CO2 carbon dioxide laser
What is it?
The laser is an instrument capable of emitting a monochromatic and collimated beam of ligh with specific physical peculiarities. The CO2 laser uses carbon dioxide as an active medium emitting a beam of photons with a wavelength of 10600 nm, which allows to hit selectively the water of the tissues leading to their destruction through a process called photothermolysis and treat only the lesion concerned saving the adjacent areas.
When is this procedure indicated?
The cabonic anhydride laser is indicated in surgery and aesthetic medicine. Due to its possibility of modulation and precision, it is possible to vaporize cutaneous neoformations such as viral warts, seborrheic keratoses, sun spots, senile pigmentations, xentelasms, epidermal nevi using pulsed and ultra-pulsed modes. The light beam also produces intense heat that is primarily used to achieve the production of new collagen. The fractional mode renews the superficial layer of the epidermis, but at the same time, through the creation of thermal micro-columns, the altered collagen is replaced by healthy collagen. This procedure, called skin resurfacing, can treat imperfections such as acne scars and fine facial wrinkles. On the other hand, the continuous emission mode has a cutting effect and is used, for example, in rhinophyma remodeling.
How is it performed?
Step 1
Anesthesia: local with cream application or subcutaneous injection or local with sedation.
Step 2
Procedure: The CO2 Laser can be used more or less aggressively: correction can be achieved with a single deep treatment or with repeated superficial treatments; the strategy must be agreed with the needs of the patient. In general, the more aggressive the treatment, the better the results, but the longer the healing time.
Recovery
Service is performed in an equipped outpatient clinic.
Short-term complications
- Burning or discomfort more or less intense in the first 24 hours.
- Swelling in the first 3-4 days.
- Application of antibiotic cream for the first 7 days.
- Formation of thin scabs intended to fall off within 7-12 days depending on the depth of action.
- Healing occurs after 7-12 days, when the scabs have completely fallen off, with regeneration of new, thin, delicate underlying skin.
- Redness, of various degree, for a few weeks.
Long-term complications
- Skin infections: bacterial infections can be caused by poor hygiene in the immediate postoperative period.
- Herpes virus: risk is limited by taking antivirals before surgery.
- Erythema (bright pink color of the skin): it is an unavoidable consequence of laser photoabrasion; it usually regresses spontaneously after a few weeks, sometimes after two or three months.
- Dyschromia: hyperpigmentation and/or hypopigmentation of the skin in the treated areas may occur after weeks or months: the use of sunscreen creams minimizes the risk of there occurrence.
- Hypertrophic (reddened and raised) scars: may unpredictably develop in patients with excessive skin reactivity. Although rare, this complication is dangerous as it is unpredictable and can cause significant aesthetic damage.
Are you interested in receiving the treatment?