ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND The use of the CO2 laser in dermatology has greatly altered thepath bywhichwe treatmany skindiseases andunderstand wound-healing processes. The CO2 laser emits far-infrared light at a wavelength of 10,600nm and is absorbed by water. Directing CO2 laser light energy on skin results in a heating and vaporization of intracellular water resulting in tissue vaporization.This tissue interaction canbeharnessedbymechanical and/or manual manipulations of the beam, allowing for predictable vaporization. CO2 laser systems have been shown to be quite useful in the successful treatment of many epidermal and dermal skin lesions where there is no specific target chromophore other than water.
