C02RE, CO2 Fractional Laser Treatment

Smooth, rejuvenate, and transform your skin with a single CO2RE Fractional Resurfacing treatment, available at Advanced Dermatology.

What is CO2 Fractional Laser Treatment?

CO2 fractional laser resurfacing is a technique in which carbon dioxide lasers precisely treat skin on the face, neck, or chest. Advanced Dermatology leverages the CO2RE (by Candela) Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Fractional Laser Resurfacing method. Unlike other laser treatments, this technique precisely targets small columns of skin with controlled damage, leaving surrounding areas untouched. This method stimulates your skin’s natural healing response to generate new, healthy cells and enhance collagen production.

If you’re looking for a nearby professional laser treatment, our offices serve patients throughout Chicago’s North Shore.

Benefits of CO2RE Laser Resurfacing

For advanced skin damage and wrinkling, CO2RE is the optimal single treatment choice. One session equates to having multiple other non-invasive treatments at once. In 6-9 months, you can expect a significant and noticeable reduction in:

Age spots (sun freckles, liver spots, and lentigines)
Fine lines and wrinkles
Scarring
Uneven coloration
Skin laxity
Textural irregularities
Dull tone
Thinned collagen layer

CO2RE laser resurfacing is not recommended for pregnant women and those who have recently been treated with isotretinoin (or Accutane).

How Laser Skin Resurfacing Works

CO2RE treats layers of skin tissue in a fractionated method. The laser beam is divided (or fractionated) into several small beams, leaving tiny sections of untouched skin between treated areas.

The beams reach deep into the sub-dermal skin tissues and create controlled micro-wounds. Your body stimulates collagen as the wounds heal, rebuilding new and healthy skin in its place.

Laser Skin Resurfacing Methods

CO2 laser resurfacing

The original CO2 laser method involves directly treating an area of skin. Unlike fractionated laser resurfacing, there are no untouched areas between laser beams. Traditional CO2 methods are mostly used for skin cancer and medical treatments.

Fractionated laser methods

Fractionated CO2 divides a laser beam to reach your skin in precise columns. Each column is surrounded by untreated skin, which encourages faster healing.

Erbium laser resurfacing

These treatments are gentler than CO2 methods and do not reach deep into the skin. It could take 3 passes to fully ablate the epidermis and achieve the same results as CO2.

CO2RE

Watch as an Advanced Dermatology patient is treated with CO2RE, Carbon Dioxide (C02) Fractional Laser Resurfacing.

Is CO2RE Right for Me?

Before starting CO2RE treatment, it’s important to understand the associated risks, costs, and time it takes to achieve your final state. With reasonable expectations, anyone with the following would be a good fit for CORE:

Sun-damaged skin
Aging skin
Wrinkles
Sagging
Irregular texture

This treatment is not ideal for skin of color, as pigmented skin heals with hyperpigmentation upwards of 30% of the time. It can take months of topical treatments (and sometimes additional laser sessions) to correct. Instead, consider a series of gentler treatments.

This is also not a treatment for any woman who is pregnant or anyone who has been treated with isotretinoin (or Accutane) within the past 6 months.

If you have preexisting conditions, like herpes virus or cold sores, they can cause adverse reactions that can otherwise be avoided if your provider knows ahead of time.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long will it take to see results?

Following your procedure, skin will continue to improve for a period of 6 months, provided proper aftercare and minimal sun exposure. Depending on factors like age, history of smoking, and skincare routine, results may take 6-9 months.

Occasionally, in an area that cannot be treated aggressively, we may need to do more than one treatment to optimize results.

What are the risks and side effects?

Prior to treatment, your medical provider will discuss potential risks and side effects of CO2RE resurfacing. These may include (but are not limited to): skin wound, infection, scarring, and hypo and hyper-pigmentation.

