The short version
The strongest non-surgical resurfacing option and the one with the most serious recovery. Candidacy, wound care, and follow-up determine the outcome as much as the device.
What the cost figure means
$1,829 skin-resurfacing category average. ASPS category average; full-face ablative treatment with anesthesia, facility fees, medication, and follow-up commonly exceeds it. ASPS publishes this national average physician fee on its cost page as its latest statistic without stating the survey year, and its 2025 report no longer includes minimally invasive fees.
Advertised prices on file
$900–$5,000 per treatment
Fractional and deep CO2 or erbium resurfacing on three menus; the top of the range includes sedation and three areas.
Read from 3 published U.S. clinic menus on September 1, 2026. A convenience sample, not a national survey: prices vary by city and provider, packages are usually cheaper per session, and menus change without notice.
Total course = per-session fee × planned sessions + consultation + product, cartridge, or serum + anesthesia or facility + prescriptions and aftercare + expected maintenance. Ask for the plan price in writing.
Healing and results timeline
- Appointment
- About 30 minutes–2 hours; local, sedation, or general anesthesia
- Downtime
- At least 5–7 days at home; visible healing for 2–3 weeks
- Healing
- Oozing and swelling for 3–5 days with ointment or dressings, re-epithelialization by 7–10 days for fractional treatment (longer for full-field), then pink skin for weeks to months. Sun avoidance for months.
- Results appear
- Visible after healing; tightening and remodeling continue for 3–6 months
- Duration and maintenance
- Can be long lasting, but it does not stop aging or new UV damage
Benefits, limitations, and risks
Realistic benefits
- Strongest single-treatment resurfacing
- Addresses wrinkles, scars, and texture together
- Remodeling continues after surface healing
Limitations
- Real wound care and social downtime
- Higher complication risk than non-ablative treatment
- Pre-treatment and follow-up span weeks
Common effects
- Oozing and crusting
- Swelling
- Prolonged redness
Serious risks
- Infection or herpes reactivation
- Scarring
- Long-lasting redness or permanent pigment change
Candidacy and pause signs
Usually considered for: Adults with lighter to medium skin tones, significant wrinkles or scarring, and the ability to complete wound care and follow-up.
You cannot complete wound care, smoke, heal poorly, have uncontrolled pigment risk or a keloid history, or the provider has not discussed anesthesia and emergency coverage.
Operator, setting, and regulation
Who performs it in the U.S.: Dermatologic or plastic surgeons in an accredited setting. Not a delegated procedure.
Regulatory status: FDA-cleared devices for specific indications; facility and anesthesia rules apply. Check the exact device.
Rules differ by state and by country. A product approved in one market may be unapproved in another, and the same device can be used within or outside its cleared indication.
Questions to ask before you pay a deposit
- Fractional or full-field, CO2 or erbium, and why that choice for me?
- Who is reachable during healing, and which symptoms need same-day evaluation?
- What antiviral, antibiotic, and sun plan is included?
Sources on file
These links support the claims above. Reviewed September 1, 2026. Where a figure comes from a survey, the caveat is in the file, not in a footnote.