George · The Biohack Diaries
CO2 Fractional Laser Scanxel
A laser that resurfaces the skin in tiny columns, triggering fresh collagen. It is used for fine lines, uneven texture, enlarged pores and scars.
Imagine skin as soft and renewed as a baby's. Fractional laser resurfacing works like a precision makeover: it treats small, targeted sections of your skin, reaching deep into its layers while leaving the surrounding skin untouched. The laser stimulates the growth of fresh, smooth and healthy skin to replace damaged tissue, a reset that helps take years off your appearance and peels away the damage of modern life.
Because only a fraction of the skin is treated at a time, results can be achieved without the long downtime, pain and complications of traditional lasers, and the treatment suits all skin types and skin colors.
What it is and how it works
The technique is called fractional photothermolysis: the laser treats a fraction of the skin at a time without affecting the surrounding tissue. Microscopic laser columns penetrate deep into the dermis (the deeper layer of the skin) and speed up your body's own remodeling of collagen. The amount of skin treated in each session can be varied, which is why the treatment can be adapted to all skin conditions and colors.
Because the tissue between the columns is left intact, healing is very rapid. The treatment resurfaces the skin from the inside out, stimulating the growth of new, healthy skin cells and fresh collagen that gradually replace old, damaged skin.
Our laser is a carbon dioxide (CO2) fractional laser, which combines the effects of a CO2 laser with fractional technology. Each micro-ablative dot of laser energy penetrates deep into the skin, so severe skin damage is avoided and lateral heat damage is reduced, lowering downtime and the chance of side effects. The heat of the laser also helps skin regeneration and elasticity. CO2 fractional lasers have a double effect: they encourage the skin's wound-renewal processes and the production of new collagen and hyaluronic acid.
What it is for
Fine lines and wrinkles, including wrinkles around the eyes (periorbital wrinkles)
Uneven, dull or rough skin texture
Enlarged (dilated) pores
Acne scars
Surgical scars
Age spots and sunspots (pigmented lesions)
Melasma (irregular patches of brown skin on the forehead, cheeks, upper lip and nose), as part of a combined approach
General skin resurfacing
Repairing skin from photo-aging (sun damage)
Fine lines on the upper face
Botulinum toxin is usually the first choice for wrinkles on the upper face, and earlier treatment gives better results: over time, deep wrinkles can turn into lasting collagen loss and permanent lines that botulinum toxin alone cannot correct. For people who would rather avoid botulinum toxin, fractional laser resurfacing is an alternative. It builds new collagen gradually, progressively improving the upper face and protecting it against deeper lines.
Enlarged pores and dull, rough texture
A baby's skin is smooth, soft and free of dilated pores. These problems develop as we age and accumulate damage over time. Fractional laser resurfacing is a good tool to remove old, damaged skin and stimulate new collagen. Exosome treatment or NCTF mesotherapy can be added as an adjunctive therapy to boost new collagen production further.
Wrinkles around the eyes
The area around the eyes is small but intricate, and it strongly influences your overall appearance. Wrinkles on the outer half of the eye area respond well to botulinum toxin. Wrinkles on the inner half can be addressed with resurfacing; this is best performed in a hospital setting, because a metal eye shield may be needed to protect the eyeball from the laser.
Melasma
Melasma is stubborn and responds unpredictably to treatment, so it usually needs a multi-faceted approach. We put safety and long-term skin health ahead of quick results, and avoid treatments that work fast but can cause permanent complications, such as topical hydroquinone or steroids. Fractional laser resurfacing can be combined with a medical-grade whitening application: the laser channels help the medication absorb deeper into the skin without causing irritation. This can be tailored to your melasma alongside other treatments your doctor may recommend, such as exosome therapy.
Who it is for
The treatment suits all skin types and colors, and people who want to improve fine lines, wrinkles, texture, pores, scars or sun damage. It is also a good option for people who simply want to rejuvenate their skin and prevent aging proactively, and for those who prefer to avoid botulinum toxin for fine lines on the upper face.
Who should not have it
If you have a history of cold sores, please tell your doctor before treatment. If your skin-care products contain glycolic acid or retinoic acid, you need to stop them two weeks before the procedure (see below).
The treatment
The overall visit takes 45–60 minutes.
Cleansing. Your skin is thoroughly cleansed.
Numbing. A topical anesthetic ointment is applied to the treatment area and left to work before the laser starts.
Laser. Your doctor treats the area with the fractional laser. The laser itself takes only a short part of the visit for a full face.
Cool-down. We finish with a cooling step, such as cryotherapy or a calming mask, to reduce redness and downtime.
How many sessions
It depends on your skin condition and goals, and the number of sessions is always set by your doctor after an in-person assessment. As a guide:
To improve fine wrinkles, treatment can be repeated every 1–2 months until you reach the result you want. After that, 2–3 sessions a year keep up proactive anti-aging in a maintenance phase.
