How Long Does CO2 Laser Resurfacing Take To Heal?

If you are looking for a quick and easy way to minimize your scars, fade your fine lines, and address other aesthetic challenges, you may be a perfect candidate for fractional CO2 laser resurfacing. At the Michigan Center for Cosmetic Services in Ann Arbor, Michigan, we can use this gentle laser treatment to renew your skin and increase your creation of new collagen fibers.

How Long Does CO2 Laser Resurfacing Take to Heal?

During this laser treatment, we will refresh your look by using our handheld CO2 laser to gently remove some of your older skin cells. During your recovery period, you will use natural processes to begin replacing these cells with healthier tissues. Your skin will usually take about six to seven days to heal. Since this technique is very efficient, receiving a laser resurfacing treatment can be a good way to prepare for a wedding or other important social event.

While your tissues are responding to your CO2 laser resurfacing treatment, you’ll need to follow our aftercare instructions. For example, we will probably require you to avoid very strong sunlight during this time. To help you achieve the most beneficial results from this treatment, we may advise you to purchase our customized recovery kit. This kit will contain a range of high-quality Neova Smart Skincare products.

How Will This Treatment Renew My Skin?

We will use our advanced CO2 laser to transmit very small beams of energy into your desired area. As this energy enters your tissues, it will heat up your skin and shrink the collagen proteins in this location. This process will cause your skin to become tighter.

Our laser energy will also create very small injuries in your target area. As you use natural processes to repair your skin, you will shed some of your older cells and begin to build healthy tissues. You will also make more collagen proteins during the next several months. These developments will refresh your skin and improve your acne scars, sun damage, and other cosmetic problems.

Who Is Eligible for This Laser Treatment?

We will not make incisions in your target area or require you to use general anesthesia during this laser treatment. Since this technique will improve your skin in a gentle and efficient manner, you will probably be eligible for this anti-aging method.

Considering Your Aesthetic Challenges

If you are a generally healthy adult who wants to fix your sun damage or other aesthetic imperfections, you will probably be able to use this treatment. Over time, the ultraviolet rays of the sun can cause you to develop visible age spots on your skin. Similarly, sun damage can cause your tissues to become lax and wrinkled at a fairly early point in your life. Receiving this treatment is a good way to address these frustrating changes.

In addition to fixing your sun damage, you can use this treatment to correct other irregularities that have changed the appearance of your skin. In particular, we can use laser energy to decrease the prominence of your acne scars and improve the appearance of your enlarged pores. We can also use our CO2 laser to smooth your rough patches and fade your fine lines.

Reviewing Your Health Conditions

Although this CO2 laser resurfacing treatment is very comfortable, it is not suitable for everyone. In particular, we will not provide you with this resurfacing treatment if you recently used Accutane or are currently pregnant. Similarly, you may not be able to use this laser technique to renew your skin if you have a health problem that impacts your ability to heal. If you are not able to receive this CO2 laser treatment, we will recommend other options for you.

For example, we might advise you to use a sophisticated technique called Morpheus8 to fade your acne scars, minimize your stretch marks, firm your skin, and achieve other cosmetic benefits. Morpheus8 is a powerful treatment that will use radiofrequency energy and micro needling techniques to correct these imperfections. Although your treatment plan will depending on your specific needs, you’ll usually need to receive up to three Morpheus8 sessions.

Why Should I Use a Fractional Laser Treatment to Improve My Skin?

When you begin researching resurfacing treatments, you will probably read about many different types of lasers. These lasers transmit unique types of energy that will have varying effects on your skin. Our specialized device is called a fractional laser because it will use thousands of individual energy beams to treat small sections of your skin.

These fractional beams of laser energy will use gentle methods to eliminate some of the old, damaged skin cells in your target area. This technique can shorten your downtime and allow you to quickly enjoy your rejuvenated appearance.

Will I Be Able to Relax During My Laser Session?

Since we will use medication to numb your skin, you’ll be able to sit back and relax during your laser session. At the beginning of your appointment, we will put a gentle cream onto the surface of your target area. Once this cream has numbed the tissues in this location, we will turn on our CO2 laser and start sending energy into your skin.

If you are treating larger areas, you can expect your laser session to take a longer period of time to finish. In general, this part of your appointment will probably last for 30 to 60 minutes. Once we have transmitted a sufficient amount of energy into your skin, we will turn off our laser and instruct you to leave our office. Since you won’t have to take any sedating medication during this treatment, you’ll be able to drive back to your house or other destination.

How Quickly Will This Treatment Improve My Skin Problems?

After about seven days have passed, the skin in your treatment area will look firmer and your wrinkles will be less noticeable. As you continue to build new collagen proteins and repair the tissues in this location, your sun damage, scars, and other cosmetic conditions will gradually improve. This process may continue for up to six months.

How Can I Extend the Benefits of This Laser Treatment?

If you are interested in preserving your firmer skin and youthful look, you should adopt healthy habits after your laser treatment is finished. For example, you should reduce your chance of experiencing sun damage by wearing sunscreen and using hats to shield your face when you spend time outside. In addition, we may instruct you to use creams and other products from the Neova Smart Skincare line to increase the duration of your improvements.

For example, we may advise you to purchase a broad-spectrum sunscreen called Silc Sheer 2.0. Incorporating this physical sunscreen into your regular routine can help decrease your chance of experiencing sun damage in the future. Similarly, we may advise you to use a product called Night Therapy before you go to sleep. This anti-aging product contains peptides and other beneficial ingredients that can renew the appearance of your skin.

Can I Use Other Aesthetic Treatments to Transform My Appearance?

Once we have discussed your beauty goals, we can design a comprehensive aesthetic plan for you. Under some circumstances, we may advise you to include more than one treatment in your customized plan. Using a variety of different techniques will allow you to improve multiple cosmetic imperfections. For example, you might want to contour your figure and fade your sun damage.

To achieve these beauty goals, we may advise you to receive an Evolve non-invasive radiofrequency body contouring treatment and a CO2 laser resurfacing treatment. During your body contouring session, we will use small applicators to send radiofrequency energy into one or more of your fat deposits. This energy will slim your figure by destroying some of your fat cells.

Try It for Yourself

Receiving a fractional CO2 laser resurfacing treatment will promote healing processes that will rejuvenate your skin, fade your fine lines, decrease your sun damage, and correct other age-related imperfections. If you would like to schedule a consultation about this beneficial treatment, you should contact us at the Michigan Center for Cosmetic Services in Ann Arbor, Michigan.