CO2 Laser
Resurfacing
Premium laser skin resurfacing
CO2 laser resurfacing uses a carbon dioxide laser to remove damaged surface skin and warm the layer underneath, which prompts your body to build new collagen. At California LASIK & Eye, Kristen Barnett, NP-C performs fractional CO2 resurfacing for fine lines, acne scars, sun damage, and uneven texture. Because we are an eye practice as well as an aesthetics practice, we bring extra care to the thin skin around the eyes. Most patients need one session and about a week of visible healing.
An Eye Practice’s Approach to Skin
Your face does not have to look “done” to look renewed. Kristen built her aesthetics program around one idea: results natural enough that people think you look rested, not remade. Patients from Sacramento, Roseville, and Folsom come to California LASIK & Eye for that approach, and because we are an eye practice first, we bring an extra layer of caution to the skin nearest your eyes that a typical med spa does not. If a gentler treatment fits you better, or if the honest answer is no treatment at all, we will say so at your consultation.
- What Is CO2 Laser Resurfacing?
- How Does CO2 Laser Resurfacing Work?
- What Can CO2 Laser Resurfacing Treat?
- Am I a Good Candidate for CO2 Laser Resurfacing?
- What Happens During a CO2 Laser Resurfacing Appointment?
- What Is Recovery Like After CO2 Laser Resurfacing?
- When Will I See Results?
- Why Should I Choose California LASIK & Eye for CO2 Laser Resurfacing?
- What Do Our Patients Say?
- What Are the Risks of CO2 Laser Resurfacing?
- What Happens at a CO2 Laser Resurfacing Consultation?
- Frequently Asked Questions
What Is CO2 Laser Resurfacing?
CO2 laser resurfacing is one of the most established forms of ablative laser skin resurfacing. Ablative means the laser removes tissue instead of only heating it from below. Water in your skin absorbs the carbon dioxide wavelength, so the laser removes a precise layer of damaged surface tissue and leaves gentle warmth in the deeper layer of skin where collagen lives.
Modern CO2 treatment is fractional. Instead of removing the entire surface at once, the laser delivers thousands of tiny energy columns and leaves healthy skin standing in between. Those untreated bridges speed healing considerably. Research on fractional CO2 resurfacing shows far less prolonged redness, delayed pigment loss, and scarring than the full-field CO2 resurfacing used in the 1990s.
Our fractional CO2 laser lets Kristen adjust depth and coverage for each patient. A light pass for tone and a deeper pass for etched lines are two different treatments from the same laser.
How Does CO2 Laser Resurfacing Work?
Three things happen at once. The laser clears away sun-damaged surface skin. The warmth left behind starts a controlled healing response. That response then rebalances collagen production, which is what actually smooths texture over the following months.
This is why we set expectations carefully. The week after treatment shows you healing. The months after treatment show you the result.
What Can CO2 Laser Resurfacing Treat?
- Fine lines and wrinkles, particularly around the eyes and mouth
- Acne scars and other depressed scars
- Sun damage, brown spots, and uneven tone
- Rough or crepey texture
- Pores that look larger than they used to
Am I a Good Candidate for CO2 Laser Resurfacing?
You are likely a good candidate if you are in good general health, your goals are realistic, you can protect treated skin from the sun, and you can plan around roughly a week of social downtime.
We will recommend waiting, or a different treatment, if you have an active skin infection or inflamed acne in the area, recently finished Accutane (isotretinoin), are pregnant, have a history of raised or thick scarring, or arrive with a tan.
If you are treating skin around your eyes, know that it is thinner than the rest of your face. It also sits close to your cornea. We treat that area more conservatively, and only after checking your eye health first.
Skin tone matters, and we will be direct about it.
One study of 107 patients with medium to deeper skin tones treated for acne scarring found a 15.0% side-effect rate. The most common side effect was temporary dark spots, in 6.4% of cases. We treat deeper skin tones often, using conservative settings, pretreatment, and sometimes a different device.
What Happens During a CO2 Laser Resurfacing Appointment?
Plan for about 90 minutes in our office. We start with numbing cream, which needs 30 to 45 minutes to take full effect. If you would like extra help relaxing, we can offer an oral sedative before treatment. You will need a driver, since you cannot drive yourself home afterward. While you wait, we review your goals and confirm the treatment plan Kristen mapped out at your consultation.
Once your skin is numb, we protect your eyes with shields and clean the treatment area. Kristen passes the laser over your skin in sections, adjusting depth as she goes: lighter over delicate areas like the eyelids, deeper over etched lines or scarring. Most patients feel warmth with brief prickling rather than pain.
We send you home with a simple aftercare kit: ointment, cool compresses, and written instructions. We typically ask you to pause retinoids and exfoliating products beforehand, following the same skincare basics we recommend to every laser patient.
What Is Recovery Like After CO2 Laser Resurfacing?
Most patients follow a predictable arc:
- Days 1 to 2: warmth, redness similar to a strong sunburn, and swelling. You will use ointment, cool compresses, and an extra pillow at night.
