My $300 CO2 Fractional Laser Treatment in Thailand

What Is Fractional CO2 Laser?

CO2 fractional laser resurfacing works by removing tiny portions of skin to trigger collagen regrowth. Unlike fully ablative lasers, this one leaves healthy skin between treated areas — which helps you heal faster.

There are 3 main types:

1. Fraxel – gentler, more sessions, minimal downtime
2. Fractional CO2 – deeper treatment, better results, 3–7 days downtime
3. Fully Ablative CO2 – very intense, dramatic results, longer recovery

I chose fractional CO2 as it was the only available option at the hospital. If Fraxel would have been an option, I still would have chosen Fractional CO2 because I wanted a stronger treatment.

Gallery of Fractional CO2 Laser Before & After Photos

Note: These before-and-after photos are from Dr. Stoker’s website. Please visit his site for full details and additional cases. I chose to share these because they’re some of the clearest examples I could find showing the results of fractional CO2 laser treatment alone—not combined with fillers or other procedures, which many clinics tend to showcase. The number of sessions and laser settings used may vary by individual. These images are for reference only and are not my personal results.

How Much It Cost Me in Thailand

I paid about 9,000 baht (~$250 USD)

That included:

• Doctor consultation at Bangkok Hospital Hua Hin
• Cryoair cold therapy during and after
• Full fractional CO2 treatment
• Prescription creams (antibiotic + steroid)

Affordable U.S. Options for Fractional CO2 Laser Treatments

Please share in the comments below if you know of any great places to get fractional CO2 laser treatments in the U.S. for under $1000. I’m going to ask around on reddit about this too and share any details I can find publicly because I know a lot of people are looking for this treatment in the U.S., but we are seeking out more affordable places.

The Treatment Experience

Prior to the treatment, I washed my face thoroughly and a nurse applied a lidocaine numbing cream, then covered my face with plastic wrap. I started feeling a bit weird from the numbing cream, which is pretty normal for me when it comes to lidocaine.

The treatment itself wasn’t painful at all, even though I could smell my skin burning when the doctor worked near my nose and upper lip. A few times, I felt a tiny bit of pain where the numbing cream had started to wear off. The doctor was extremely thorough and meticulous throughout the entire process and communicated clearly with me the whole time.

The best part was the cryoair machine they used during the entire procedure. It blew freezing cold air onto my face, which made a huge difference in comfort — I believe that’s why I felt so little pain. After the treatment, the nurse continued using the cryoair on my face for at least another 10 minutes, which really helped reduce inflammation. By the end of the session, my face was burning and felt extremely hot, but the cold air treatment quickly calmed it down.

My face burned for about 30 minutes to one hour after the treatment, and then subsided. After the treatment, she then applied a really thick layer of white cream on my face. I grabbed a face mask, put my hat on and was done at the hospital.

Updates & Results

Immediately after the treatment, I noticed some a couple dark spots were faded and nearly gone. There’s a spot I’ve had on my face for years and I never wanted to get rid of it, but this treatment faded it so much it’s nearly gone now. I had on sunspot on my cheek that seems to be more stubborn and it’s still hanging around but looks like it might be a bit lighter after the treatment.

For the first week my skin was red on and off, and then had the texture of sandpaper. By day 6 or 7 the sandpaper texture went away and my skin was baby smooth and super light and evened out. This was the best my skin looked, but it didn’t stay that way forever.

I’ll share full updates in a few months because this treatment takes time to produce results as collagen production takes time.