CO2 Laser

Your comfort is our primary concern during your laser treatment in San Diego. Dr. Kolstad offers a series of anesthetics to control the amount of painful stimuli. Before your CO2 laser, we apply a strong topical numbing agent to all treated areas. For CO2 laser treatments of the eyes, mouth, and face, Dr. Kolstad uses injectable medications to block major nerve bundles.

Many patients experience a warming sensation in the treated areas. Dr. Kolstad uses cryocooling to minimize the discomfort. Cryocooling technology jets frigid air (43-60°F) onto the skin to numb the pain receptors.

Depending on the procedure length and treatment areas, many people prefer a light oral sedative to help them relax during the procedure.

San Diego CO2 laser treatments are typically performed in the office using a combination of local and injectable anesthetics.

Patients looking to combine laser resurfacing with surgical procedures can have the procedures performed under sedation. Most commonly, Dr. Kolstad uses a laser on the eyelids and mouth, in combination with blepharoplasty and facelift procedures.

Treatments can be deeper, with more healing and longer downtime, or shallower, with less healing and shorter downtime. The deeper the treatment, the better the results generally. But some patients prefer two treatments that aren’t as deep to avoid a lot of downtime.

You will see some immediate results, but the full results won’t be seen for 3-6 months. After your skin heals, which may take 3-14 days, there will be a period of 3 to 6 weeks when your skin might be slightly pink. During this period, your skin will feel smoother and look less blotchy. As the color returns to normal, you will see fewer lines, less blotchiness, and more glow.

Looking to make the most of your laser resurfacing? Additional procedures can be helpful in achieving the natural-looking CO2 laser results.

Recommended procedures include facelift, neck lift, facial fat transfer, chin and neck liposuction, cosmetic eyelid surgery, or a chin augmentation.

• Pain: Most people feel a mild to moderate discomfort during treatment. Dr. Kolstad will prescribe strong pain medicine if necessary, but most patients find Tylenol is enough to be comfortable.
• Redness: Many patients notice a rosy, pink color to the skin. The redness may last a couple of weeks to several months. In rare cases, redness may persist for 3 to 6 months. This is more common in patients who have a history of flushing and multiple capillaries on the skin.
• Wound Healing: The Phoenix Fractional CO2 laser evaporates the superficial layers of the skin. We recommend a minimum of seven days to heal, with up to 10-14 days for slow-healing patients. Superficial bleeding and peeling are common. The skin can be sensitive to the sun for 2-6 weeks.
• Pigment Changes: The treated area may heal with increased or decreased pigmentation. Without sunscreen and sun protection, there is an increased risk of hyperpigmentation. This is especially common in San Diego in the summer months. People with darker skin complexion have a higher risk of hypopigmentation after treatment.
• Excessive Swelling: There will be skin swelling immediately after San Diego laser surgery. This is not a complication and is expected after thermal injury to the treated areas. Swelling typically resolves over the next three to seven days.
• Scarring: There is a very small chance of scarring, including hypertrophic scarring and keloid scarring. If you have a history of poor scarring, make sure you inform Dr. Kolstad during your consultation. To minimize the chances of scarring, it is important to follow post-operative instructions carefully.
• Eye Exposure: There is also a risk of harmful exposure to the laser during surgery. Dr. Kolstad will provide all necessary protective eyewear. It is important to have protective eyewear at all times during the laser treatment.
• Infection: Occasional infections can occur. Patients with a history of cold sores are advised to use antivirals before and after treatments. Inform Dr. Kolstad of any signs of infection. If not treated promptly, infections can result in scarring.

There are so many lasers in San Diego that it is very confusing to keep them all straight. CO2 lasers are the gold standard for skin resurfacing and have a long track record of safety, reliability, and amazing results.

We are proud to introduce the new Phoenix CO2 laser system. The Phoenix laser is a powerful skin-smoothing technology. This CO2 laser is fully customizable, allowing Dr. Kolstad to create unique levels of treatment depths, surface area, and skin penetration.

Dr. Kolstad utilizes his background as a board-certified facial plastic surgeon to achieve the best results. Dr. Kolstad creates natural-looking facial rejuvenation with a variety of injectables, surgeries, and lasers.