Laser Skin Resurfacing

in Grand Rapids, MI

Laser skin resurfacing renews tired, sun-damaged skin from the inside out. Using the Lumenis CO2 laser with ActiveFX and DeepFX, our team gently removes damaged layers of skin and stimulates your body’s own collagen, revealing smoother, brighter, healthier-looking skin. It can soften fine lines and wrinkles, acne scars, sun damage, age spots, and uneven tone and texture. Many of our patients choose to pair laser resurfacing with a facelift, eyelid lift, or other facial surgery, so the skin itself looks as refreshed as the contours underneath.

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Why Consider Laser Skin Resurfacing

A facelift, eyelid lift, or neck lift can beautifully restore the shape of your face, but surgery doesn’t change the surface of your skin. Fine lines around the mouth and eyes, crepey texture, sun spots, and uneven tone can remain. That’s where laser skin resurfacing comes in, and it’s why so many of our patients choose to combine the two. Together, they treat both the structure and the skin for a result that looks natural, balanced, and genuinely refreshed.

Laser resurfacing is also an excellent stand-alone treatment for patients who are happy with their facial contours but want healthier, smoother skin.

Our practice relies on the Lumenis CO2 laser, a trusted, well-established technology in fractional skin resurfacing. It offers two treatment modes, ActiveFX and DeepFX, that we can use on their own or together, depending on your goals:

  • ActiveFX treats the upper layers of the skin to improve sun damage, discoloration, fine lines, and overall texture and glow.
  • DeepFX delivers tiny columns of energy deeper into the skin to target deeper wrinkles, acne scars, and areas that need more collagen rebuilding.


Because the laser is fractional, it treats a precise pattern of microscopic areas while leaving the surrounding skin intact. That untouched skin helps you heal faster than older, fully ablative lasers.

With good skin care and daily sun protection, results can last for years. Every patient’s skin is different, so schedule a consultation and we’ll recommend the right approach based on your skin, your goals, your budget, and the amount of downtime that fits your life.

What to Expect with Laser Skin Resurfacing

Great results start before treatment day. Every laser patient receives a personalized laser package that combines advanced medical skin treatments with physician-dispensed skin care products. You’ll typically begin your prep regimen a few weeks ahead of time to get your skin in its healthiest state, which supports smoother healing and more even, longer-lasting results. The same package carries you through recovery with products chosen to soothe, protect, and nourish your new skin.

Your laser treatment takes place in our accredited surgical facility, held to the same safety standards as our surgical procedures. If you’re combining laser resurfacing with a facelift, eyelid lift, or other surgery, everything is done in one visit, under one anesthetic, with one recovery period.

The length of your appointment and the type of anesthesia depend on the area treated, the depth of treatment, and whether you’re having other procedures. Smaller or lighter treatments may need only local anesthesia and sedation for comfort, while full-face or combined procedures are usually done under general anesthesia. We’ll walk you through every detail at your consultation, so you know exactly what to expect.

Laser Skin Resurfacing Recovery

For the first several days after treatment, your skin will look and feel like a strong sunburn. It will be red, may feel warm, tight, or stinging, and some areas may ooze or form a light crust. This is a normal part of healing. Please don’t pick or scrub, since that can lead to scarring. Your laser package includes the gentle cleansers, healing ointments, and soothing products you’ll need, and our team will show you exactly how to use them.

Around days 5 to 7, your skin will begin to peel, revealing fresh, pink new skin underneath. Most patients feel comfortable returning to work and social plans within about 1 to 2 weeks, and many can wear mineral makeup once peeling is complete. The pinkness usually fades over the first month, though it can take several months to resolve fully, especially for patients with fair skin or deeper treatments.

If you’ve combined laser resurfacing with a facelift or other surgery, your skin and surgical healing happen at the same time, so you’ll have a single recovery rather than two. We’ll see you for follow-up visits to monitor your progress and adjust your skin care along the way.

Your new skin is more sensitive to the sun, so daily broad-spectrum SPF and diligent sun protection are essential, both during recovery and to protect your results for years to come.

Ideal Candidate for Laser Skin Resurfacing

You may be a great candidate for laser skin resurfacing if you are in good overall health, don’t smoke, and want to improve fine lines, wrinkles, sun damage, acne scarring, or uneven skin tone and texture. It’s also an ideal complement for patients planning a facelift, neck lift, or eyelid lift who want their skin quality to match their newly refreshed contours.

CO2 laser resurfacing can be performed safely on many skin types. Patients with medium to darker skin tones have a higher risk of temporary pigment changes, so we take extra care with them, often using specific prep products and customized laser settings to lower that risk, if we determine that laser is appropriate. During your consultation, we’ll review your skin type, medical history, any history of cold sores, and recent medications or sun exposure to make sure laser resurfacing is right for you.

Because CO2 resurfacing is a powerful medical treatment, the expertise of the team matters. At the Centre for Plastic Surgery, your treatment is planned and overseen by our experienced board-certified plastic surgeons and performed in our accredited surgical facility.

