Have you ever wondered how some people manage to turn back the clock on their skin and don’t seem to be aging at the same rate as others?

One of the most effective treatments in the world of skin rejuvenation is CO2 laser resurfacing.  

This powerful treatment has been helping people address various skin concerns for decades, but recent advances in technology have made it more comfortable, easy and accessible than ever.

How Do CO2 Lasers Work to Improve Skin

CO2 laser treatment uses energy that’s absorbed by the water in your skin cells. It acts like more of a physical laser compared to other skin tightening devices like ND:Yag lasers or Radiofrequency. When the laser beam touches your skin, it instantly converts to heat, creating tiny, microscopic, vaporized zones of injury. Don’t worry – these micro-injuries are a really good thing!

Think of it like this: the laser creates thousands of tiny, invisible columns in your skin, like aerating a lawn. These tiny injuries trigger your body’s natural healing response. Your skin thinks, “Oh! What happened here, I need to repair this area asap,” and immediately gets to work, repairing it to be stronger and healthier than it was previously.

Your body sends healing resources to these micro-injured areas, stimulating the production of fresh collagen and elastin – the two proteins responsible for keeping your skin firm, smooth, and elastic. As we age, our natural production of these proteins slows down, which is why this stimulation is so beneficial.

The areas surrounding each micro-injury remain untouched, which leaves some healthy tissue to provide blood flow and support rapid healing. This is why CO2 laser treatment leads to such impressive results – it essentially tricks your body into rejuvenating itself!

Skin Concerns That CO2 Lasers Can Address

• Fine lines and wrinkles: The boost in collagen production helps smooth out those pesky signs of aging.
• Acne scars: The laser can break down scar tissue and stimulate new, healthy skin growth.
• Sun damage: Those brown spots and uneven tone from years in the sun can be significantly improved.
• Enlarged pores: The heating effect can help tighten pores for a smoother appearance.
• Skin texture issues: Rough or uneven skin texture becomes more refined and smoother.
• Surgical or injury scars and Stretchmarks: Many types of scars and stretchmarks can be improved with CO2 laser therapy.
• Skin laxity: The collagen-boosting effects help tighten loose skin, especially around the eyes, mouth, and neck.
• Skin brightness: The laser resurfaces the old, dead skin cells away so that the skin appears to be brighter and glowing afterwards.

The Tetra Deka CO2 Laser: A Game-Changer in Skin Treatment

If you’ve heard or seen the horror stories about CO2 laser treatments requiring weeks of downtime with swollen, red, raw skin, you’ll be happy to know that technology has come a long way! The Tetra Deka CO2 laser represents a significant advancement over older CO2 laser systems.

Traditional CO2 lasers delivered their energy in one continuous vertical pattern of vaporizing columns, which created a lot of heat in the skin. This meant more pain during treatment, heat for many hours after, more redness afterward, and much longer healing times – sometimes requiring a week or more of staying indoors!

The Tetra Deka system, however, delivers ultra-short pulses of energy instead of a continuous beam. This approach, sometimes called “fractional” technology, means that the heat has time to dissipate between pulses, preventing the uncomfortable heat buildup that occurred with older lasers. The laser pulses are also capable of bouncing around in the skin (think of a pinball game with a laser beam!), which leaves the skin more time to cool and leave more untreated skin, while maintaining the effectiveness. 

The result? Treatments that are:

More comfortable: Most patients report significantly less discomfort during the procedure and heat that only lasts for an hour or 2, not upwards of 6 hours.

Quicker to heal: Instead of hiding at home for a week or more, many patients experience just 2-3 days of mild pinkness.

Safer for all skin types: Older CO2 lasers posed risks for people with darker skin tones, but the Tetra Deka’s advanced technology makes treatments safer for a wider range of skin colors.

Customizable: The system allows practitioners to adjust settings for your specific skin concerns, from gentle “lunchtime” treatments with virtually no downtime to more intensive options for those seeking dramatic results.

CoolPeel vs. Traditional CO2 Treatments

The Tetra Deka CO2 laser offers a revolutionary new type of treatment option called CoolPeel, which represents a significant advancement over traditional CO2 treatments. 

Traditional CO2 Treatment

Traditional CO2 treatments use longer pulse durations (time the laser is spent in the skin) that create substantial heat in your skin. While this approach delivers dramatic results for concerns like deep wrinkles and significant scarring, it comes with some drawbacks:

Recovery time typically includes 7-10 days of noticeable redness and swelling, with most patients needing to stay indoors.

The skin may remain pink for several weeks after treatment.

There’s a higher risk of side effects like prolonged redness, swelling, and in rare cases, scarring or pigmentation changes.

Treatment is generally more painful, often requiring stronger numbing agents or even sedation.

These traditional treatments are still an excellent option for those seeking dramatic transformation and who can accommodate the week or more of recovery period.

CoolPeel Treatment

CoolPeel uses the Tetra Deka’s unique ability to deliver extremely short pulses of energy (measured in microseconds), which allows the skin to cool between pulses. A patient can do 3-4 CoolPeel sessions which only require a weekend to heal, and get nearly the same transformation results as doing a traditional C02. This technological breakthrough means:

Recovery time is drastically reduced to just 1-3 days of mild pinkness that can often be covered with mineral makeup after the first 24-48 hours.

You can return to most normal activities almost immediately – that’s why it’s often called a “lunchtime treatment.”

The risk of side effects is significantly lower, making it appropriate for more skin types.

The treatment is much more comfortable, requiring only cold air during the treatment.

For many people, the ability to get meaningful improvement with minimal disruption to their life makes CoolPeel the perfect option. Many patients choose to have a series of CoolPeel treatments spaced a few weeks apart to achieve results like one aggressive treatment, but without the extended downtime.

Is CO2 Laser Treatment Right for You?

If you’re bothered by signs of aging, acne scars, brown spots or other skin texture issues, CO2 laser treatment might be an excellent option. 

With the advanced technology of systems like the Tetra Deka CO2 laser, these treatments are more accessible than ever before. Whether you choose a gentle, no-downtime approach or opt for a more intensive treatment for dramatic results, today’s CO2 laser technology offers a path to fresher, more youthful skin without the lengthy recovery times of the past.

Remember that your own immune system is doing all of the work to create those results, not the laser. Proper aftercare is essential for optimal results, so be sure to follow your aftercare instructions very carefully. With the right approach, CO2 laser treatment can help you reveal your skin’s natural radiance and turn back the clock on years of aging.