Korean J Dermatol.  2016 May;54(4):233-240.

Principles and Practices of Fractional Carbon Dioxide Laser

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Dermatology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea. chhuh@snu.ac.kr

Abstract

Carbon dioxide (CO2) laser is one of the most widely used lasers in dermatology. CO2 laser can precisely ablate the skin with good hemostasis, which makes it an ideal surgical laser. With the development of pulsed CO2 laser, which enabled cleaner ablation with less residual thermal damage, CO2 laser resurfacing became the gold standard for skin rejuvenation. The rejuvenation effect of full-face CO2 laser resurfacing is unparalleled to other methods; however, it is associated with a relative high incidence of side effects and prolonged downtime. Fractional CO2 laser was developed to overcome this problem. With a new technology of fractionating the laser beam into hundreds of microbeams, fractional CO2 laser resurfacing can improve various skin conditions including skin laxity, photodamage, and acne scars with short downtime and significantly lesser side effects. For optimal treatment results, clinicians have to decide the treatment depth and density based on proper understanding of the laser tissue interaction and underlying skin conditions.

Keyword

Carbon dioxide laser; Fractional laser; Photorejuvenation

MeSH Terms

Acne Vulgaris
Carbon Dioxide*
Carbon*
Cicatrix
Dermatology
Hemostasis
Incidence
Lasers, Gas*
Rejuvenation
Skin
Carbon
Carbon Dioxide
Full Text Links
  • KJD
Actions
Cited
CITED
export Copy
Close
Share
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
Similar articles
Copyright © 2024 by Korean Association of Medical Journal Editors. All rights reserved.     E-mail: koreamed@kamje.or.kr