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He thought I should tryresurfacing laser treatment specifically Fractional CO2 laser.

A before and after of the writer who tried out fractional CO2 laser.

Soleil Summer

Still, the details of what’s happening on your face aren’t so pretty.

Lasers work by wounding the top layer of skin (a.k.a.

Give it some downtime, and your skin will emerge looking bright and clear.

Upclose selfie of woman’s face before Fraction C02 Laser

The author before her treatment.

Because of my history with acne, I was a great candidate forfractional CO2.

In this story:

The author before her treatment.

Throughout the treatment, there was a burning scent it was my dermis being burnt off.

Close up image of woman’s face after getting C02 Fractional laser

Fani immediately after her treatment.

The sensation felt like a rubber band lightly hitting my skin, which was uncomfortable but not painful.

Fani immediately after her treatment.

I was in the clinic for about two hours, though the laser itself took one hour.

Closeup of cheek day two after fractional c02 laser

Day two.

Thankfully, the burning sensation went away overnight.

The night after the laser, I didn’t sleep well as it felt like my skin was burning.

I took a pain killer and applied a thick layer of antibiotic cream.

Closeup of C02 Fractional Laser results

Day five.

The next day my face waspuffy, but there was no pain.

The first day was the worst, as I felt like I had a terrible sunburn.

Overall, the pain went away after the first day.

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Day seven.

After that, theitchingwas the most uncomfortable thing.

For the first four days, I applied a thick antibiotic cream my doctor prescribed twice a day.

Around the fourth day post-treatment, the red dots on my face turned into tiny brown scabs.

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“you might place the products there and see if you react.”

By day 10, all the little skin flakes had fallen off.

Closeup results of C02 Fractional Laser day 7

Day seven.

The final four days, I noticed I had rosy cheeks and hadglass-likeskin with (almost) minimal effort.

It was an uncomfortable process, but it was worth it and I’m really impressed with the results.

I had a sunken chickenpox scar at the tip of my nose, which is almost gone.

Closeup of C02 Fractional Laser results day 10

Day ten.

My dermatologist suggested that I avoidretinoidsand acids for a few weeks as the new skin may be more sensitive.

“Using retinoids or acids can delay healing and potentially contribute to hyperpigmentation.”

Who should try Fractional CO2?

Portrait of Fani Mari after getting Fractional C02 Laser

Fani 17 days after her treatment, wearing makeup but no foundation.

So a lot of people can get something from this laser.

The laser can go down to the dermis.

The depth and intensity changes depending on the patient," says Dr. Hayag.

This is a non-ablative, non-thermal laser that targets pigmentation.

Jamie Sherril (a.k.a.Nurse Jamie), a certified nurse and aesthetician, agrees.

How much does Fractional CO2 Laser cost?

Fractional CO2 typicallycostsbetween $1,000 and $3,000 per session in New York City-based clinics.

Offices may offer discounts after the first treatment and prices vary depending on location.

Dr. Hayag explains that deeper wrinkles and severe acne scarring require more treatments in comparison to mild damage.

Fani 17 days after her treatment, wearing makeup but no foundation.

That’s what happened in my case; I saw great results straight away.