Downtime after CO2RE resurfacing

Most people’s primary concern is the downtime after CO2RE treatment. Depending on the area and the aggressiveness of the treatment, it will take 7-14 days for the skin to heal. During this time, you may experience significant redness, crusting (possibly minor bleeding and oozing depending on treatment depth), dryness, and peeling and flaking.

While you may be perfectly capable of working from home after the first day or two, you may need to cancel or postpone social activities in this timeframe.

Pain management during treatment

For your comfort, Advanced Dermatology provides full facial anesthesia. There should be minimal to zero pain during the procedure and the hours following. However, it’s important to note that some people experience more pain than others.

How will I look and feel after the treatment?

After the treatment, you will spend most of your day sleeping at home. Your skin will be raw, and it’s important that you follow instructions to heal efficiently. Most people compare the first 12-48 hours to a bad sunburn.

Day 1-3: We will schedule an appointment to see you in the office shortly after your procedure to ensure that healing is going smoothly.
Day 7: By the 7th day, you can usually apply makeup or venture out in public, but you will still experience sensitivity.
Months 1-3: Your skin will be pink and sensitive for up to 3 months.

It’s essential to follow all care instructions given to you by your provider. A strict skincare regimen and sun avoidance are recommended for best healing and optimal results for a period of 6 months following treatment.

How long will results from CO2RE last?

Your skin will continue to age as time goes on due to sun exposure, environmental stress, overall health and lifestyle choices such as smoking. To maintain your results, we recommend a healthy skincare routine including cosmeceutical products, medical-grade facials, and other procedures as directed by your provider.

Maintenance treatments may also be necessary to maintain results, especially if aftercare guidelines are not followed. Occasionally, another treatment may be necessary in a few years (in the area around the eyes, it may only be 1-2 years).

Is there another way to get the same effect?

Alternatives to the CO2RE Fractional Laser Resurfacing treatment include photodynamic photorejuvenation (using Levulan with IPL), Fraxel laser, E3 (Ematrix with Sublime and IPL) or other brands of CO2 Laser resurfacing.

Typically, there are no other treatments that can give you as much of an overall effect with only one treatment. To achieve similar effects, you would have to combine the above with fillers or tissue tightening devices.

Can you combine CO2RE with other treatments?

Although we cannot do additional treatments on the same day as CO2RE, we can absolutely combine with other treatments in time.

Many choose wrinkle relaxers such as BOTOX Cosmetic, Dysport, or Xeomin to reduce unwanted wrinkles caused by muscle contraction. Some choose to add volume in the cheeks, nasolabial folds, lower eyelids, or lips with dermal fillers such as Restylane, Restylane Lyft, Juvederm, and Belotero.

We may recommend botulinum toxin 2 weeks prior to the treatment, which may enhance the effect on wrinkles caused by movement. However, we typically wait one month before or after doing fillers.

How much does CO2RE cost?

Depending on the area treated, CO2RE costs range from $1250 to $5000. If you choose to treat multiple areas, such as adding neck and chest to a facial treatment, the costs will increase.

Can you receive treatment on different parts of your body?

CO2RE Laser Resurfacing can be used to treat the neck, chest, and face (including under eyes). It can be customized to target specific concerns in different areas of the body.

Fractional CO2 Before & After Gallery

What to Expect on the Day of Treatment

CO2RE is an in-office procedure that requires pre and post-treatment medications to ensure proper healing and comfort during the procedure. On the day of your treatment, you may be given a topical anesthetic, local anesthetic injections, and/or a tumescent anesthetic medication. Additionally, we may prescribe sedative medications to ease comfort during the process.

We will thoroughly cleanse your face and protect your eyes before starting. During the treatment, you may feel a mild burn or the sensation of a rubber band snapping against your skin. Some experience no pain at all.

At the end of the treatment, you will be given ice to reduce swelling and an antibacterial ointment to prevent infection. After the treatment most patients describe the post-procedure feeling as a bad sunburn for about 12 hours to 2 days. Your doctor will provide follow-up care instructions, including a strict skincare regimen and sun avoidance.