Fully ablative laser CO2 - risk of poor results - is there a better option and how can I improve collagen procdution?

Hello, Intellectual99920! I'm Landry - a licensed medical aesthetician at Shah Facial Plastics as well as Aesthetic Skin River North and Winnetka, IL.

Both CO₂ and Er:YAG lasers are resurfacing treatments as they create controlled thermal injury to the skin, which stimulates fibroblasts to remodel the dermis and produce new collagen and elastin. If your skin’s natural repair or collagen production is reduced, healing may take longer and results may be less dramatic.

Preconditioning your skin is always a great idea when it comes to any aesthetic treatment. Using a topical retinoid (such as tretinoin) can help boost collagen turnover, but it should be stopped one to two weeks before treatment. Incorporating antioxidants like vitamin C or niacinamide will strengthen the skin, while diligent daily sun protection with SPF 50+ is essential.

After care to continue boosting collagen production for best results include LED red light therapy, exosome and/or growth factor serums and maintaining a healthy skin and life routine as discussed with preconditioning the skin.

I hope this information helps, Intellectual99920! Best of luck on your skincare and skin rejuvenation journey.