How Long Do the Results Last After the Co2 Laser Resurfacing?

CO2 Laser resurfacing involves vaporization of the upper layers of skin, creating a precisely-thin wound that induces new collagen and elastic fibers that tighten and contract as they heal. That's how the low spots (wrinkles or lines) are pulled tighter, and the high spots vaporized flatter. Deeper intact skin structures such as hair follicles and sweat glands provide the epithelial cells that grow and produce the new rejuvenated skin surface. Collagen and elastic fibers continue to be produced for about 4 months as the surface of the skin matures and returns to normal thickness and sebaceous softness, so any rejuvenation created by this healing process and collagen/elastin formation lasts as long as the new collagen and elastic fibers are present. Long term--NOT just a year.

The reason you have developed lines and wrinkles in the first place is a natural aging process whereby most individuals lose about 1% of their skin elasticity and collagen content each year over age 40. That continues even after "new" fibers are formed from the laser (or chemical peel, or dermabrasion) process.

So, you will continue to age, and you will indeed develop "new" wrinkles, but the old ones removed by the laser treatment are really gone. I'm not sure where you "heard" that CO2 laser treatments last only a year, but that statement is categorically incorrect. It's just that the laser doesn't have the ability to "stop time!"

Be careful about over-aggressive treatment, particularly in the lip areas; this is one area of the face that scars a bit more easily than other areas, and even without scarring, CO2 laser resurfacing can cause permanent hypopigmentation. What is being done for the rest of your face? You don't want to have a visible line of demarcation between the "done" areas and the "undone" ones! Click on the web reference link below for more information. Best wishes! Dr. Tholen

Fractional laser is an amazing and highly effective treatment in our office. We use the laser treatment to help with acne scars, large pores, fine wrinkles, tissue collagen loss, scars, sebaceous hyperplasia, active acne, and for brightening dark pigmentation. Although there are very strong fractional lasers such as CO2 laser, we use lighter treatments for corrective skincare and maintenance of results. Our Thulium fractional laser, clear and brilliant laser, and Ultra Thulium laser are excellent options in our clinic. We also perform CO2 fractional and erbium depending on skin tone and tolerance for downtime. Patients do have to use a Melarase cream before and after treatment to help further reduce pigmentation after laser. Dark spots can improve with these treatments. I recommend fractional laser for incisional scars as well, especially after plastic surgery.

Best,
Dr. Karamanoukian
Realself100 Surgeon

Dear Kim,Depending on whether the CO2 is Fractionated or FULL FIELD will impact how much improvement you should expect. FULL FIELD gives much greater results than FRACTIONATED or FRAXEL. But with either procedure the results should last many many years. Discuss this with your doctor. I hope this was helpful.

The great thing for you is that you don't smoke.  This will help you heal better and preserve your results.  Also use sunscreen religiously after your laser treatment.  Biopsies done 15 years after dermabrasion, which is a similar type of dermal treatment as carbon dioxide laser resurfacing wtih Fraxel Repair, showed new collagen from the treatment to have lasted.  The aging process certainly continues, and this mostly is related to the sun exposure we had as children and young adults. The results of laser resurfacing have to fight the bodies tendencies to age the skin.  Many people have very good results from laser resurfacing that can last more than ten years. keep in mind that you will artificially look better in the first several weeks after healing because of the plumpness of the skin from heaing's microscopic swelling / fluids.  As that subsides, some lines return but they tend to be less apparent than before the treatment. You can ask your doctor to review the preoperative photographs to compare your result and you will then see the improvement even though some lines have "come back".

You can expect to have long-lasting benefits from CO2 laser resurfacing. Obviously, the more aggressive the treatment the greater and longer-lasting benefit you will receive. However, this must be balanced with the risk of complications. However, you can expect to have permanent improvement in the areas that concern you. Much like surgery, these procedure set the clock back but the clock is still running. You will continue to age but should look younger than you would have without the treatments.Stephen Weber MD, FACS