There are lots of facial rejuvenation treatments on the market these days, but the gold standard for skin resurfacing remains the CO2 laser.

It's been giving great results for years, clocking in high levels of patient satisfaction. At Shah & Associates we use the UltraPulse® EncoreTM CO2 laser system, widely regarded as a top-of-the-line system for CO2 laser resurfacing.

The CO2 laser is truly a versatile treatment, addressing a wide variety of skin condtions such as acne scarring and deep facial wrinkling.

Which skin issues does it treat best?
The CO2 laser is most commonly used to treat mild to severe wrinkles, pigmentation changes (discoloration), acne scars, pucker marks and photo damage. While removing damage, it also stimulates the formation of new underlying collagen.

Over time, its collagen-stimulating properties will improve your skin's elasticity and help you retain fullness where you need it -- collagen is what supports the upper layers of the skin.

How do CO2 laser treatments work?
A high-energy beam of CO2 light is sent through a handpiece that I will apply gently to the surface of your skin. The light vaporizes lines, wrinkles, scars, dark spots and other irregularities, layer by layer. As with all resurfacing techniques, the deeper the penetration, the more efficacious the procedure. (And the longer the recovery period.)

Depending on the severity of your skin problems, I will choose different settings, and use my judgment regarding the number of times to pass the handpiece over each area.

What results can I expect?
Laser resurfacing restores your skin to a healthy state, similar to that of skin that has not experienced sun damage or scarring.