Just wanna share my experience regarding CO2RE laser. Little background about my acne scarring. I suffered cystic acne when I was a teenager, left a lot of indented scars mostly in my cheeks ang enlarged pores. I will categorized mine maybe boxcars but you can judge base on my pics if I am right and I also have an enlarged pores around my nose area. I will attached before and after pics. My scarring are old, done a lot of procedure and can't even remember some of them. I'm 32 and still having acne on and off. I decided to try CO2RE laser, I really would like to try subcision/excision but it is very hard to find a Dr. close to where I live. I have been thinking about this procedure for 1 year and after reading a lot of reviews negative and positive decided to go on with it and have it done. Scheduled my laser August 4th 2014 this is actually my 3rd day post laser. Very hopeful and scared because I am asian and prone to hyperpigmentation which is proven. I have fraxel done 2x before. Did'nt get any improvement with my scarring, a waste of time and money. My settings for this CO2 laser full/whole face per my Dr.
Syneron Fractional CO2 Laser
Energy setting(mj) Mild 45-128 mj Deep 30-70 mj
Fractional density 30%-40%
Estimated ablation Depth 500-750
What do you guys think of my settings?
Pre laser treatment nothing really much to prepare. Went to my scheduled time. I was given a numbing cream for 1 hour. First, the Dr. laser small portion of my face to see if pain is bearable. Even though I have the numbing cream it hurt so bad and I can smell my skin burning. The Dr. ask me if I wanted an oral anesthetic and I said yes. Gave me a shot inside my mouth, 2 inside upper lips and 2 inside lower lips. It still hurt so bad regardless of the shot that I am shaking after the procedure. My Dr. did only 1 passes to my whole face because my setting is high, according to my Dr. no need to do more than 1 passes. Thank god coz it is extremely painful. Did not experienced pinpont bleeding though. Went home and applied cold compress and iced because I feel like my face is burning. Bought the prescribed antiviral to prevent cold sores, no antibiotic. Instructions was to apply cold compress for 24 hours and just apply aquaphor and sleep with head elevated to prevent swelling. The only thing I didn't like is after my laser my Dr. gave me a prescription for the antiviral meds and I was walking outside getting my meds and a mild soap with my face feeling like it's on fire and exposed to sunlight without a hat and sunblock. I wish my Dr. gave me everything I neededy prior to my procedure so I can go home straight. Day 2 my face starts to scabbed, went back to my Dr. for follow up and just covered my face with scarf coz I really look so scary to not cover it aside from that I can't apply any sunblock yet so I basically only applied aquaphor. Day 3 some part of my cheeks starting to peel but won't hardly noticed it. I am also oozing but not much. Will post couple of before and after pics, indoor and outdoor to catch scarring better. I tried to take a picture in different angles and lightning and will only post the best ones.
Your settings sound a little gentle, but being Asian you must be careful. I love the glasses, mustache and nose. It is very difficult to evaluate mj setting across the various lasers. The general max for Fraxel Re:pair is 70mj, but for DeepFX it is 15-20mj. Your depth of ablation is shallow - my Re:pairs went about 1400. You said you had Fraxel, but I am willing to bet you had Re:store and not the ablative Re:pair.
I am not sure but my Dr. says that I have a higher settings already that is why on 1 pass full face with this CO2 laser. He showed me the list and this is the highest settings unless it is the traditional but he says not much people performing traditional CO2 anymore because of redness. I don't remember if it is ablative but no effect with my scaring. Sucks if this laser is not aggressive, it hurt sooo bad, aside from that I will be very very upset because this takes time to heal and needs to take some time off and this is my last resort. Thanks you like my glasses, mustache and nose 
I know I need to be careful but I have been battling with my scars for more than 10 years now. Would like my confidence back hope this works. My PS says if I developed hyperpigmintation he'll bleach the area or skin. It's only day 5, too early to see if I will develop any hyperpigmentation.
Here is an update day 4,5,6
Day 4
Nothing much scabs still intact I will say 95% of my face is still cover with scab. Skin distal to my nose, cheek area is pinkish in color. I notice that skin on that area shed fast on day 2. My face itching so bad. I was thinking do the dr. change the settings while he is performing the procedure? I ask that because that skin shed off so fast when I was on day 2 and I have small scarring there which is 1 of my concern.
Day 5
Wash my face in the morning and shedding a lot of scabbed, I will say 50% of my cheek area is pinkish in color now and my forehead and jaw line still have some scab. Face still itching and some stingy sensation after I washed it. Unable to sleep the whole night face itching so bad and afraid might scratch it so basically stay awake whole night. Honestly didn't really have a good sleep for couple of nights now. Sleeping is very challenging because your face is full of aquaphor and can only sleep in supine, usually sleep on my side or prone position. 1 of my boxcar starts to appear today 
sucks.
Day 6
After shower I will say 95% of dead skin comes off today, hairline and jaw line still some small scab. I wash my face again with cold water after shower because I can feel the texture of my skin very rough, figured it will shed off more dead skin. My skin is pinkish in color right now. I'm having break outs too few in my forehead, temple, 1 around nose. White heads in my chin. I'll monitor today if my it gets worst, hope not. Maybe I can go outside today and get some meds for itching.
Day 7
Tiny scabs left. My skin is bltochy right now and still itching. Taking some benadryl for it. Will update in a few weeks or months if there is a change with my scaring. So far seeing some of my scars popping up, hopefully it will improve overtime.
Good luck, it will come back, but less severe and will improve (fill in) for 3-6 months.
I don't know much about CO2RE but if your doctor used the highest settings for the depth stated, then it is equivalent to Active FX or MixTo. In other words, it is not a deep laser. You will likely experience softening to the surface area of your scars and overall skin tightening. I would be surprised if you notice much shallowing to your deeper ice picks because the laser simply couldn't have hit the base of those scars.
With one pass at that depth, you may not experience much hyperpigmentation. Your skin just might look slightly sun burned where the laser passed. Hard to say. I did not hyperpigment from Active FX. I did experience it where Deep FX was used. Active FX was also the most painful experience of my life while Deep FX was tolerable.
Good luck with healing. I hope you experience a good level of improvement.
