CO2 laser skin resurfacing is a popular treatment designed to create a rejuvenated, more youthful appearance. It can help fight common signs of aging and skin conditions, leaving skin looking and feeling healthier.
But how will your skin change after the treatment? In this guide, we’ll explore the laser’s effect on skin after 1 day, 7 days, and 30 days. We’ll also answer big questions about CO2 laser skin resurfacing to help you understand why it could be the right solution for you.
What is a CO2 Laser Treatment?
During the treatment, a carbon dioxide (CO2) laser concentrates light on the target areas of the face. Water within skin cells absorbs this light, which causes the cells to heat up and vaporize. This process removes the skin’s outer layers, eventually causing a fresh layer to appear.
VBeauty Medical Spa uses a combined CO2 laser and erbium laser treatment for powerful skin resurfacing. While CO2 penetrates tissue deeper to target advanced damage, erbium lasers are gentler and focus on surface-level skin renewal instead.
Using both lasers together creates highly balanced, striking results, and leaves skin looking rejuvenated like never before. Many surgeons use these lasers after performing invasive treatments to improve healing and overall results.
Skin resurfacing with a CO2 laser is generally recommended to address:
- Wrinkles and fine lines
- Sun damage
- Unbalanced skin tone (e.g. hyperpigmentation, melasma)
- Scarring (caused by wounds and acne)
CO2 lasers also promote production of collagen, a naturally occurring protein responsible for the skin’s structure and resilience. The body produces less collagen as it ages, which causes skin to sag and for wrinkles to become more visible. Boosting collagen production can make skin tighter, firmer, and more youthful.
Tracking Results 1 Day, 7 Days, and 30 Days After CO2 Laser Skin Resurfacing
1 Day After CO2 Laser Treatment
On the day following treatment, it’s normal for skin to become:
- Red
- Swollen
- Dry
Some crusting or scabbing may even occur. Your skin might also feel as it would when sunburned, with a slight burning sensation and some tightness.
While this may not sound particularly appealing, it’s a common outcome of laser-based skin resurfacing.
It’s important to keep the skin hydrated and moist on this day to speed the healing process along. If you experience any discomfort at this point, that will start to fade as the skin recovers.
Over the next few days, skin will begin to peel. Resist the temptation to pick and rub at it: this may cause premature peeling and eventual scarring.
7 Days After CO2 Laser Treatment
By the end of the first week following your laser treatment, skin peeling will have ended or be close to that point. This will reveal the fresh layer of skin underneath, which will have a smoother and more youthful texture.
If this new layer of skin looks a little red or pink, don’t worry: this is normal. Please apply sunscreen when going outside at this time, even if it’s not a particularly bright day. Your skin will be more sensitive to UV radiation, and sun damage may occur more easily.
Continue to treat your skin with care and use a slow, gentle touch when applying sunscreen or other products. If you’re not sure what items are safe to place on your skin, just ask — we’ll be happy to offer advice.
30 Days After CO2 Laser Treatment
The fresh layer of skin should have lost any of its pinkness or redness by this time, and the full transformative effects of the treatment will be visible. Your skin should appear smoother, tighter, and revitalized.
Continue to diligently apply sunscreen each time you go outside and apply skincare products gently.
How to Achieve Even Better Results and Faster Recovery Time with CO2 Laser Treatments
At VBeauty Medical Spa in Toronto, we highly recommend complementing your CO2 laser sessions with plated exosome therapy and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections. By using these treatments after your CO2 laser, we can enhance the quality of your results and increase the speed of your recovery time.
What do these treatments involve?
- Plated exosomes: Exosomes are taken from blood platelets, which are essential for clotting blood and preventing bleeding. Plated exosomes function as miniscule messengers inside the body, delivering materials (e.g. antioxidants, peptides, and more) between cells. This is crucial for healing wounds, reducing inflammation, and rejuvenating skin.
- PRP: Platelet-rich plasma injections use your own blood to promote tissue repair, which creates healthier, stronger skin.
Using plated exosomes and PRP together after a skin resurfacing treatment will encourage faster healing. This can keep your skin healthy as it recovers, and may cause the results to become more visible in less time.
If you want to try plated exosomes and PRP after your CO2 laser session, please let us know. We’ll explain them in more detail and answer any questions you may have.
How Many CO2 Laser Treatments Will I Need?
Most clients need one to three sessions depending on the depth of the laser treatment done for you. We’ll schedule your sessions carefully to ensure your skin has enough time to recover properly. This all will be discussed during the initial consultation with your practitioner.
Full depth CO2 is generally a single session treatment, and treatment effects last up to 2.5 years with the recommended and appropriate skincare routine. Medium depth generally requires 2-3 treatments.
Combining Platelet-Rich-Plasma (PRP) and exosomes will speed up healing process.
Some clients see incredible results after their first session, but others are usually necessary to achieve the best outcome.
With CO2laser alone, healing takes 5–8 days. Add exosomes, and you’re down to just 4–5. That’s nearly half the downtime—without sacrificing results. Why wait longer to look better?
Can a CO2 Laser Treatment Be Customized to Fit My Needs?
Yes, the intensity of your treatment will be tailored to fit your aesthetic goals and recovery window.
Does CO2 Laser Skin Resurfacing Hurt?
CO2 laser treatments can cause some discomfort. However, we always apply a medical-grade topical numbing cream to the skin to reduce any discomfort you may experience.
Book Your CO2 Laser Treatment at VBeauty Medical Spa in Toronto
CO2 lasers can create striking results and reduce common signs of aging. It’s also highly effective for improving the appearance of scars, uneven skin tones, and sagging skin.
At VBeauty Medical Spa, we offer CO2 and Erbium laser treatments for powerful skin resurfacing that lasts. This enables our experts to treat your skin issues with precision, triggering noticeable changes on the surface and below.
Ready to learn more? Book your free consultation today.