- Days 3 to 5: skin darkens slightly, feels like fine sandpaper, then begins to flake.
- Days 7 to 10: most patients return to makeup and normal social plans.
- Weeks 2 to 6: residual pink fades gradually.
Most patients tolerate treatment well with topical numbing.
When Will I See Results?
Most patients notice smoother texture and brighter tone within one to two weeks, once initial healing finishes. The deeper change arrives more slowly, as new collagen forms over the following months.
Most patients reach their goal in a single session. Some choose a second pass later for deeper lines or stubborn scarring. Individual results vary. Daily sunscreen protects what you paid for, and consistent sun protection habits help your results last longer.
Why Should I Choose California LASIK & Eye for CO2 Laser Resurfacing?
Kristen Barnett, NP-C, our Director of Medical Aesthetics, performs CO2 resurfacing here. She brings 13+ years of clinical experience to her aesthetics work, and her approach stays consistent across every treatment: natural, proportional, never overdone. She tells you honestly when a lighter touch, or no treatment at all, is the better call.
You can find more about her training and approach on Kristen’s bio page.
California LASIK & Eye is an eye care practice as well as an aesthetics practice. The same clinical standards for surgical patients carry over to something as precise as CO2 resurfacing near the eyes.
What Do Our Patients Say?
What Are the Risks of CO2 Laser Resurfacing?
Like any laser treatment, CO2 resurfacing carries some risk. A review of 1,093 patients found ablative lasers were not automatically riskier than nonablative options. Still, you should understand what to expect before you commit.
- Redness and swelling
- Temporary or lasting changes in skin color
- Infection
- Scarring
- Cold sore flares, if you carry the herpes simplex virus
Results and recovery vary by individual. Kristen will walk through your personal risk factors and answer every question at your consultation.
What Happens at a CO2 Laser Resurfacing Consultation?
Every treatment starts with a consultation, not a sales pitch. Kristen examines your skin, discusses your goals, and recommends CO2 only if it is genuinely the best option for you. If IPL, Microneedling, or neurotoxins would serve your goals better, she will tell you that instead.
Consultations require a $100 deposit, which we apply toward your procedure if you move forward.
Does CO2 laser resurfacing hurt?
Most patients find it well tolerated. We apply topical numbing before treatment, and the sensation people describe most often is heat with brief prickling, not pain. Afterward, the skin feels like a strong sunburn for a day or two.
How much does CO2 laser resurfacing cost?
Cost depends on the treatment area, the depth of resurfacing, and whether a second session is planned. We quote transparent pricing after evaluating your skin at consultation.
How is CO2 laser resurfacing different from IPL or Microneedling?
CO2 removes tissue and works deepest. It addresses etched lines and scarring that lighter treatments cannot reach, with more downtime in exchange. IPL targets brown and red discoloration with little to no downtime. Microneedling creates mechanical micro-injury and usually requires a series. Kristen will walk you through which one matches your goals.
How long do CO2 laser resurfacing results last?
Improvements typically last several years when patients protect their skin. Daily broad-spectrum sunscreen, a consistent medical-grade skincare routine, and occasional maintenance treatments preserve results the longest. Aging continues, so no laser result is permanent.
When is the best time of year to have CO2 laser resurfacing?
Fall and winter are ideal here. Treated skin is highly sun-sensitive for weeks afterward, and Sacramento summers make strict sun avoidance difficult. Scheduling between October and March simplifies healing.
Can I have CO2 laser resurfacing if I have dry eye or have had eye surgery?
Often yes, but we evaluate your ocular surface first. California LASIK & Eye treats both eyes and skin. That means you will not need to explain your eye history to a new provider elsewhere. Tell Kristen about any dry eye or eyelid surgery history at your consultation, so she can plan around it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Contact Us
If you are considering CO2 laser resurfacing, our Sacramento office welcomes patients from Roseville, Folsom, and throughout the greater Sacramento area. The next step is a conversation, not a commitment. Kristen will examine your skin, talk through your goals, explain what CO2 can and cannot do for you, and recommend only what she would recommend to her own family.
Source Index
Tierney EP, Eisen RF, Hanke CW. “Fractionated CO2 laser skin rejuvenation.” Dermatologic Therapy, 2011;24(1):41-53. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1529-8019.2010.01377.x
Ochi H, Tan L, Tan WP, Goh CL. “Treatment of Facial Acne Scarring With Fractional Carbon Dioxide Laser in Asians: A Retrospective Analysis of Efficacy and Complications.” Dermatologic Surgery, 2017;43(9):1137-1143. https://doi.org/10.1097/DSS.0000000000001219
Mirza HN, Mirza FN, Khatri KA. “Outcomes and adverse effects of ablative vs nonablative lasers for skin resurfacing: A systematic review of 1093 patients.” Dermatologic Therapy, 2021;34(1):e14432. https://doi.org/10.1111/dth.14432
