Fractional laser

Because each pass treats only a fraction of the surface, non-ablative fractional resurfacing is normally a course of 3 to 6 sessions spaced several weeks apart — for atrophic acne scarring the literature describes 4 or 5 about a month apart, sometimes more, with the clearest change appearing in the last few. Ablative fractional treatment is more aggressive per session and often reaches its result in 1 to 3. The number depends on the indication, the device, the settings and your phototype, and we will give you the honest count at consultation rather than after the first session.

Fully ablative CO2 or erbium resurfacing removes the whole epidermis across the treated area. It produces strong results, but it needs roughly 2 weeks of wound care and carries a meaningful risk of scarring and permanent hypopigmentation. Fractional devices treat microscopic columns and spare the skin between them, so healing runs in days — the trade-off is that one session delivers less change, and a course is usually needed.

Yes — it is one of the better-evidenced treatments for atrophic acne scarring. A systematic review of 26 studies found ablative fractional photothermolysis produced 26-83% scar improvement and non-ablative fractional photothermolysis 26-50%. Ablative devices gave the better scar result, but with more pain, longer redness and far higher rates of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.

It can be, but device choice and settings matter a great deal. An evidence-based review found level 1 evidence supporting fractional lasers for acne, striae and rejuvenation, and level 2 evidence for acne scars, melasma and surgical scars in Fitzpatrick types IV-VI. A 2023 review of hyperpigmentation after CO2 laser found the rate tracks the energy and density used rather than skin type alone, so we work at conservative density and fluence, use topical anti-inflammatories before and after, and insist on absolute photoprotection. High-quality data in types V and VI remain limited, and we would rather say that than imply otherwise.

One session is €300 to €800 with us, depending on the area treated and the device — all-in, covering the consultation, anaesthesia, the session, dressings, prophylaxis and one wound check. That is per session, so a non-ablative course of 4 to 6 multiplies the total. For comparison, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons put the 2023 US average for skin resurfacing at $1,829, but that is the physician fee alone and excludes facility charges, anaesthesia and medication, so it is not a like-for-like number.

Collagen remodelling continues for 3 to 6 months, and the gains in texture, pigment and scar depth are durable. The laser does not stop intrinsic ageing or new photodamage, though, and lines driven by repeated muscle movement soften but tend to return over months to years, because the movement does not stop. Daily broad-spectrum sun protection is the single biggest determinant of how long the result holds.

In Turkey, medical laser resurfacing is a physician act — performed by a dermatologist or plastic surgeon registered with the Ministry of Health, in a clinic holding a Ministry licence. Dermatology societies specifically advise against laser procedures in non-medical settings such as spas and mall clinics, where training and equipment may be inadequate. Ask any clinic, including us, for the treating physician's specialty registration, and confirm that a physician and not a technician is holding the handpiece; that matters most on darker skin, where the margin between an effective setting and a damaging one is narrow.

Treatment is deferred for an active skin infection or a cold-sore outbreak in the area, for an active tan or recent heavy sun exposure, and in pregnancy, where there are no safety data to work from. After a completed isotretinoin course, UK dermatology guidance advises waiting at least a year. A history of keloid or hypertrophic scarring, a photosensitising or connective-tissue disorder, and ongoing photosensitising medication all need assessing before a plan is agreed. And genuine skin laxity or deep static wrinkles are not a laser problem at all — we will say so rather than sell you a course.

Contact us straight away for pain that increases after day 2 instead of settling, spreading redness or warmth beyond the treated area, yellow crusting, pustules or a foul smell, grouped blisters or punched-out erosions, or fever. Those describe bacterial or candidal infection of the healing wound — about 0.1% of cases — and herpes simplex reactivation, roughly 0.3 to 2%. Both are straightforward to treat if caught within days and can scar if left, which is why we ask you to arrange a named local clinician before you fly home.

No, and expecting it to is the commonest source of disappointment. For the first week the skin looks worse than it did before treatment: red and swollen, then bronzed and rough as the treated columns shed. The actual result is collagen remodelling, which runs for 3 to 6 months, so the honest moment to judge a session is at 3 months rather than at 3 weeks — and it is why before-and-after photographs taken a fortnight after a single session tell you very little.

€300 to €800 with us, confirmed after a consultation rather than quoted blind. For comparison it is typically £500 – £2,500 in the United Kingdom (per session), $1,000 – $3,000 in the United States (per session) and €600 – €2,500 in Western Europe (per session). Per session, set by the area treated and the depth of the settings. A full-face course is usually three sessions, which is the number worth comparing on rather than the single-session price.