Can CO2 Lasers Really Firm My Skin and What Are the Side Effects?
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Dr Sonia Khorana is a GP with a special interest in dermatology and Live That Glow’s own skincare agony aunt. She is passionate about helping people feel confident in their own skin. Here, she looks at C02 lasers, how they can improve skin, and any side effects.
I’m considering getting CO2 laser treatment to firm by skin but I’ve heard it isn’t always effective and that there might be side effects. Is it worth getting?
Dr Sonia says:
CO2 lasers vaporise the top layer of skin, creating a controlled injury, and as the skin heals, collagen is produced as part of the wound healing process. It basically helps remove the outer layers of skin to reveal smoother, softer skin underneath.
It is a tried and tested and reliable method to rejuvenate your skin. They can help “firm” in the right patient, but this would need an individual assessment as CO2 lasers will not lift sagging skin or replace lost volume.
Common side effects are swelling, redness, oozing and irritation – these are temporary and tend to resolve within a week or two depending on the intensity of treatment.
Some patients may encounter burns, scarring, scabbing, and discoloration but these are not very common and will depend on the patients’ skin, clinician and the laser intensity.
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