CO2 Laser Resurfacing Frequently Asked Questions

How much downtime will I experience?

Downtime is somewhat subjective. Some people won’t leave their house with peeling skin. Others have no problem going to work the next day with the occlusive ointment on their face. It all depends on how you feel comfortable. It also depends on how aggressive a treatment you have. If the setting of your laser treatment is light, you will peel for a few days followed by redness for about a week. If you have a deeper treatment, you will likely swell (particularly the first day after the treatment), peel for three to four days, and the redness may last for two to three weeks. Once the face has peeled, the redness can be camouflaged with a mineral makeup. If you have a deep treatment around the eyes or eyelids, you will definitely experience swelling for 24-36 hours. You would need to be able to take time off until the swelling dissipated if your eyes were swollen shut.

Is the procedure painful?

There is discomfort associated with the procedure. We apply a topical anesthetic cream for approximately one hour before the laser to numb your skin. We augment this with injectable anesthetic around the mouth area. We also provide you with a prescription for a relaxant and pain medication to take while you are numbing, which helps to calm you while you are prepping for the procedure. We make every effort to keep you comfortable during the procedure, reapplying topical as needed. The procedure takes approximately 30-45 minutes once we start. After the laser, you will experience fairly intense heat in the treated area for the first two hours, which will gradually disappear. After that, any pain is extremely unlikely.

Who can get a CO2 laser treatment?

The Active/DeepFX is safe for most people. People who should not receive the laser treatment include those with:

• Accutane™ usage for acne in the past 12 months
• History of keloid formation
• History of poor wound healing
• Abnormal response to a laser patch test

Is there any preparation before the day of the procedure?

Sun avoidance both before and after the procedure is very important. Your results will be much better if you follow the instructions we give you for your post laser care. The use of sunscreen is very important. This cannot be stressed enough! Any products that can cause you to bleed more easily should be stopped two weeks prior to the laser. These include Vitamin E, omega 3 supplements, aspirin, ibuprophen, Excedrin™, Motrin™, garlic or ginger supplements, or ginko biloba. If you take Coumadin or Plavix™ for a medical condition, you would need permission from your prescribing physician to stop the medications for the laser treatment.

Call today to schedule your free consultation at 321.574.5376. We’ll be happy to answer any questions!