After having done some research, it seems that one of the largest risks/complications of ablative CO2 Laser resurfacing is permanent hypopigmentation. Are certain skin types more prone to this, or is this a complication that is mostly related to aggressiveness of treatment? Also, does the hypopigmentation extend uniformly to the entire treated area (i.e., in the case of full face treatment, the whole face takes on a mask-like appearance), or does it usually manifest itself in a more spotted manner across the treatment site? I would think permanent lightening would be desirable for somebody with severe sun damage.
September 21, 2018
Answer: Risks from fully ablative CO2 resurfacing Thanks for the great question. With nonfractional deep ablative resurfacing (i.e. fully ablative laser) there is a risk of hypopigmentation. However this was more common with the first generation CO2 fully ablative lasers. Newer CO2 lasers are more precise and are lower risk. Furthermore, with fractional ablative resurfacing hypopigmentation is much less common and if it does occur it is usually only temporary. This is the beauty of fractional technology because islands of normal skin are preserved between the ablated tissue. This allows quicker recovery and collagen remodelling with less risks. The Lumenis Ultrapulse TotalFX laser achieves excellent results with this technology.
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September 21, 2018
Answer: Risks from fully ablative CO2 resurfacing Thanks for the great question. With nonfractional deep ablative resurfacing (i.e. fully ablative laser) there is a risk of hypopigmentation. However this was more common with the first generation CO2 fully ablative lasers. Newer CO2 lasers are more precise and are lower risk. Furthermore, with fractional ablative resurfacing hypopigmentation is much less common and if it does occur it is usually only temporary. This is the beauty of fractional technology because islands of normal skin are preserved between the ablated tissue. This allows quicker recovery and collagen remodelling with less risks. The Lumenis Ultrapulse TotalFX laser achieves excellent results with this technology.
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April 30, 2018
Answer: Risks of Co2 Laser resurfacing treatment Skin darkening (hyper-pigmentation) of the skin can occur in the treated area and will eventually fade within a few months This reaction is more common in patients with olive or dark skin tones. The risks of this complication are minimal but can occur.
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April 30, 2018
Answer: Risks of Co2 Laser resurfacing treatment Skin darkening (hyper-pigmentation) of the skin can occur in the treated area and will eventually fade within a few months This reaction is more common in patients with olive or dark skin tones. The risks of this complication are minimal but can occur.
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March 31, 2019
Answer: Fully ablative C02 laser is rarely performed today Many years ago, full C02 laser ablation was utilized a lot. But we were seeing a lot of side effects like scarring, pigmentation issues, persistent redness, and a marble like quality to the skin. Now with fractional laser ablation technology- resurfacing can be performed in a much more safer way. In my practice, we utilize fractional laser resurfacing for its safety and efficacy.
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March 31, 2019
Answer: Fully ablative C02 laser is rarely performed today Many years ago, full C02 laser ablation was utilized a lot. But we were seeing a lot of side effects like scarring, pigmentation issues, persistent redness, and a marble like quality to the skin. Now with fractional laser ablation technology- resurfacing can be performed in a much more safer way. In my practice, we utilize fractional laser resurfacing for its safety and efficacy.
Helpful 3 people found this helpful
