CO2 reaches the dermis and rebuilds collagen in a way no injectable or light-based device can. It also means a week or two of visibly healing skin. Both of those are true, and you should hear both before booking.
Fractional CO2 — $700, or three for $1,600. Five to seven days of redness and peeling. Best for texture, sun damage, fine lines, and shallow scarring.
Ablative CO2 — $2,200. Ten to fourteen days of real healing. Usually one session, for deeper lines and more significant damage.
Neck, chest, or hands add on for $150 each when treated alongside the face — worth knowing before you book the face alone.
CO2 laser removes damaged skin — either in microscopic columns or across the whole surface — and the wound-healing response that follows builds new collagen. The skin that comes back is structurally different from what was there: smoother, firmer, more even.
That's also why it has downtime. The result comes from a controlled injury, and the injury has to heal. Treatments promising CO2-level change without recovery are describing something else.
Added to a face treatment rather than booked separately. The session is already underway and the recovery is shared, so the same area that costs $350 on its own is $150 alongside the face. Most people add the neck, and there's a practical reason beyond price — resurfaced facial skin next to untreated neck skin leaves a visible line at the jaw.
Cherry and CareCredit financing accepted. Consultation establishes which option — if any — suits you before anything is purchased.
The lighter option is recommended whenever it's enough. Ablative is chosen for the problem, not for the price point.
Rolling scars are pulled down by fibrous bands underneath. CO2 improves the surface, but the band keeps pulling — which is why lasering alone often plateaus.
For that kind of scarring, CO2 works best staged with subcision, which releases the tethering first.
Fractional CO2 can be used cautiously in some Fitzpatrick IV skin with preparation and conservative settings. Ablative CO2 is generally avoided in IV–VI.
Lower-risk alternatives: Pico laser for pigment, microneedling for texture and scarring, and conservative fractional erbium in selected cases. IPL is not among them — it works by melanin absorbing heat.
If you get cold sores, antiviral medication is prescribed before treatment — resurfacing can trigger an outbreak across the treated area. Any spot or growth you want removed is examined first; anything atypical is referred rather than lasered.
Neck, chest, and hands heal more slowly than the face — thinner skin, fewer of the structures healing depends on. Expect the added area to lag a few days behind.
The peeling is over within two weeks, but pinkness lingers and the result isn't there yet. Booking CO2 two weeks before a wedding is the most common planning mistake.
Increasing pain after day two, yellow crusting or discharge, fever, spreading redness, blistering, or sudden clusters of small sores. Call (949) 568-7544 rather than waiting.
CO2 is one of the most effective tools I have and one of the most over-promised in the industry. The results are real. So is the recovery. I'd rather someone hear both at consultation and choose fractional, or Pico, or nothing, than book ablative and be caught off guard on day three. The treatment that fits your skin and your calendar is the right one — not the strongest one.
What is the difference between fractional and ablative CO2?
Fractional CO2 treats the skin in microscopic columns and leaves the tissue between them intact, which is why it heals in five to seven days. Ablative CO2 removes the surface across the whole treated area, producing a larger single-session change with ten to fourteen days of recovery. Fractional is usually done as a short series; ablative is usually one session.
How much downtime does CO2 laser need?
Fractional CO2 means five to seven days of redness, swelling, and peeling, with makeup usually possible after about a week. Ablative CO2 means ten to fourteen days of weeping, crusting, and peeling, followed by pinkness that can last several weeks. Neither is a treatment to fit around a working week without planning.
Is CO2 laser safe for darker skin?
Fractional CO2 can be used cautiously in some Fitzpatrick IV skin with preparation and conservative settings. In deeper skin tones the risk of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation rises, and ablative CO2 is generally avoided. Lower-risk alternatives include picosecond laser for pigment, microneedling for texture and scarring, and conservative fractional erbium in selected cases. IPL is not a safe alternative for deeper skin, since it relies on melanin absorbing heat.
Can CO2 laser treat melasma?
It is not the right tool. Melasma is heat-sensitive and can rebound darker after thermal treatment, and CO2 is among the most thermal options available. Melasma is treated with picosecond laser at conservative settings alongside topical management and sun avoidance.
How much does CO2 laser cost?
Fractional CO2 full face is $700 per session, or three sessions for $1,600. Ablative CO2 resurfacing is $2,200. Neck, chest, or hands can be added to a face treatment for $150 each. Treated on their own, those areas are $350 per session or three for $900. Cherry and CareCredit financing are accepted.
Can I treat my neck and chest at the same time?
Yes, and it is usually the sensible way to do it. Adding neck, chest, or hands to a face treatment costs $150 per area rather than $350, because the session is already underway and the recovery period is shared. Treating the face alone also leaves a visible line at the jaw where new skin meets old, which is the main practical reason to include the neck.
How many sessions will I need?
Ablative CO2 is usually a single session. Fractional CO2 is typically one to three sessions spaced six to eight weeks apart, depending on how significant the scarring or sun damage is.
When will I see results?
Surface improvement is visible once healing finishes, roughly one to two weeks after fractional treatment and two to three weeks after ablative. Collagen remodeling continues for three to six months, and that is when the result is properly judged.
Does CO2 laser work on deep acne scars?
It improves surface texture and shallow boxcar scarring. Rolling scars that are tethered from below usually need subcision to release them first, because resurfacing the surface of a tethered scar treats the wrong layer. That is why CO2 is often staged with subcision rather than used alone for scarring.
Consultation covers skin type, concern, and your calendar — and ends with a clear recommendation, including when the answer is something lighter.
4667 MacArthur Blvd, Suite 310 — Newport Beach, CA 92660
(949) 568-7544 — info@plumpmedicalspa.com
Tuesday – Saturday, 10am – 6pm