Carbon Laser Toning

Laser carbon peels are cosmetic procedures, they are not typically covered by insurance.

Your costs will be determined primarily by the experience of the doctor or licensed aesthetician you choose to do the procedure, as well as your geographic location and access to a provider.

Be sure to make an appointment to discuss this procedure with your doctor or licensed aesthetician prior to having it done.

Your provider will recommend that you stop using retinols for around one week before the laser carbon peel. You should also use sunscreen daily during this time.

The laser carbon peel is a multi-part process that takes around 30 minutes from start to finish. For this reason, it is sometimes referred to as a lunchtime peel.

Here’s what you can expect from a typical laser carbon peel:

1. Your doctor will spread a layer of liquid carbon onto your face. The carbon absorbs oil, dirt, and dead skin cells from deep within the pores.
2. You’ll wait for about 10 minutes for the liquid carbon to dry.
3. After the carbon has dried, your doctor will give you eye shields to protect your eyes from the laser.
4. Your doctor will pass a laser, such as the Nd:YAG, over the skin on a low-energy setting. This heats up the carbon, binding it to the epidermis.
5. If you have very sensitive skin or dark patches like melasma, your doctor may recommend skipping the heating step. The laser also heats up subdermal tissue, boosting collagen and plumping up fine lines.
6. On a higher-energy setting, the laser will be used to fragment the liquid carbon into tiny particles.
7. A smoke evaporator attached to the laser will remove the carbon as well as the debris and impurities it contains.
8. Your doctor may also apply a hydrating moisturizer and sunscreen to your skin after treatment.

You should immediately see brighter, glowing skin and tighter pores.

If you have sensitive skin, you may experience a slight pinking or reddening of the skin. This usually lasts for one hour or less.

Laser carbon peels are typically very effective for improving the look of oily skin and large pores. If you have severe acne or acne scarring, it may take several treatments before you see full results. Fine lines and wrinkles should also be visibly diminished after one or more treatments.

A young woman with severe pustular, cystic acne received six peel treatments two weeks apart.

Significant improvements were seen by the fourth treatment. After the sixth treatment, her acne was reduced by 90 percent. These long-lasting results were still apparent at a follow-up visit two months later.

Like chemical peels, laser carbon peels won’t provide permanent results. You may need ongoing treatments in order to sustain the benefits of each. Carbon peels may be repeated every two to three weeks. This period of time allows for ample collagen regeneration between treatments.

Everyone’s skin is different. Talk to your doctor or licensed aesthetician about how many treatments you should anticipate needing before you start to reap full benefits.

Apart from a slight reddening of the skin and a tingling sensation, there should be no side effects after a laser carbon peel.

It’s important to have this procedure done by an experienced and licensed professional. This will help to ensure the safety of your skin and eyes as well as provide optimal results