Can laser resurfacing cause facial fat loss?

Superficial laser resurfacing should not cause any fat loss. This would include the CO2 and erbium lasers, both full and fractionated.  There is a theoretical risk of fat loss with modalities that treat much deeper into the skin - such as radiofrequency and ultrasound.  For fine lines and wrinkles the fractionated CO2 is usually a good choice and should not eliminate any fat.   

Laser treatments designed to address fine lines should not go deeply enough to affect fat cells at all. These procedures work in the upper layers of dermal tissue, while fat is located beneath the dermal structure. These procedures can be performed without anesthesia and downtime is generally minimal. 
That said, it is imperative to work with a board-certified dermatologist who has expertise in using laser devices. With a qualified professional and a treatment tailored to your precise needs and goals, you should be able to achieve very good results without concern about side effects like fat loss. 

No, used appropriately, laser resurfacing should not cause fat loss. Fraxel and/or Co2 are best for resurfacing, but erbium is a good alternative. I always combine lasers with microneedling/prp for more robust outcomes. For skin tightening, I recommend a combination of ultherapy with RF treatments and sculptra for skin tightening. I recommend getting a formal evaluation with a cosmetic dermatologist. Best, Dr. Emer
 

Laser resurfacing, by design, treats the upper and mid layers of your skin. It does not penetrate below the skin sufficiently to cause any damage to deeper structures. Laser skin treatments are designed to stay superficial enough so that they do not injure the deeper dermal layer (reticular dermis). If this layer is injured from laser treatment, the patient may have scar formation of their skin. In order to injure the fat layers beneath the dermis, a laser treatment would have to go even deeper than that. I suspect that the concerns voiced by other patients you are reading are either misguided, or they did not have a laser skin treatment.  Other treatments like RF, CoolSculpting etc are designed to address the fat beneath the skin but do so in a controlled fashion. Warm regards.

Hello and thank you for the question. No. Laser resurfacing with CO2 or other typeslike erbium are safe, both fractionated and full CO2.

Thanks for your question! Fractional to fully ablative laser doesn't touch the underlying fatty layer. Something more penetrative like ultrasound or RF can affect those soft tissues and cause fat loss. I usually explain to my patients that laser is for skin quality whereas the deeper technologies are for affecting the deeper layers.Best of luck!

A facial fat loss is not a concern with fractionated resurfacing lasers. The energy from the laser is superficial, contained well within the skin. The heat produced is not high enough or sustained long enough to kill fat. I use halo laser as I think it is the most effective and customizable fractionated resurfacing device available but whether you choose it or Fraxel, non-ablative fractionated resurfacing is extremely safe.