Should I do fully-ablative CO2 laser, or is there a better option for me? (Photo)

Question

26 and battled with acne for 10 years. As you can see I have alot of scarring and large pores. I’ve had 2 rounds of Infini RF with PRP, canceled my last session because the track marks freaked me out. I want to do co2 fully-ablative laser but I’m worried about the fat loss in the face that I always hear. Ive also heard enlarged pores can be a problem after co2. Is the scar improvement worth it? I would be so upset if my skin didn’t improve and I was left with sunken in cheeks and large pores.

Michael I. Echavez, MD · Answer

Results from ablative CO2 laser resurfacing can vary, but you have a good skin type for the procedure.  I have not seen this procedure create enlarged pores or fat loss.  In fact, the procedure should help improve large pores.  The laser should not penetrate deep into the fat layer, so this should not be affected.

William Groff, DO · Answer

Based on your photos, it appears you might be a very good candidate for an ablative CO2 treatment. This procedure would work deeply enough into the dermal tissue to produce dramatic improvement in your skin. I would caution you that this is an intense treatment that requires experience and expertise to perform correctly. I recommend scheduling a consultation with a very experienced, board-certified dermatologist for further assessment and a customized treatment plan.

Jason Emer, MD · Answer

co2 will help alot but you will need more long term treatments with halo, peels, and dermarolling.
at home peels like cosmelan, enlighten and aerify along with dermarolling (MTS roller with anteage MD ampules weekly from emeragecosmetics.com) should be started now.  visit emeragecosmetics.com where we ship medical grade skincare all over the world AND do free virtual skincare consults daily.
if you have post inflammatory hyperpigmentation/melasma/discoloration that needs cosmelan or enlighten peels at home which we can do virtually and send to your home along with aerify peels regularly, vivatia foam, restorsea 10x, faith essence serum, and cosmelan 2 cream. see emeragecosmetics.com where we do free skincare consults daily and can send you peels and skincare. proceeds go to help BLM and LGBTQ+ non for profit organizations.
Acne scar treatment needs a combination approach for improvement.  For the best results, one should target the acne scar type.  As everyone has a unique pattern of acne scarring, the best solution is a tailored one.  Typically you need fillers like bellafill and sculptra for atrophic indented type scars with or without subcision.  Subcision for depressed tethered scars.  Vascular lasers like yellow laser, aerolase, excel V or IPL for redness or thick scars. And lasers such as fraxel, erbium, co2 or fractional radiofrequency like venus viva, skinfinity, intensif or fractora microneedling RF for textural issues and superficial scarring.  Deep ice pick scars and narrow box car scars are best treated with TCA CROSS and punch excision.  All lasers are combined with microneedling and PRP to get even better results and improve healing times.   The majority of patients will have a collection of different scar types, and hence a tailored treatment plan is needed by an expert physician.  It is never about the laser or product that gives the results, its about the expert behind the equipment that gets you the outcome.  Scars cannot be cured and will need life-long treatments to maintain and build on the results.  For those at high risk for hyperpigmentation (darker skin types or asian or hispanic or mixed ethnicities) we already pre-treat the skin with cosmelan or enlighten lightening peels to prevent complications from energy-based or chemical-based treatments.  Best, Dr. Emer.

Matt Tahsini, MD · Answer

Hello and thank you for your question. Yes I think you are a great candidate for CO2 laser. The best thing for you is to make an appointment with an experienced medical provider and go over your questions and concerns. Make sure you’re comfortable with your provider and the procedure. Best wishes.Dr. T

Anshul Gambhir, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question! I think you would be a great candidate for CO2 laser resurfacing. To effectively help treat and minimize the appearance of your scarring, a deep depth would be required. A deeper depth with CO2 requires significant downtime (~2 weeks) where you look socially unacceptable, oozy, swollen, and even raw. If you are interested in a less invasive procedure, look into microneedling with PRP! Hope this helps!

Should I do fully-ablative CO2 laser, or is there a better option for me? (Photo)

Answers (5)

Answer: Acne scars

Answer: Acne scars

Answer: Acne Scars

Answer: Acne Scars

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Everything you need to know about CO2 Laser

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Should I do fully-ablative CO2 laser, or is there a better option for me? (Photo)

Answers (5)

Answer: Acne scars

Answer: Acne scars

Answer: Acne Scars

Answer: Acne Scars

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Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about CO2 Laser

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.