Ablative laser resurfacing is administered only by physicians. There are two main types used at the Plastic Surgery Center: Fractional CO2 Laser Resurfacing and Traditional CO2 Laser Resurfacing. The lasers are customizable by your physician to your specific skin care needs.

These short treatments can treat a wide range of skin imperfections on your face, neck, decolletage and hands, including deep wrinkles and scars (including burn scars). They can also improve your skin tone and texture as well as improve lines under your eyes and around your lips while reducing pigmentation, reducing other facial lines and tightening your skin.

Pre Treatment Instructions

You can have beautiful results with laser resurfacing. To ensure your best outcome, we will give you some specific instructions to follow before your procedure. These instructions will include protecting your face from the sun with EltaMD™ UV Protection, and using a Hydroquinone cream for several weeks before your procedure. You will receive additional instructions at the office.

The Treatment

The length of the procedure and your recovery time will depend on the level of your treatment, and the type of laser used. This procedure is done in our Ambulatory Surgery Center; anesthesia for the UltraPulse Traditional CO2 Laser is usually sedation and local, while topical anesthesia is generally all that is necessary for the SelectScan FX Fractional CO2 Laser.

Post Treatment Instructions

After your procedure, you may be prescribed pain medication. You can wash your face with your normal cleanser or Ivory soap; please pat your face, do not rub. You should keep ointment on your face, and reapply as needed. Showers are generally okay after 24 hours. It is also important to avoid sun exposure and wear sunscreen when going out. You will receive any additional instructions at the office.

On your post procedure visit, you will meet with our skin care nurse for a complimentary makeup consultation.

Schedule a Consultation

A consultation with one of our physicians is your first step in laser resurfacing. Give us a call at 316.688.7500 to learn which laser resurfacing treatment may be right for you, or request your complimentary cosmetic consultation* using our online form.

UltraPulse Traditional CO2 Laser

Traditional CO2 laser resufacing delivers the most dramatic resurfacing results, and has long been held as the gold standard for resurfacing. It can deliver outstanding improvement in wrinkles, skintone, pigmentation, acne scarring and generalized sun damage. However, to deliver such results, a period of about 10 - 14 days is required for skin healing. After this period of time, the skin is healed sufficiently for makeup application to tone down the redness of the skin that may last for 6 - 8 weeks.

While the UltraPulse Traditional CO2 laser goes deeper and is a more aggressive approach to treating your skin, the procedure requires more downtime. If a shorter recovery is preferred, the SelectScan Fractional CO2 Laser can deliver similar results, although multiple treatments may be necessary.

SelectScan FX Fractional CO2 Laser

Unlike traditional CO2 lasers, the Select Scan Fractional CO2 Laser uses tiny columns of laser energy to resurface your skin and some intact skin is left in between these columns. This helps to speed recovery and minimize the risk of scarring and pigmentation changes that can occur with traditional CO2 lasers. . This laser is the most powerful fractional carbon dioxide machine available.

Physicians have used CO2 lasers for many years to resurface skin. Despite the dramatic results, traditional CO2 laser treatments require prolonged recovery periods. But the SelectScan FX Fractional CO2 Laser is a CO2 laser that uses fractional laser technology to resurface skin with fewer scarring risks and less downtime compared to traditional CO2 lasers.

The skin is generally healed within a week. Your face may initially appear red and swollen after your treatment for the first few days. Light redness may persist for a few more weeks, but this is readily camouflaged with our jane iredale mineral makeup products. Two treatments with the SelectScan FX Fractional CO2 Laser may be required for the best results.

*Some restrictions may apply on the complimentary consultation. Does not apply to insurance funded surgeries.