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
- Numbing: Topical anaesthetic cream applied 30–40 minutes before the procedure
- Treatment: Laser application takes 15–25 minutes for full face
- Immediately after: Skin looks red and feels warm — like a sunburn
- Days 1–3: Swelling, redness, some oozing. You'll need to stay home
- Days 4–7: Skin peels and crusts. New pink skin emerges underneath
- 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 →