One of the questions we hear most often in consults is which laser someone actually needs. We offer both a CO2 laser and an IPL laser in our practice, and while we have detailed pages breaking down each one, this is about helping you think through which direction is right for you before you ever sit down for your consultation.

What Each One Solves For

Our CO2 laser is our gold standard. It’s the treatment that gets you the closest thing to a surgical result without going under the knife, and it delivers serious skin tightening along with it. It works on a deeper level, which is exactly why the results are so dramatic.

Our IPL laser is more superficial by comparison. It’s not reaching the same depth as the CO2, but that also means we can run it with stronger add-ons and the downtime is shorter and easier to manage.

(We also have a Q-switch handpiece for very specific, targeted concerns, but it’s not something we use often, so we won’t get into it here. If it’s relevant to you, we’ll talk about it during your consultation.)

At a Glance

Which One Fits Your Situation?

If you have the time to dedicate to real downtime and you’re chasing the most dramatic, longest-lasting results, especially for skin laxity or deep texture, the CO2 is likely your answer.

If you’re looking for improvement in tone, pigment, or surface concerns, and you’d rather not take significant time to recover, the IPL is probably the better starting point.

How Often Do You Realistically Need a CO2 Laser?

This isn’t a treatment most clients need often. Realistically, clients get one CO2 laser treatment and then move into maintenance, whether that’s smaller in-between treatments or simply staying consistent with skincare and other services. From there, how often you come back for another full CO2 truly depends on your baseline and your concerns. Some clients opt for one a year, while others plan for one every five years, or even every ten years. Your nurse will walk you through a realistic expectation for you specifically during your consultation.

We also see clients use a CO2 laser as a pretreatment before getting a face full of filler, resetting and tightening the skin first so the filler has the best possible canvas to work with.

Can You Do Both?

Yes, and many of our clients do. A common approach is using the CO2 for a bigger, more transformative reset, then coming back to IPL in between to maintain your results and keep surface concerns like pigment and redness in check.

The Biggest Misconceptions

“Any laser, any provider gives the same result.” Not even close. The device, the settings, and the hands behind it all make a real difference. This is exactly why our team trains extensively at brand headquarters and with top trainers from around the country, so you’re getting a result backed by real expertise, not just access to a machine.

“This is only for people already showing visible aging.” Plenty of our clients use CO2 or IPL well before visible aging sets in, whether it’s for acne scarring, pigment, texture, or simply staying ahead of the game. Lasers aren’t just a correction tool, they’re a prevention tool too.

“It’ll fix everything permanently in one treatment.” Even a CO2 laser, as dramatic as the results are, isn’t a one-and-done fix for aging. Your skin keeps aging after treatment, which is why maintenance, a solid skincare routine, and realistic expectations set in your consultation matter just as much as the treatment itself.

How We Decide

This truly isn’t something you have to figure out on your own. What’s best for your skin is determined by one of our nurses, following a facial assessment. That’s the only way to know for certain which laser, or combination of lasers, is going to get you the results you’re after.

Ready to find out which one is right for you? Book a consultation here.