Face · About a week
CO2 fractional laser
The deepest resurfacing in the clinic, for texture, scars, and lines that lighter treatments do not reach.
- Session
- About 45 to 60 minutes with numbing
- Plan
- Usually a single session
- Downtime
- About a week
- Where
- Logan Square
Facts describe a typical plan. Candidacy and expectations are set at consultation.
About the treatment
The CO2 fractional laser is the deepest resurfacing treatment at Olivo Med Spa.
Fractional CO2 removes columns of skin down to a controlled depth and heats the tissue around them. The skin responds by rebuilding with new collagen. Because it works deeper than plasma or microneedling, it is the treatment Dr. Olivo reaches for when scars, etched lines, or sun-damaged texture have not responded to lighter options.
Plan on about a week at home. The skin is red and weeping for the first days, then peels and settles. Most people treat once and see change over the following months as collagen remodels. A second session is sometimes planned for deep scarring.
CO2 is not the right choice for everyone. Skin type, recent sun, healing history, and how much time you can take away all matter. Dr. Olivo reviews these at your consultation, sets expectations for recovery, and may recommend Opus Plasma or Erbium instead when that is the better fit.
- Deepest resurfacing available at the clinic
- Acne scars, etched lines, rough texture
- Usually a single session
- Physician-led plan and written aftercare
- Pairs with Opus Plasma for lighter areas
Often chosen for: fine lines and wrinkles, skin texture and scars, sun damage and pigmentation.
What it feels like
Intense heat under numbing, then a sunburn feel for the first days
When people notice change
Smoother texture as the skin heals, with collagen change continuing for several months
Good candidates
- Adults with deeper acne scars or etched lines
- People who can take about a week away from work and sun
- Anyone cleared at consultation, with skin type and healing history reviewed
Individual results vary.
Not sure this is the one?Take the two-minute treatment quiz.
What to expect
- 1
Consultation
A conversation with the clinical team about what you want to change, a candidacy check, and a written plan.
- 2
Treatment
A CO2 fractional laser session in the clinic, on the schedule the plan sets.
- 3
Aftercare
Plain-language instructions and a number to call or text.
- 4
Follow-up
A check on the result and what, if anything, comes next.
Often paired with
Skin resurfacing
Erbium laser resurfacing
Ablative resurfacing with a lighter touch and a shorter recovery than CO2.
Learn moreSkin resurfacing
Opus Plasma
Fractional plasma resurfacing for texture, lines, and scars, with recovery measured in days.
Learn moreSkin resurfacing
Exion RF microneedling
Radiofrequency microneedling for texture, scars, pores, and tightening, on face and body.
Learn more
CO2 fractional laser, answered
How much downtime should I plan for?
About a week. Days one to three are red, swollen, and weeping. Days four to seven are peeling. Pinkness can linger for a few weeks and is easy to cover once the skin is closed. You will leave with a written aftercare plan.
Does it hurt?
Topical numbing is applied for a good while before treatment, and cooling air runs during it. Most people describe strong heat rather than sharp pain. The first two days afterward feel like a bad sunburn.
Is CO2 right for darker skin?
Deeper ablative resurfacing carries more pigment risk in darker skin types. Dr. Olivo assesses skin type at consultation and may recommend Exion RF microneedling or a lighter Opus Plasma setting instead.
How is it different from Erbium?
CO2 goes deeper and delivers more heat, which means more collagen remodeling and more downtime. Erbium removes tissue more precisely with less heat, so recovery is shorter and the change is more modest.
Ask about CO2 fractional laser.
Book online any time, or text us and the team will reply during clinic hours.
Financing available through Cherry. Terms are set by Cherry at application.