Denver Area’s Choice For
Acne Scarring Fractional CO2 Treatment

You can expect 20 to 40 minutes for the treatment, depending on the area treated. First, a local anesthetic cream is applied to numb the skin, minimizing any pain or discomfort.

As the laser is applied to the skin, tiny pulses of energy are delivered into the skin. The sensations our patients experience often include a warmth and/or tightening of the skin.

When dead skin cells are eliminated, the laser pulses activate tiny skin zones deep into the skin’s layers. This stimulates your body’s natural healing process, boosting natural collagen production — which replaces damaged cells with healthy new skin.

Because there are small areas of “normal” skin between the micro wounds, healing is accelerated. If you have had ablative laser procedures before, you will notice the healing is much quicker with Fractional CO2 treatments.

After the procedure, patients typically have a mild “sunburn” for the first 24 hours, and skin may be mildly swollen. Don’t be concerned, as these effects are very temporary — setting the stage for newly revealed skin that is lighter, younger and naturally healthy.

By Day 7, most signs of the procedure will have vanished. Within 10 days, the skin will have healed — but may remain pink for several weeks.

During the first 7 days of healing, protect skin from direct sun exposure. You may apply makeup after the skin peels around 5-7 days

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Patients typically experience minimal pain as we use an anesthetic cream to numb the area. After the treatment, skin will feel tight but usually not painful. Your skin type — and the extent of treatment — will affect the discomfort you experience.

Ablative CO2 Laser: This is the original laser resurfacing treatment. Ablative lasers include CO2 for scars, warts and deep wrinkles — or Erbium for fine lines, wrinkles and other superficial skin problems.

During treatment, the laser projects a tiny red square on the skin, and strips 100% of the top layer within that square. The specialist treats adjacent squares to complete the area. The ablative procedure has typically very good results, but patients require anesthesia/sedation due to the discomfort.

The results are typically very good, but the procedure is uncomfortable requiring anesthesia and sedation. Because the laser treatment is more aggressive, patients generally avoid social activities the first 10 days while facial skin heals and the healing process can take 2-3 months. The ablative laser is not advised below the jawline, as risks are involved.

Non-ablative laser (Fractional CO2 Laser): This is a gentler treatment that does not remove skin layers. In the procedure, the laser works within the same tiny red square. However, because tiny pulse lights remove only a fraction of the skin’s top layer, there is far less downtime and recovery. Only a topical anesthetic is necessary to reduce pain, and healing is typically within 5-7 days.

This procedure is ideal for many applications, including acne scars, wrinkles, fine lines and overall irregular texture.

While results are similar to the fully ablative CO2 laser, patients may request a second treatment to fully achieve their desired results. With the brief downtime, both sessions can be accomplished quickly in succession.

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Every skin type can safely receive this treatment. For darker skin types, the therapist will work with a lower setting to prevent hyperpigmentation.

Fractional CO2 laser produces great results in minimizing moderate-to-severe acne scars — as well as pigmentation, wrinkles, fine lines, sun damage and other skin conditions discussed here. People who have non-responsive skin after a “bad” facelift are also good candidates.

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This laser treatment is not appropriate for everyone. We will assess whether you are a good candidate during a Complimentary Consultation. People with extensive breakouts, open wounds, or any facial infections should not have this skin procedure. People who take oral isotretinoin should avoid the procedure, as there are safety risks.

People with diabetes and other chronic medical conditions should be cautious. Talk to your doctor first; you may also consult with a dermatologist. Also, people with darker skin tones may wish to try an alternative treatment that doesn’t involve heat, as pigmentation can be affected.

For people who cannot have the Fractional procedure, microneedling (DermaPen) sessions are a good alternative with brief downtime. A series of 6 to 12 microneedling sessions is usually involved, with typical downtime of 24 to 48 hours. Learn more about Microneedling (link to MN page)

Microneedling with DermaPen involves pricking the skin with tiny sterilized needles. The small wounds cause your body to produce more collagen and elastin, which heal your skin — resulting in youthful skin. Microneedling is sometimes referred to as collagen induction therapy, and is less expensive than laser treatment.

This treatment often works better for people with darker skin tones because there is no heat involved. The skin pigmentation will not be affected by microneedling, whereas the Fractional Laser could affect skin color.

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