CO2 MiXto Laser
8 December 2014
CO2 Laser at Skin Medical
Here at Skin Medical we have been using the CO2 laser since 2008. We first started using the Active FX and Deep FX CO2 lasers manufactured by Lumenis and recently upgraded to our new MiXto micro fractional CO2 skin resurfacing laser. Our practitioners are highly trained in this treatment and have recently undertaken advanced one-on-one training by a specialist consultant dermatologist in New York to collaborate on enhancing treatment techniques and patient experience.
Why is this treatment unique?
Laser resurfacing is a laser surgery technique that is a powerful tool for the treatment of several skin conditions including: wrinkles, scars, uneven pigmentation, dilated pores and acne scarring. At Skin Medical, we use the MiXto micro fractional CO2 skin resurfacing laser to perform this treatment. There are three main reasons why we choose to use this type of laser:
- It is the gold standard laser for skin tightening – no other laser can achieve high level results when treating wrinkled or sagging skin.
- The laser is fractional; this means it scatters its light energy rather than using a targeted beam. As a result, we can minimise heat build-up in the skin allowing us to use higher energy levels to achieve the results you desire.
- The ‘micro’ fractional nature of the laser means that we can deliver small, high intensity beams of energy – for you this means better results and less downtime.
What are the benefits?
One of the key benefits of the CO2 laser resurfacing treatment is that the treatment time is quick (typically only one hour) and downtime is short compared to other laser resurfacing treatments. Other benefits include: immediate tightening; immediate shrinkage of damaged skin; reduction in scarring; reduced skin laxity; improved skin texture; reduced pigment problems, pore size and wrinkles; removal of age spots; softening fine lines and wrinkles; reduced discolouration from sun damage and/or ageing; promotion of collagen production for up to one year after treatment.
How does it work?
The treatment works by using the laser to remove a portion of the skin’s surface. Due to technological advances in the CO2 laser we no longer need to apply the laser to the entire skin’s surface as the fractionally treated skin allows a bridging effect between the area of the skin treated, which helps to reduce the surface burn. This also reduces the recovery time from 2-3 weeks (traditional CO2 laser) to 5 days. With the MiXto micro fractional CO2 laser we can now treat necks, chests and hands.
Does it hurt?
The treatment is carried out using topical local anaesthetic to minimise discomfort. Patients will feel a warm, prickly sensation of mild discomfort as the laser is applied. The area is cooled after treatment and patients are only discharged when they are comfortable.