CO2 Fractional Laser — Face

Ablative CO2 fractional laser resurfacing for the full face — targeting acne scars, deep wrinkles, textural irregularities, and overall skin quality. The fractional pattern treats a percentage of the skin surface per pass, preserving surrounding tissue for faster healing than fully ablative CO2.

CO2 fractional laser resurfacing is the clinical gold standard for treating deep acne scars, significant wrinkle depth, textural irregularities, and sun-damaged skin. The device emits infrared laser energy at 10,600nm — a wavelength that is strongly absorbed by water in skin cells. In fractional mode, the beam is split into a grid of micro-beams that ablate narrow columns of tissue (typically 150–350 microns in diameter) while leaving intact bridges of untreated skin between each column. This fractional approach achieves the resurfacing depth of ablative CO2 while preserving enough intact tissue to dramatically accelerate healing compared to fully ablative treatments. Each ablated micro-column triggers a localised healing cascade: epidermal cells from the intact bridges migrate inward to re-epithelialise the wound, while fibroblasts in the deeper dermis produce substantial quantities of new collagen and elastin around the ablated zones. The net result — visible over 3 to 6 months of healing and remodelling — is a significant improvement in surface texture, a reduction in scar depth, and tighter, smoother skin with improved tone. At Tesoro Clinic, a full-face CO2 fractional session uses topical anaesthetic applied 45 to 60 minutes before treatment. Downtime is more significant than with non-ablative lasers: the skin appears red and weeping for 24 to 48 hours, crusts form and resolve over 5 to 7 days, and residual pinkness may persist for 2 to 4 weeks depending on settings and skin type. Sun avoidance and rigorous moisturisation are mandatory during healing. The practitioner will discuss depth and density settings — lighter passes for first-time patients or darker skin types, more aggressive settings for deep scarring — during the pre-treatment consultation. At 1,000 PLN (approximately €235) for a full-face session, CO2 fractional at Tesoro represents exceptional value versus German, Austrian, or UK pricing (typically €500–€1,200). For patients with moderate-to-severe acne scarring or significant photo-damage, the clinical outcome from CO2 fractional substantially exceeds what is achievable with non-ablative alternatives at comparable or lower overall cost when travel is factored in.