CO2 Laser Skin Resurfacing Treatment Specialist in San Francisco, CA

The beautiful results provided through CO2 laser resurfacing are enjoyed by many patients for around 3 to 5 years, with some patients being able to enjoy their results even longer. It is common to have more than one treatment done in order to achieve the final desired results, with most patients who suffer from more moderate or severe pigmentation or creasing in their skin often needing 3 sessions total to build up to the final results. Touch-up or maintenance treatments are recommended around every 2 years to ensure that the results can be enjoyed for even longer, but this timeline can change a fair bit depending on each individual and what kind of skin concern is being treated.  

CO2 laser resurfacing treatments are one of the most effective cosmetic treatments on the market today, treating a variety of very common skin conditions while providing long-term results that can end up being permanent for many patients. Many of the other treatments available that provide similar results also come with a more intensive recovery time or are considered to be more invasive. It can be tricky for a minimally invasive treatment to be this effective, but the CO2 laser resurfacing treatments have effectively harnessed the power of the laser to treat the specific skin concerns without damaging any of the nearby tissue.

The average patient will need between 1 to 2 weeks for the surface of their skin to heal entirely following a CO2 laser resurfacing treatment, but the deeper layers of the skin will continue to heal and regenerate for several weeks or even months as new collagen continues to be produced. For the first few days following the treatment, it is common for the treated skin to feel a bit raw or tender, often resembling a sunburn with itchiness, peeling, and stinging. As the skin heals during this time, it may blister a bit and crust over. Once the skin dries out and starts to peel (around 5 to 7 days following the treatment), the new skin that is exposed beneath may have a pinkish tone or may appear to be a bit paler before it gradually takes on your natural skin tone. 

Your CO2 laser resurfacing specialist will provide you with an extensive list of instructions or recommendations to support the healing process and can answer any questions you may have throughout this timeline, but it is very important to remember to avoid scratching, picking, or rubbing at the freshly treated skin as it heals. Additionally, it is very important that you ensure to sufficiently protect the treated skin from sun damage by avoiding direct sunlight as much as possible, wearing sun-protecting garments while it is healing, and applying strong sunscreen every time the skin might be exposed to direct sunlight. 

CO2 laser skin resurfacing treatments use the body’s natural ability to heal and strengthen skin in order to treat a wide variety of skin conditions by causing micro-wounds into the surface of the skin to stimulate increased collagen production while simultaneously resurfacing the top layer of the skin, removing dead or damaged skin cells to allow for the new skin that will be produced to be better than what was previously present. This newly produced collagen will gradually increase in the treated skin, filling in fine lines, wrinkles, and any other creasing, evening out pigmentation, while getting rid of the top layers of skin that held onto acne scars or any other damage in the surface of the skin. To determine if you can treat your specific skin concerns through CO2 laser skin resurfacing, schedule a consultation to speak with one of our highly skilled professionals today. Contact us today to book an appointment with our functional medicine doctor, or visit our clinic conveniently located at 490 Post St, Suite 1703, San Francisco CA 94102. We serve clients from San Francisco CA, Oakland CA, Pacifica CA, Brisbane CA, Millbrae CA, and San Francisco Bay Area CA.