How long is recovery after CO2 laser resurfacing?

The mistake with laser recovery is to plan around the best case. People book the procedure, then discover that the downtime they imagined and the downtime they got are not the same.

The figure to plan around

The page at my.clevelandclinic.org says recovery time with CO2 laser resurfacing is up to two weeks. Notice the phrasing. That is an upper-end figure, so plan for the full span instead of hoping for the short end.

What to check beyond the number

A single figure says nothing about your skin or your schedule. The Aesthetic Society's page on laser skin resurfacing and the guide on how dermatologists treat sun-damaged skin are worth reading beside any provider's handout. A broader piece on treatments to reduce wrinkles places resurfacing among the alternatives.

Ask the provider what your own recovery is likely to look like and what you should avoid while it lasts.

Aftercare comes from the clinician who treated you

Do not manage the aftercare yourself from memory or from a forum. A licensed clinician who treated you knows what was done to your skin, and that is who should tell you what is normal and what is a reason to call.

If healing looks wrong

An upper-end recovery estimate is not a guarantee. If something looks wrong during healing, contact the provider who treated you instead of waiting it out.