Skin Resurfacing in Mount Gravatt, Brisbane

CO2 vs Erbium Laser: Which Is Better for You?

Both remove a thin layer of skin and prompt new collagen. CO2 heats more deeply, giving more tightening and more change in deeper lines and scars, with longer recovery and a higher risk of pigment change. Erbium uses less heat and usually heals faster, so it's often chosen for finer lines, around the eyes and mouth, and olive skin.

What the research says. In a split-face study of 21 fair-skinned people, CO2 improved wrinkles a little more, but erbium healed faster and caused far fewer lighter patches (5% of sides versus 43%) (Archives of Dermatology, 1999). A 2017 review of split-face studies agreed: CO2 appeared more effective for wrinkles, erbium had fewer side effects (Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy, 2017). These studies used older lasers, mostly in fair skin with mild to moderate wrinkles.

Fractional or fully ablative?

Either laser can treat the whole surface (fully ablative or full-field) or a grid of tiny columns (fractional). Full-field gives the biggest change from one treatment, with 1 to 2 weeks of healing. Fractional heals in about 3 to 7 days but usually needs a short course. An Australian review describes fractional lasers as treating about 5 to 20% of the skin at a time (Medicine Today, 2023).

Laser, Chemical Peel or Skin Needling: Which Should You Choose?

Peels and needling are the gentler end of resurfacing. A chemical peel uses acids to lift the outer layer of skin, from mild lactic acid to a stronger Modified Jessner peel. Skin needling makes tiny channels that prompt collagen. Both cost less and have a day or two of downtime, but each session does less, so they're done as a course.

They suit dull skin, mild uneven tone, congestion and early fine lines, or preparing skin before laser. They do little for deep lines, deep scars or heavy sun damage. RF microneedling adds radiofrequency heat through the needles for more collagen change.

Unsure where to start? Book a nurse skin assessment.

Does Skin Resurfacing Hurt?

It depends on the strength. Most lasers feel hot and prickly and are done after numbing cream. Full-face CO2 and erbium need proper pain relief, planned with you beforehand.

• Chemical peels: stinging for a few minutes
• Needling, RF microneedling, RedTouch PRO, PicoSure Pro: numbing cream, then prickling or warmth
• LaseMD: numbing cream for about an hour, and cooling air during treatment
• Full-face CO2 or erbium: numbing cream for about an hour, additional pain relief about 30 minutes before, then local anaesthetic nerve blocks plus tumescent local anaesthetic (a dilute local anaesthetic placed under the skin), with an extra option on the day if needed. Someone must drive you home.

Afterwards, skin usually feels hot and tight, like sunburn, for a day or two.

Skin Resurfacing for Olive and Darker Skin

Olive, Asian, Middle Eastern, Indian, Pacific Islander and darker skin can be resurfaced, but is more likely to develop brown marks after heat or injury, called post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Lighter patches are less common but harder to treat.

RedTouch PRO, skin needling and RF microneedling heat the surface less. For a bigger change, fractional erbium or CO2 at gentler settings over more sessions is usually the lower-risk route. Fully ablative CO2 carries the highest risk and is often not recommended.

We prepare your skin, may test a patch first, treat in the cooler months and review you early if marks appear. Brown marks usually fade over a few months.

Melasma is different. Heat and inflammation can make melasma darker, so stronger resurfacing usually isn't used for it. More on pigmentation and melasma.