Fractional CO2 for acne scars and texture, focused CO2 for selected lesions. Medical Director Dr Sin Yong sets depth, density and spacing for Asian skin at IN Eternity Clinic, a DEKA Centre of Excellence.
WhatsApp to Enquire →Key facts ↓A CO2 laser vaporises water-rich skin at 10,600 nm and triggers collagen remodelling. Fractional CO2 treats microscopic columns, so the surface heals in about a week; fully ablative treatment removes the whole layer and heals far more slowly. At IN Eternity Clinic the DEKA Tetra Pro is used for acne scars, texture and selected lesions, with settings planned around pigment risk in Asian skin.
A CO2 laser produces infrared light at 10,600 nm, a wavelength that water absorbs very strongly. Because skin is mostly water, each pulse turns a small volume of tissue to vapour almost instantly. That is ablation. Around each ablated zone sits a thin rim of heated tissue where collagen contracts and the wound-healing response begins. Over the following weeks and months, fibroblasts lay down new collagen and the dermis remodels, which is why skin texture and scars keep changing long after the surface has healed.
Three dials decide what a CO2 laser does to your skin. Energy sets how deep each column or spot reaches. Density sets how much of the surface is treated in a pass. Stacking sets how many pulses land on the same point. A deep, narrow, low-density setting remodels the dermis while leaving most of the surface intact; a shallow, wide setting polishes the upper layers; a focused beam can remove a small growth layer by layer. The same device can therefore be gentle or aggressive, and most of the judgement lies in the settings rather than the machine.
At IN Eternity Clinic the CO2 laser is the DEKA Tetra Pro (SmartXide platform). IN Eternity Clinic is a designated DEKA Centre of Excellence, and the Tetra Pro is used for the SCAR3 (S3) acne-scar protocol, for lighter resurfacing of texture and for selected skin lesions.
Older CO2 resurfacing removed the whole surface layer of the treated area in one session. It could produce marked tightening, but healing took one to two weeks of open, weeping skin, redness lasted months, and in medium and darker skin the risk of lasting pigment change was high. Fractional CO2 changed this in the mid-2000s by splitting the beam into a grid of microscopic columns, so only a fraction of the skin is treated in each pass. The untouched bridges between columns supply the cells that close each micro-wound, and the surface usually heals in about a week.
| Fully ablative CO2 | Fractional CO2 | Focused CO2 beam | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What is treated | The whole surface of the area | Microscopic columns; bridges of intact skin between them | One small lesion or a single scar pit |
| Typical uses | Severe photoageing and wrinkles in lighter skin; now used far less | Acne scars, texture, enlarged-looking pores, fine lines | Syringomas, xanthelasma, some moles and growths after examination; point shots into scar pits |
| Healing of the surface | One to two weeks, open and weeping | About five to seven days of crusting and flaking | A small scab for one to two weeks |
| Redness afterwards | Often months | Usually weeks | Local pinkness for weeks |
| Pigment risk in skin types III–V | High, including lasting lightening | Present and manageable with planning | Local darkening possible |
| How it is used at IN Eternity Clinic | Not described here as a routine option; any ablative step is decided at assessment | The main way the Tetra Pro is used on the face | For selected lesions and scar pits |
In practice, fractional and focused settings are often combined. On the S3 acne-scar protocol, single deeper point shots go into individual pits before a lighter fractional pass over the skin around them, so the scar and its surroundings are not treated as if they were the same.
| Use | How the laser is set | Typical visible recovery | More detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acne scars | Point shots into pits, then a fractional pass (SCAR3 / S3 protocol), with subcision and TCA CROSS where needed | About 5–7 days | CO2 laser for acne scars |
| Texture and enlarged-looking pores | Lighter, lower-density fractional passes (S3 Resurfacing Lift) | About 3–5 days | Enlarged pores treatment |
| Syringomas | Focused, shallow ablation of each bump, after diagnosis | Small scabs, about 1–2 weeks | Syringoma removal |
| Xanthelasma | Focused ablation of the yellow plaques, after a cholesterol check is advised | Scabs, about 1–2 weeks | Xanthelasma removal |
| Some moles and benign growths | Layer-by-layer ablation, only after the lesion is examined and judged benign | A small scab, 1–2 weeks | Mole removal |
| Vaginal laxity and dryness | A separate, dedicated vaginal handpiece (Mona Lisa Touch) | Little visible recovery | Mona Lisa Touch |
For acne scars, CO2 is one layer of the plan rather than the plan itself. Rolling scars need release first and ice-pick scars need treatment inside each pit, which is why the full pathway sits on acne scar treatment in Singapore, with the scar types explained on ice pick scars and boxcar scars.
