CO2 Fractional Laser for Acne Scars in Lucknow

How Fractional CO2 Laser Works

The CO2 laser creates thousands of microscopic wounds in a grid pattern across the scarred skin. Each micro-wound is surrounded by untreated skin, which acts as a healing reservoir. Your body's wound-healing response produces new collagen that fills in and smooths out scar depressions over the following weeks.

"Fractional" means only a fraction of the skin is treated per session — this dramatically reduces downtime compared to older ablative lasers that treated 100% of the surface.

Best For

• Boxcar scars — the laser resurfaces the sharp edges
• Shallow rolling scars — collagen remodeling lifts the depression
• Overall skin texture improvement and pore refinement
• Post-acne roughness and unevenness

Not Ideal For

• Deep ice pick scars — these respond better to TCA CROSS or punch excision
• Active acne — must be controlled before laser treatment
• Very dark skin (Fitzpatrick V–VI) without careful parameter adjustment — risk of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation

For Indian skin tones, we use conservative settings and may combine CO2 laser with MNRF for safer results. Dr. Ankita adjusts parameters based on your specific skin type — not a one-size-fits-all setting.

The Session Experience

1. Numbing: Topical anaesthetic cream applied 30–40 minutes before the procedure
2. Treatment: Laser application takes 15–25 minutes for full face
3. Immediately after: Skin looks red and feels warm — like a sunburn
4. Days 1–3: Swelling, redness, some oozing. You'll need to stay home
5. Days 4–7: Skin peels and crusts. New pink skin emerges underneath
6. Weeks 2–4: Redness fades. Strict sun protection is critical during this period — Lucknow's UV exposure can cause hyperpigmentation on healing skin

Downtime and Aftercare

Social downtime: 5–7 days. Plan your session when you can take a few days off work. Many patients from Gomti Nagar and Hazratganj schedule Friday sessions to use the weekend for recovery.

Aftercare essentials:

• Keep skin moisturized (we provide specific product recommendations)
• SPF 50+ sunscreen — reapply every 2–3 hours if outdoors
• No makeup for 7 days post-treatment
• Avoid direct sunlight and dusty environments (plan travel accordingly — Lucknow's pollution can irritate healing skin)

Results Timeline

• After session 1: Subtle improvement, mainly in skin texture
• After session 3: Noticeable scar depth reduction
• 6 months after last session: Maximum collagen remodeling — best results visible here

Cost

₹5,000–₹8,000 per session. Full pricing details: Acne scar laser cost →