Laser Skin Resurfacing in Grand Rapids, MI | Centre for Plastic Surgery

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Before & After

Before After

Facelift Patient 10

This healthy 53-year-old woman felt much younger than her appearance suggested. She chose to undergo eyelid lift (blepharoplasty), a facelift (rhitidectomy), and peri-oral laser (Active FX) skin resurfacing. These procedures addressed the laxity in her eyelids and face, as well as improved the texture of the skin around her mouth. Following the procedures, she was very pleased with the results and noted that her appearance now better reflects how young she feels. The after photos, taken fourteen months post-procedure, highlight her rejuvenated look.

Before After

Facelift Patient 19

This 60-year-old active woman was dissatisfied with the appearance of her jawline and neck. She opted for a facelift with a lower neck lift and laser resurfacing, achieving a refined and very natural look. The after photos, taken seven months post-procedure, highlight her impressive progress.

How Much Does Laser Resurfacing Cost?

Get an estimate

The cost of laser resurfacing depends on the area treated, the depth of treatment, your skin type and texture, and whether you’re combining it with other procedures. Your price includes your personalized laser package of pre- and post-treatment skin care. A consultation is the best way to get an exact quote, but you can get a quick estimate in just a few clicks to see what a typical patient invests.

Questions About Payment Plans?

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We partner with trusted lenders who specialize in medical financing, so you can plan your treatment comfortably. Click to learn more.

FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions About Laser Resurfacing

Can I combine laser resurfacing with a facelift or other surgery?

Yes, and many of our patients do. A facelift, neck lift, or eyelid lift restores contours and tightens underlying tissues, while laser resurfacing improves the skin’s surface: fine lines, texture, and sun damage. Combining them means one anesthetic, one recovery, and a more complete, natural-looking result. Your surgeon will tailor the laser treatment to each area of your face so it works safely alongside your surgery.

Both are treatment modes of our Lumenis CO2 laser. ActiveFX treats the upper layers of the skin to improve sun damage, discoloration, fine lines, and overall texture. DeepFX reaches deeper to target deeper wrinkles and acne scars and to stimulate more collagen. We often use them together for comprehensive improvement, and we’ll recommend the right combination for your skin.

CO2 laser resurfacing is a medical procedure, and many patients receive sedation or general anesthesia, especially when combining it with surgery. Performing it in our accredited surgical facility means you’re cared for with the same safety standards, equipment, and experienced team as our surgical patients.

Each laser package combines advanced medical skin treatments with physician-dispensed skin care products. You’ll start preparing your skin a few weeks before your procedure, and you’ll go home with products designed to support healing and protect your new skin. We personalize each package to your skin type and treatment plan.

Follow your pre-treatment skin care regimen, avoid sun exposure and tanning, and let us know if you’ve ever had cold sores, since we may prescribe a preventive antiviral medication. If you smoke, you’ll need to stop well before and after treatment. We’ll give you a complete, personalized checklist at your pre-procedure visit.

Your comfort is a priority. Depending on your treatment, we use local anesthesia, sedation, or general anesthesia, so most patients feel little during the procedure. Afterward, your skin will feel like a sunburn for a few days, which is usually well controlled with cool compresses, the soothing products in your package, and medication if needed.

When it’s performed by an experienced, qualified team, yes. CO2 resurfacing is a powerful treatment, and the training and judgment of the person behind the laser matter. At the Centre for Plastic Surgery, your treatment is planned and overseen by board-certified plastic surgeons and performed in our accredited surgical facility.

Complications are uncommon, but it’s important to know about them. They include:

  • Reaction to anesthesia
  • Infection
  • Burns or scarring
  • Pigment changes (darker or lighter patches of skin)
  • Reactivation of cold sores (herpes simplex)
  • Prolonged redness


Careful patient selection, skin preparation, and closely following your aftercare instructions help reduce these risks. We’ll review them in detail at your consultation.

Expect several days of redness, swelling, and light crusting, followed by peeling around days 5 to 7. Most patients return to work and social activities within about 1 to 2 weeks. If you’re combining laser with a facelift or other surgery, your recovery will follow the timeline for your surgical procedure.

Once your skin peels and heals, usually within 10 to 14 days, you’ll see smoother, brighter skin. Results continue to improve for several months as your skin builds new collagen. Some pinkness is normal and fades gradually, often within the first month, though it can take longer for fair-skinned patients

Most patients see significant improvement after a single CO2 treatment. Patients with deeper scarring or more advanced sun damage may benefit from additional treatments, and we’ll discuss this when we create your plan.

Results from CO2 resurfacing are long lasting, often several years. Your skin will continue to age naturally, but daily broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher, a good moisturizer, and the medical-grade skin care we recommend will help you keep your results for as long as possible.

Many patients choose fall and winter, when there’s less sun and it’s easier to protect healing skin. That said, laser resurfacing can be done any time of year as long as you’re committed to strict sun protection during recovery.

Laser resurfacing for cosmetic improvement is not covered by insurance. We offer transparent pricing, a quick online estimate, and monthly payment options through trusted medical lending partners to help make treatment comfortable for your budget.