ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION The concept of nonsurgical skin rejuvenation was born in the 1980s with the introduction of the carbon dioxide (CO2) laser. The possibility of reversing outward signs of skin aging with minimal risk and rapid recovery inspired the eld of laser skin resurfacing. With an aging population, the demand for an effective treatment modality for photorejuvenation continues to grow. Since the original CO2 lasers were introduced, new developments, such as fractional resurfacing, have changed the playing eld and hold forth the promise of impressive results with minimal adverse effects and shorter recovery times. Moreover, the indications that these lasers effectively treat in addition to photoaging continue to expand. This chapter will focus on two major modalities-ablative and fractional laser resurfacing.