If you don't have many wrinkles or acne scars and simply want to rejuvenate your skin, 2–3 sessions a year are usually enough.
Several treatments can be combined on the same day, as your doctor advises. For example, exosome treatment or NCTF mesotherapy can support collagen production, and medical-grade whitening can be added for pigmentation. Fractional laser is also one of the elements that may be included in our Stem Cells for Face package, as your doctor considers suitable.
Before and aftercare
We always tell our patients that two people can have the same treatment and get different results, and one big factor is aftercare. After the laser, it is your body that naturally produces new cells and collagen, so how you look after your skin makes a real difference.
Before treatment
Check the labels of your skin-care products. If they contain glycolic acid or retinoic acid, stop using them two weeks before the procedure.
If you have a history of cold sores, please inform your doctor.
On the day
Before bed, wash your face with cold water and no soap, gently massaging with tepid water to remove any remaining serum and dried blood.
No sunscreen or makeup for 12 hours after treatment. Regular makeup can be applied normally from the next day.
No exercise for 24 hours.
The following days and weeks
Apply a generous amount of moisturizer for sensitive skin whenever your skin feels dry. Your own stem cells and fibroblasts (skin cells) work together with the treatment, and they perform best on moist rather than dry skin. Keeping the skin moisturized also helps with mild pimple breakouts.
Cleanse and moisturize daily with light, mild products. Use only products for sensitive skin for the first 2 weeks to prevent irritation.
Do not go swimming for at least 5 days.
Avoid alcohol-based toners and whitening products for 10–14 days.
Do not use abrasive scrubs or toners for about a week after your last treatment; let the skin heal fully before returning to your normal routine.
Keep avoiding glycolic acid and retinoic acid for two weeks after the procedure.
Use sunscreen (SPF 30 or higher) every day, several times a day. Avoid excessive sun exposure for at least 10 days, and avoid intense sun exposure for at least 1 month after your last treatment where possible. If sun exposure is necessary, wear clothing that covers the treated area.
Pay attention to nutrition: avoid high-sugar foods and make sure you get enough protein and vitamin C, the essential building blocks of new collagen.
Avoid smoking, and minimize exposure to second-hand smoke, for as long as possible.
Quality and safety
The fractional technique treats only a fraction of the skin at a time and leaves the surrounding tissue intact, which promotes very rapid healing and reduces side effects compared with traditional lasers.
Our laser is a new-generation machine, and we are proactive with aftercare: every treatment ends with a cooling step to reduce redness and downtime.
A topical anesthetic is applied before every treatment for your comfort.
Your doctor examines your skin first and adjusts the treatment to your skin type and condition.
The science
Photo-aging: how the sun ages skin
Repeated exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, mainly from the sun but also from UV lamps, causes photo-aging, a premature aging of the skin. Its signs include melasma, freckles, actinic keratoses, wrinkles, skin laxity and texture changes. Wearing sunscreen every day helps prevent skin cancer and also prevents the signs of photo-aging. If you already show some of these effects, a treatment designed to reverse sun damage, such as fractional laser resurfacing, can help.
Fractional laser for acne scars
Laser resurfacing, which removes the outer layer of the skin to boost skin regeneration, has been used since the mid-1990s. In acne scars, results of fractional laser treatment are fast and practical, and depending on the scar and skin type the appearance improves significantly. In about 35% of patients the scarring was completely removed and in another 40% scars improved significantly, with nearly all showing a reduction of the lesions. Dotted ice-pick and indented scars responded best. Fractional photothermolysis with a CO2 fractional laser is a safe and effective method for treating acne scars.
Collagen comes from within
All treatments that improve collagen share the same idea: they act as a fertilizer or stimulator for your own body to produce new collagen, and that production still depends on your internal health. This is why nutrition, sleep, sun protection and not smoking matter, and why some patients support their results with treatments such as placenta extract or high-dose vitamin C IV therapy: beauty from the inside out.
Frequently asked questions
How often should I have fractional laser resurfacing?
It depends on your skin condition. If your goal is to improve fine wrinkles, you can have treatment every 1–2 months until you achieve the result you want, then 2–3 sessions a year for proactive anti-aging maintenance. If you don't have many wrinkles or acne scars and simply want to rejuvenate your skin, 2–3 sessions a year are usually enough. Your doctor sets the plan after examining your skin.
What is the downtime?
Don't worry too much about downtime. Our machine is a new generation, and we are proactive with aftercare, which significantly reduces redness and downtime. Typically you will have redness similar to coming back from the beach for 2–3 days, which can easily be covered with makeup from the day after treatment if needed.
Does it hurt?
A topical anesthetic ointment is applied before the laser, and a cooling step afterwards calms the skin.
Is it suitable for darker skin?
The amount of skin treated can be varied, so the treatment can be adapted to all skin types and colors. Your doctor will adjust the settings to your skin. For darker skin tones, or if you prefer to avoid laser, microneedling can be used as an alternative resurfacing method.
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