Fractional Carbon Dioxide (CO2) lasers are a recent advancement in non-surgical skin rejuvenation.  CO2 lasers are not new, but in the past, CO2 lasers were 100% fully ablative and required significant downtime.  The fractional laser allows for only a percentage of the skin to be treated with the laser thereby allowing the other fraction of your skin to remain untouched which results in a quicker healing yet you still gain the benefits that the CO2 laser offers.  

Fractional CO2 lasers are used for treating deeper wrinkles, skin textural issues, and trauma from scars, burns, etc.  

Many patients concerned about lip lines or "smoker lines" benefit from a combination of Fractional CO2 laser with dermabrasion.  With a special eye shield in place, the laser can be used close to the eye for those concerned about under eye wrinkles.  

Most people report feeling like they have a bad sunburn right after the laser treatment. This feeling usually subsides within a few hours.  Be prepared to pretreat your skin for 3-6 weeks with prescription skin creams that Dr. Goldman prescribes.  Also, due to the Aquaphor that Dr. Goldman will ask you to place on your face following the treatment, you should be prepared for 4 to 5 days of "hiding out" after the procedure.  After the initial 4 to 5 days, you can wear sunscreen and makeup again, but we do ask that you minimize exposure to the sun for a few weeks. 

Below is a patient who was most concerned about skin textural issues and wrinkles in the mouth region.

Before Fractional CO2 Laser Treatment	Two Months after Fractional CO2 Laser Treatment

Before Fractional CO2 Laser Treatment	Two Months after Fractional CO2 Laser Treatment

Immediately after Fractional CO2 Laser Treatment -   Aquaphor applied to keep the skin moist	One Week after Fractional CO2 Laser Treatment - Sunscreen and makeup can be applied