A CO2 Laser works by directing a Laser beam through a gas filled tube, usually Carbon Dioxide (CO²). At the same time a high voltage of electricity flows through the tube which reacts with the gas, producing a strong beam of light. Mirrors are used to intensify the light allowing it to focus on a precise area.
When used for aesthetics treatments a CO2 Laser works by targeting layers of the skin, removing the outer layer of skin (epidermis) and heating the underlying layer of skin (dermis), which stimulates the growth of new collagen.
CO2 Laser Applications
CO2 Lasers can be used for a range of aesthetic treatments including skin resurfacing, wrinkle reduction and scar removal. CO2 Lasers emit a controlled beam of infrared light that is absorbed by the skin’s water molecules, causing the skin to heat up and vaporising the water.
In some devices the CO2 Laser will be a Fractional Laser, which means the Laser beam is split into fractions – allowing gaps on the skin where the treatment is not applied, allowing the skin to heal faster.
Skin Resurfacing Treatments
There are a range of aesthetic treatments that can utilise CO2 Laser, due to the adjustable depth and intensity of the Laser application. More common treatments are skin rejuvenation, or the removal of fine lines and scars.
All CO2 treatments should be carried out by a certified technician, and can often require a local anaesthetic or numbing agent to relieve any discomfort. Most aesthetic treatments are low risk and recovery times can be between 1 to 3 weeks. However, more aggressive treatments can carry potential risks and side effects, so always ensure the practitioner is qualified.
Multi-Application Fractional CO² Laser
SmartXEL C02 fractional laser offers ‘gold standard’ skin resurfacing and rejuvenation. The Laser is delivered with a wavelength of 10,600nm in an array of Laser beams scanned across the skin, creating 100 micrometer columns in the skin.
SmartXEL delivers the Laser energy to the target tissue using a particular double part pulse called SmartPulse. In the first step, a high power ablative pulse with short duration leads to micrometer destruction of the tissue which delivers Laser energy into the optimum depth of the tissue.
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