6 Laser Resurfacing Benefits: What It Can Actually Improve

The old version of this article treated “laser resurfacing” as if it were one universal treatment that could fix nearly any skin concern. That is not medically accurate. Laser resurfacing is a category of procedures, and its benefits depend on the wavelength, whether the laser is ablative or nonablative, whether treatment is fractional or full-field, and how aggressively it is used.

If you want the technology explained first, start with our complete laser resurfacing guide. Here, the focus is narrower: what benefits are realistically supported by clinical use and published evidence.

1. It Can Soften Fine Lines and Wrinkles

Fine lines are one of the most established reasons for laser resurfacing. Ablative lasers remove controlled layers of damaged epidermis while heating the dermis underneath. That heat contributes to collagen remodeling as the skin heals.

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons lists fine lines and wrinkles around the eyes, forehead and mouth among the common problems laser resurfacing can improve.

The important limitation is depth. Fine surface lines respond more predictably than deep folds caused by facial volume loss, muscle movement or significant skin laxity. Deep structural aging may require injectables, tightening procedures or surgery in addition to, or instead of, resurfacing.

2. It Can Improve Atrophic Acne Scars

Acne-scar remodeling is one of the best-supported uses of fractional laser resurfacing. Fractional lasers create microscopic treatment columns that stimulate controlled wound healing while leaving surrounding skin untreated.

A 2025 systematic review of fractional CO₂ treatment for acne scars found that most patients in the included studies experienced meaningful improvement, commonly in the 30% to 70% range. A newer 2026 meta-analysis comparing fractional CO₂ with erbium-based fractional lasers also found evidence of improvement with both technologies, although fractional CO₂ showed a higher probability of greater than 50% improvement in the pooled comparison.

That does not mean every scar should be treated with the same laser. Rolling scars, boxcar scars and ice-pick scars behave differently. Deep scars may require combination treatment such as subcision, punch techniques or another modality rather than simply increasing laser intensity.

For treatment planning, see our acne scar treatment options.

3. It Can Improve Rough or Uneven Skin Texture

Texture changes can develop from photoaging, acne scarring, prior inflammation and the gradual slowing of skin turnover and collagen organization with age.

Resurfacing can improve roughness because it works at two levels: the epidermal surface is renewed, while controlled thermal injury promotes remodeling underneath. As healing progresses, the treated skin can look smoother and more uniform.

4. It Can Improve Selected Signs of Sun Damage

Chronic ultraviolet exposure contributes to uneven pigmentation, roughness, fine lines and collagen breakdown. Laser resurfacing can improve several visible components of photodamage, particularly when pigment and texture changes are located within the treatment depth.

ASPS includes aged or sun-damaged skin and selected pigmented lesions among the concerns that resurfacing can improve.

However, the old article incorrectly implied that resurfacing is the universal answer for redness and rosacea. It is not. Persistent redness, telangiectasia and visible vessels are often better addressed with vascular lasers or IPL rather than ablative resurfacing.

5. It Stimulates Collagen Remodeling

Collagen remodeling is not just marketing language. Controlled thermal injury in the dermis activates the wound-healing process and stimulates new collagen formation and reorganization.

This is why results continue to evolve after the surface has healed. ASPS notes that visible improvement after laser resurfacing can continue for months and, in some patients, for up to a year.

The result is better described as improved skin quality and some firmness rather than a surgical lift. Resurfacing cannot remove substantial excess skin or reliably correct advanced jowling.

6. It Can Address Several Skin-Quality Problems at Once

A well-selected resurfacing procedure can improve more than one concern in the same treatment area. A patient with fine lines, acne-scar texture and sun damage may not need three completely separate technologies if one carefully chosen resurfacing plan can address all three.

That is one of laser resurfacing’s practical advantages. The provider can adjust treatment depth, density and energy according to the dominant concern rather than treating every patient with the same protocol.

But combining benefits should never become an excuse to over-treat. The more aggressive the resurfacing, the greater the potential for prolonged redness, pigment change, infection and scarring.

Do CO₂ and Erbium Offer the Same Benefits?

Skin Works offers both fractional CO₂ laser resurfacing and Erbium laser resurfacing. The better choice depends on scar type, wrinkle depth, skin tone, treatment area and how much downtime you are willing to accept.

What Laser Resurfacing Does Not Reliably Fix

• Significant sagging or excess skin: resurfacing may improve firmness but cannot physically remove loose tissue.
• Major facial volume loss: lasers do not replace lost cheek or midface volume.
• Dynamic expression lines: wrinkles driven mainly by muscle movement often respond more directly to neuromodulators.
• Rosacea and visible vessels: vascular lasers or IPL may be more appropriate.
• Every type of pigmentation: melasma and darker skin types require particularly careful treatment selection because heat can worsen pigmentation in some patients.

Are the Benefits the Same for Every Skin Tone?

No. Darker Fitzpatrick skin types have a greater risk of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation after aggressive laser treatment. The American Academy of Dermatology advises that darker skin is more prone to burns and dark marks after laser procedures and recommends treatment by clinicians experienced with darker skin tones.

This does not mean laser resurfacing is automatically inappropriate for darker skin. It means wavelength, density, depth, energy, sun exposure, pretreatment preparation and post-treatment care need to be selected more conservatively.

Do You Have to Accept Major Downtime to Get Benefits?

Not necessarily. Fractional technology was developed partly to create meaningful remodeling while leaving untreated skin between microscopic treatment zones, which can shorten healing compared with full-field ablation.

But there is a tradeoff: lighter treatments generally produce less downtime and may require multiple sessions, while deeper treatment can create a stronger single-session effect at the cost of more recovery.

For realistic timelines by laser type, see our laser resurfacing recovery guide.

Who Is Most Likely to Benefit?

1. You have a surface or dermal concern that resurfacing actually targets, such as fine lines, photodamage, rough texture or selected acne scars.
2. Your skin type and pigmentation risk have been considered before choosing the device and settings.
3. You can avoid significant sun exposure during the healing period.
4. You understand the expected downtime for the treatment depth.
5. You have realistic expectations about improvement rather than complete removal of scars or wrinkles.
6. You are willing to follow wound-care and sun-protection instructions closely.

How Long Do the Benefits Last?

Laser resurfacing changes the skin rather than temporarily masking it, so improvements can last for years. However, it does not stop normal aging, repeated facial movement or new UV exposure.

ASPS notes that resurfacing results can continue improving for up to a year and may last for many years, although wrinkles and signs of aging eventually recur.

Long-term sun protection is therefore part of the treatment. New sun damage can undo part of what resurfacing improved.

Is Laser Resurfacing Worth the Cost?

It can be when the treatment is matched to a concern it treats well. It is poor value when someone chooses it simply because it sounds more aggressive than other options.

For current CO₂ and Erbium pricing and how to compare quotes, see our laser resurfacing cost guide.

Frequently Asked Questions