Good or Excellent Response
81%
Based on All Available Studies
Strength of Evidence
Moderate Response
97%
Based on All Available Studies
Strength of Evidence
Side Effects
High
How to Get It
Have a dermatologist or plastic surgeon? Make an appointment to get this procedure done. Don't have a dermatologist or a plastic surgeon? See The American Academy of Dermatology Physician Database to find a dermatologist or the American Society of Plastic Surgeons to find a plastic surgeon.
Used Ablative Non-fractional Lasers? Rate It:
Choose from 1 to 5 stars
December 14, 2009
Cons:
Not for the faint hearted. Very messy afterwards - blood, gore etc. - and takes several days to heal, although after four days you should be through the worst. I had a general anaesthetic for procedure, although the aftermath was quite painful.
If you're feeling brave, and in a good frame of mind, go for it. The results are impressive, although if you have severe scarring or deep lines like myself you may well need two treatments to get the desired effect. It also has the side effect of making you look more youthful too! People have commented on this, which is kinda nice. However, I wouldn't recommend this treatment for people with minor wrinkles or lines, or minimal damage caused by acne. I would suggest something less invasive would be more appropriate, at least in the first instance.Find a dermatologist who is skilled and experienced in the use of lasers as opposed to a cosmetic surgeon who is less likely to be a specialist in this field. The immediate after effects look horrific-so be prepared for that-you will resemble something out of a horror movie-but looks worse than it feels, although there is some pain and discomfort, but heals quickly.Redness lasts for several weeks so use make-up - guys too!
March 6, 2009
Pros:
Skin looks younger, smoother, firmer. Wrinkles and brown spots gone.
Cons:
Not a lot of change in scars or pore size. Painful, lots of post-op maintenance, 1-2 weeks down time.
I would recommend this procedure for wrinkles and freckles/age spots, but not for scarring. My doctor gave good instructions to avoid infection. In some of the negative reviews, I wonder if those people got infections. My doctor warned me that infec. could cause scarring, so I was meticulous. Also I got realistic down-time estimates. Some negative reviews are from people who have not yet healed. It does look scary at first! Scary lasts a week to 10 days, then bright red for 1 week, then light red, and slowly fading. I think going to a VERY GOOD doctor is vital, which you may have to pay for. Looking at some of the prices people paid, I wonder if they went to a reputable place.
Don't bargain-shop your face! A "cheap" skin treatment is likely to give "cheap" results.
January 16, 2008
Pros:
Some shallow acne scars looks better, but some deep scars are still there.Laser also diminished my pores.
Cons:
expensive, terrible redness occured and hyperpigmentation.Luckilly hydrokinolone helped me to get rid of it.
I had cystic acne and there were many different kind of scars on my cheeks.I went for co2 laser treatment.I think the improvment is only 25%-30%, because laser shallowed some scars quite well, but my deepest scars are sill there like before and it makes me so unhappy.
October 3, 2007
Pros:
Co2 laser resurfacing greatly diminished lines around my mouth. The healing was an 8 day nightmare, however, and more work needs to be done. I am investigating the Active FX laser now. Perhaps it can blast off another layer, and it works on the neck.
Cons:
It was expesnive and scary, due to the risk of infection that my surgeon constantly emphasized.
Once was enough with this type of procedure. I wish I had never smoked or sat in the sun!
March 31, 2007
Pros:
co2 lazer
Cons:
acne scarring
well s been 2 months still alot of redness inprovment.
March 23, 2007
Pros:
Overall, skin looks fresher, BUT--I could have gotten that with good facials.
Cons:
I just had "deep" laser skin resurfacing done exactly one week ago, today for some acne scarring I had...the procedure was EXTREMELY painful and you know what? My acne scars are STILL visible...
I didn't expect my acne scars to fully disappear, but after all that pain, not to mention the $$, I expected to at least see a dramatic reduction...and it looks like the same d***m scars are around and I'm feeling really frustrated and helpless as to what to do.
October 29, 2006
Pros:
Permanent improvement, unlike superficial treatments. Relatively safe if done by a god surgeon.
Cons:
Post-surgery redness and itchiness. Can't leave the house for about two weeks. First week after surgery will suck, period.
CO2 Laser resurfacing worked well for me. I had severe acne as a teen. When my skin cleared after accutane, I was left with bad scarring and pitting. I had two CO2 treatments. My first treatment cleared up about 60% of the scarring, pitting. My second treatment cleared up about 25% more. I paid about $6,500.00 total and feel like an 85% improvement from where I was was money well spent. You can camoflauge (sp?) the redness with makeup after two weeks. I have no idea what men could do other than look like a tomoato. So, I guess the treatment is more suited to women. I was red (without makeup) for a good three months. Then I was pink for another two. That said, there's really nothing else you can do to get a permanent improvement. For me, it was a life-saver. I feel bad for the people for whom it did not work.
Pros:
I've just undergone second laser C02 treatment, and would agree, better to have one or two big blasts than lots of small treatments. Very effective for lessening scarring. Strongly suggest, choose a dermatologist rather than cosmetic surgeon.