CO2 Fractional
What is a fractional carbon dioxide laser?
The active laser medium is a mixture of 3 gases consisting of 10–20% carbon dioxide, 10–20% nitrogen, and the remainder is helium.
The carbon dioxide laser produces a specific wavelength of light in the infrared spectrum (10,600 nm).
How does a carbon dioxide laser work?
Carbon dioxide laser beams penetrate the top skin layers reaching into the dermis. It creates tiny microscopic areas of thermal damage that stimulate new collagen production and replace damaged skin surface by new epidermal cells.
Traditional ablative carbon dioxide laser resurfacing has been largely replaced by fractional carbon dioxide lasers, which provide excellent results with fewer complications.
A fractionated method, columns of skin are removed leaving the skin surrounding each column intact to aid in healing.
What is carbon dioxide laser used for?
The following skin disorders can be treated with carbon dioxide laser beams.
- Raised birthmarks
- Moles
- Viral warts
- Rhinophyma
- Acne scarring
- Keloid and hypertrophic scars
- Skin ageing
- Facial lines and wrinkles
- Stretch marks
- Actinic keratosis
- Uneven pigment (brown spots and freckles, lentigines, melasma)
- Pearly penile papules
Benefits of carbon dioxide laser treatment
For selected skin conditions, carbon dioxide laser treatment offers:
- High-precision, tissue-selective treatment
- Low cost of consumables
- Less invasive than dermabrasion and chemical peeling
- Short downtime – recovery time is about 1 weeks