These treatments are often compared because they all aim at texture and scars. They differ in how much of the surface they break, how deep they reach and how much they raise the risk of darkening.
| Fractional CO2 (Tetra Pro) | FSX fractional laser | Pico laser (fractional) | RF microneedling | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Surface | Ablated in columns | Mostly intact (non-ablative) | Intact or minimally broken | Pinpoint needle entries |
| Reach | Deep dermal remodelling plus surface renewal | Dermal heating under intact skin | Shallow pressure injury, little heat | Heat at a set depth beneath the surface |
| Suits | Boxcar edges, scar pits, marked texture | Mild texture, pores, early lines | Shallow texture, brown marks | Rolling and shallow boxcar scars, pores, darker skin |
| Visible recovery | About 5–7 days | A few days of redness | A day or two | About 2–4 days |
| Darkening risk in Asian skin | Highest of the four; planned around | Lower | Lower | Lower than CO2 |
The FSX fractional laser is a different device and a separate option, chosen when downtime must be short. RF microneedling is often used where skin darkens easily, and pico laser for marks and shallow texture. Many scar plans use two of these in sequence.
Most skin in Singapore is Fitzpatrick type III to V. In this skin, heat and inflammation readily stimulate pigment cells, and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) is the main trade-off of CO2 laser. Studies of fractional resurfacing in Asian patients have reported PIH in a substantial share of treatments, more often with higher density and in darker skin. When it appears, it usually shows as a brown haze two to six weeks after a session and fades over months, faster when treated early.
Heat and humidity add a local twist. Sweat on healing skin stings and invites irritation, so the gym, hot yoga, saunas and long outdoor sessions wait until the surface has closed. Where the risk is judged too high for CO2, Dr Sin Yong leans on RF microneedling, subcision or TCA CROSS instead.
“A CO2 laser is not strong or weak. It is set. Depth for the scar, density for the skin around it, and spacing for the pigment that Asian skin wants to make.”
| When | What you usually see | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Day of treatment | Heat like a strong sunburn; a fine grid of pinpoint marks; swelling begins | Cool compresses; the ointment you are given; no make-up |
| Days 1–3 | Swelling peaks, often around the eyes in the morning; fine brown crusts form | Gentle cleansing, keep the skin moist, sleep slightly propped up, do not pick |
| Days 5–7 | Crusts flake away to pink new skin | Make-up and normal routines can return once crusts have gone; sunscreen daily |
| Weeks 2–6 | Pinkness fades; the window in which darkening can appear | Strict sun protection; report any brown haze early |
| Weeks 6–8 | The surface looks settled; collagen keeps remodelling | Review against the first photographs; plan the next session if needed |
Most people keep the first week free of meetings, events and travel. Fuller post-laser guidance is in post-laser scab care and Singapore humidity and post-laser care.
General clinical observations used at consultation; they describe what is checked, not any individual result.
CO2 laser removes tissue, so it is never used on a growth whose nature is uncertain. Some changes need a diagnosis first.
Where any of these apply, the first step is a diagnosis, sometimes with a biopsy, and referral where needed.
Per-session prices for fractional CO2 vary with the area treated, the protocol, whether other steps such as subcision are combined and how many sessions are planned; acne scars usually need a course. For a market reference, the table shows what other Singapore clinics publish on their own price pages. For acne-scar plans that combine CO2 with other methods, see acne scar removal cost in Singapore. At IN Eternity Clinic the plan is quoted after assessment; the consultation fee is S$120, waived with any medical treatment.
| Treatment | Published price range | Clinics |
|---|---|---|
| Fractional CO2 laser, per session | S$380–S$600 | 7 |
Sources and wording as printed (read 20 Oct 2026)
A fully ablative CO2 laser removes the whole surface layer of the treated area, with one to two weeks of open healing. Fractional CO2 treats a grid of microscopic columns and leaves bridges of intact skin, so the surface usually heals in about a week while collagen keeps remodelling.
Other Singapore clinics publish fractional CO2 at about S$380 to S$600 per session (read 20 October 2026). The total depends on the area, the protocol and the number of sessions. At IN Eternity Clinic the plan is quoted after assessment; the consultation fee is S$120, waived with any medical treatment.
After a full-face fractional session, expect about five to seven days of redness, swelling and fine crusting, then pinkness that fades over weeks. Lighter settings heal faster. Most people keep the first week free of events.
It can be used in Asian skin with planning. The main risk is post-inflammatory darkening, which is reduced with moderate density, spacing sessions six to eight weeks apart, strict sun protection and early review. It is reduced, not ruled out.
Usually three to six sessions spaced six to eight weeks apart, often combined with subcision for rolling scars and TCA CROSS for ice-pick scars. The number depends on scar type, depth and response.
Numbing cream is applied for about 45 to 60 minutes and cooled air is used throughout. Most people feel hot prickling during the pass and a sunburn-like warmth for the rest of the day, easing over a day or two.
They are different devices. Fractional CO2 ablates columns of skin for deeper scar and texture change, with about a week of recovery. The FSX laser is non-ablative, with a few days of redness, and suits milder texture. The choice follows the problem and your downtime.
Some moles and benign growths can be removed with focused CO2 laser, but only after examination. A mole that is changing, bleeding or uncertain is checked first and is often removed for testing instead of being lasered.
IN Eternity Clinic, 9 Scotts Road, #12-01 Pacific Plaza, Singapore 228210. By appointment with Medical Director Dr Sin Yong. Monday to Saturday, 11am to 8pm. WhatsApp or call +65 8815 3008. The consultation fee is waived with any medical treatment.
These sources describe mechanisms and general evidence. They are not a promise of any individual result; suitability is decided at an in-person assessment.