Can CO2 laser and a lower facelift be performed at the same time?

Yes, it is feasible and safe to perform a facelift and concurrent CO2 laser.  The areas of skin undermining where the skin flap has been elevated must be treated with lower fractionated energy and blended appropriately and the jawline treated less aggressively.  For some patients with severely photo-damaged, the combination is actually preferable for optimal results. Below I have included a link to a patient who had this treatment. 

A Co2 laser can certainly be performed at the same time as facelift surgery.  This is a common combination used in my practice.  Previously, it was thought that this would put to much stress on the skin especially with long flap surgery, although many reviews have been written up in the medical literature showing the safety of these procedures together.  I use a fractionated laser frequently over the entire face at the time of surgery with care to go slightly lighter over the elevated skin.  Most patients appreciate having one recovery from both procedures.  Doing the 2 procedures together does not add more time to the recovery, although you can have slightly more swelling immediately after your procedure for a couple of days.  

Hello.  Thank you for your question.  Facelift and CO2 laser resurfacing can absolutely be performed safely at the same time.  I have been using this combination for facial rejuvenation for years and have performed thousands of cases combining these two modalities without complication.  CO2 laser resurfacing is most useful over the central parts of the face, such as the forehead, periorbital, midface and perioral regions, where wrinkling of the skin is most pronounced due to the actions of the muscles of facial expression.  Therefore, the laser energy  and depth of penetration can be decreased for blending purposes on the lateral aspects of the face where the skin flap is elevated for the facelift.  The blood supply to the facelift skin flap is through the subdermal plexus of vessels, which lies deep to the dermis of the skin.  A CO2 laser on lighter settings will not penetrate this deep and should have no impact on blood supply to the skin.  I would encourage you to seek a consultation with a board-certified Facial Plastic Surgeon who has extensive experience and expertise in facial rejuvenation and allow them to assess your individual anatomy, concerns and goals, in order to determine the best treatment plan for you.  I wish you the best in achieving your aesthetic goals.

facelift surgery can be performed with co2 laser resurfacing.  Typically I perform both when indicated but focus on the perioral area, eyelids, brow and central cheeks.   I avoid laser over the lateral cheeks and neck.

The short answer is that it depends upon how extensive the lifting procedure will be, your overall skin type and your willingness to perhaps add an additional week of recovery. I will often perform both procedures simultaneously but it is often individualized depending upon the patient's underlying anatomy. So in general, it is acceptable to do both together but again it depends upon an individual's unique circumstances.

A surgery such as ‘facelift’ is designed to tighten sagging tissues. Some lasers and chemical peels are designed to stimulate growth of new healthier skin. Depending on the type of facelift and the type of ‘resurfacing’ performed, they can carefully  be performed at the same time, once cautionary factors are considered. 

These two procedures can be combined.  The laser needs to be adjusted for areas that have been undermined and thinner areas.  See Jason Posner's answer below.  He has done a lot of work and research in this area and has proven it to be safe.  

Facelift and laser can be performed at the same time.
Often perioral (around  the mouth) laser is performed at the time of a lower 2/3 face and neck lift. I avoid laser of the skin that was undermined during the surgery for safety reasons.

Thanks for your question. Yes, you can have a CO2 laser facial resurfacing procedure at the same time as a facelift. I recommend you consult with a board-certified plastic surgeon experienced in combining both procedures to discuss your goals, examine you or do a virtual consultation if out of town, and review before/after photos to give you an idea what type of result you can expect to get. Good luck!

It depends.  In general, we have to be careful with the undermined areas of skin that are lifted during the facelift.  They can't be lasered very aggressively at the same time as a facelift without problems.However, a light fractional laser treatment can be done - but it may not give you as much result as you were hoping for.  Or you could only treat the non-undermined areas, like the forehead, nose, and around the mouth.If you need deeper resurfacing, it would be better to do this in two parts.