Fractional Laser Recovery Time
Recovery time for any laser is a major concern and rightly so. Everyone needs to know how long to take off of work if they even need to really take off. We have put together information based stating the average recovery time along with actual feedback from patients who have had the different procedures.
*Remember that the severity of your recovery is directly correlated to the fractional co2 laser device used and how agressive the physician is. If the cosmetic laser specialist is targeting severe acne scars then you can anticipate to be on the high side of the recovery time. Remember that everyone is different, what your friend experienced for downtime might be much worse or much better than what you experience, even with the exact same settings.
The person trying to sell the procedure may not give you realistic expectations as far as recovery but instead may tell you what the manufacturer suggests for recovery.(Most of the time inaccurate)
Also, it is important to realize that being 100% recovered from the procedure and being able to return to work are two different things. What you consider recovery may be no visible signs of having the procedure, except for the noticeable improvement 
, but your doctors recovery time may be the absence of swelling or flaking but still sunburned. It is important that you ask detailed questions like:
- How long until I can wear makeup after fractional co2 laser?
- How long do I have to stay out of sun?
- How long does swelling last? How long does the redness last?
- Can I have a doctors note if I need to take extra day off of work?
- What about post and pre op pain medicine?
- When will I see the results?
- How many treatments will I need?
- What laser are you using?
- Have you used this laser before?
- Do you have before and after including immediately post op and one week out?
- How long will I need to apply moisturizer or aquaphor?
Full Recovery means all redness, swelling, scaling, tenderness, and new skin formation over the entire procedure area.
To able to return to work means the majority of swelling and scaling has subsided. Immediately post op is above and this scaling needs to subside before you can really return to work. This is a critical part of the new skin formation and you have to constantly apply and reapply moisturizer like aquaphor.
These recovery times are an estimate and each procedure and patient is different.
* SmartXide Dot Fractional Co2 Laser Recovery time- Anticipate 2-4 weeks for full recovery and 7 days to return to work
* Lumenis Active FX or Deep FX Fractional Co2 Recovery time- Anticipate 2-5 weeks for full recovery and 7-12 days to return to work
*Ellipse Juvia Fractional Co2 Recovery time- Anticipate 2-4 weeks for full recovery and 7-12 days to return to work
*Fraxel Re:pair Fractional Co2 Laser Recovery time- Anticipate 4-8 weeks for full recovery and 12-20 days to return to work
I just wanted to say THANK YOU for posting this information. There doesn’t seem to be accurate recovery times posted anywhere and Here I am on day 8 of my recovery of Lumenis Active Deep FX procedure wondering if there is something majorly wrong with my skin or this procedure went wrong and that i was sapposed to be ready for work on day 4. You hit the nail right on the head here, so thanks again.
You have to be careful trusting the physicians office when it comes to recovery times. They often downplay the recovery time because they do not want to scare you away. Statements like, the average recovery time is X days but we have seen longer recovery times for select individuals. You can believe that you will most likely be one of those select individuals. The recovery time is also very dependent upon how aggressive the physician is with your procedure and how deep he/she is going with the laser. Remember to always see someone board certified in Dermatology or Plastic Surgery as you stand the best chance for a great result with these physicians. First preference is Dermatologist but there are some great plastic surgeons who perform this laser treatment as well.
Thank you for sharing your experience.
I am interested in having the SmartXide DOT Therapy. Why is the scaling and moisturizing part of the healing process so important? Why cant i wear makeup during these first few days to hide the redness?