keratosis is often caused by sun exposure and is considered pre-cancerous.
Without treatment, these lesions can develop into squamous cell carcinoma, a form of skin cancer that can be disfiguring and life-threatening. Fractionated CO2 can be a quick, effective, and safe cancer treatment option, even for patients with multiple lesions.
Skin resurfacing with CO2 can remove actinic keratoses and, at the same time, offer cosmetic rejuvenation. The high-intensity light from a fractional CO2 laser shrinks and destroys actinic keratoses.
Fractionated CO2 can also treat early and superficial cancers such as basal and squamous cell carcinoma. The procedure destroys affected tissue, eventually replaced by new, healthy skin.
How Can Fractional CO2 Resurfacing Thicken Skin?
Fractioned CO2 uses a beam of energy to heat the underlying skin and boost collagen production. Collagen is an essential protein that improves skin texture and keeps skin from sagging.
It strengthens your skin and gives you a youthful, plump look. Over time, increasing collagen levels after resurfacing with CO2 allows visibly smoother, healthier, and thicker skin to grow.
How Can Resurfacing with CO2 Give You Natural Cosmetic Results?
Resurfacing with CO2 enhances your natural beauty from the inside out. The beam of light energy from the CO2 laser heats the dermis and triggers your skin’s natural healing response, prompting collagen production.
The new collagen generated by this process helps repair skin, reducing the appearance of blemishes, improving the skin’s texture, and promoting a more refreshed and youthful appearance. Your skin’s beauty and radiance gradually enhance as your body makes more collagen over time, leading to natural-looking results.
Nobody will know if you’ve had a procedure done unless you tell them yourself.
Dr. Edgar Fincher of Moy-Fincher-Chipps, explains: “CO2 laser can help reduce your risk of precancerous lesions and skin cancers. Multiple studies have been published showing that CO2 laser resurfacing decreases the number of skin cancers and Actinic Keratoses (precancers). The laser penetrates deeply into the skin and clears out UV damaged cells.
These are then replaced by normal healthy skin cells. Although it is not 100% effective, it can significantly decrease a person’s risk. We consider this to be one of many important therapies to help prevent skin cancers.
CO2 laser is an incredible treatment for rejuvenating skin. Post-treatment patient’s skin is brighter, shinier, tighter, smoother, has fewer lines and wrinkles as well as fewer brown spots and discoloration.
The skin is also thicker and has a healthier texture. How does all of this happen?
Well, the CO2 laser treats multiple layers of the skin from epidermis to deep dermis. The laser clears away old, damaged skin cells that are then replaced by healthy new cells.
The laser also penetrates the dermis to clear away old, damaged collagen and elastin fibers AND stimulates your body to make new healthy collagen and elastin.
These old fibers that are no longer able to keep the skin tight and firm are cleared and replaced by new ones that now lead to thicker, tighter, smoother skin.
The old, damaged fibers are also what contribute to a dull appearance to sun damaged and aged skin. The newer thicker skin from laser resurfacing now takes on a brighter healthier luster.”
Revitalize Your Skin with CO2 Laser Resurfacing
If you want to eliminate sun damage, remove the appearance of scars, or reverse the signs of aging, resurfacing with CO2 at the Dermatology Center of Northern California is a highly effective solution. This powerful treatment can help you achieve youthful, rejuvenated skin and bring out the best version of yourself.
Are you considering resurfacing with CO2? Book your appointment at the Dermatology Center of Northern California to determine if fractional CO2 is suitable for you. It’s time to step into the future with confidence and radiant skin.
