Fractional Er:YAG
In one sentence
Fractional Er:YAG is a laser that makes thousands of tiny, precise channels in the skin, so the skin rebuilds itself with fresh tissue and new collagen.
How it works, simply
Think of the skin as a lawn. Instead of digging up the whole lawn, the laser makes small holes in a fine grid and leaves the grass between them untouched. That healthy skin around every hole heals the treated area fast.
The Er:YAG light (2940 nm) is absorbed by the water in the skin almost instantly. So it removes a very thin layer with very little heat spreading to the skin around it. Less heat means less damage around each point and a calmer recovery.
Over the next weeks the skin fills every channel with new tissue and collagen. Scars become shallower, the surface smoother, lines softer.
What it is used for
- Post-acne scars and uneven texture after acne
- Individual scars, after diagnosis
- Rough skin and enlarged pores
- Fine lines and wrinkles, without injections
Er:YAG, CO2 and RF: what is the difference?
| Fractional Er:YAG | Fractional CO2 | RF microneedling | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Laser, 2940 nm | Laser, 10,600 nm | Fine needles + radiofrequency heat (not a laser) |
| How it works | Removes tiny columns of skin, very little heat | Removes tiny columns of skin, more heat around them | Heats the deeper layer through needles, surface stays mostly intact |
| Recovery | Much faster, much less painful | Longer, more painful, more redness | Shortest |
| Main strength | Precise, adjustable depth, comfortable healing | Very strong on deep scars and wrinkles | Gentle option with little downtime |
| Main limit | May need more passes or sessions for very deep scars | Higher risk of long redness and light spots | Works mainly with heat, less on the surface |
What the research says
- Er:YAG vs CO2, side by side on the same face. A Harvard study found less heat damage with Er:YAG (up to 50 µm vs up to 200 µm), less redness at 2 weeks (67% vs 95% of patients) and fewer light spots (5% vs 43%). CO2 was somewhat stronger on wrinkles, unless Er:YAG was used with more passes. (Khatri et al., Archives of Dermatology, 1999)
- On scars, a randomized study found Er:YAG and CO2 equally effective. (Randomized comparative study, 32 patients)
- On acne scars the results are mixed: some split-face studies show CO2 slightly stronger, others a similar result with less heat from Er:YAG. (Mokhtari et al., 2023; review, JCAD 2024)
Recovery: Er:YAG vs CO2
This is where Er:YAG really stands out. Because it works with much less heat, recovery is much faster and much less painful than after CO2.
- Less heat in the skin: up to 4 times less thermal damage around each point
- Less redness: at 2 weeks, redness in 67% of Er:YAG patients vs 95% after CO2
- Faster healing: the skin closes and recovers sooner, so you get back to normal life faster
- More comfortable: less burning and swelling in the first days
With CO2, many people need around 2 weeks at home. With Er:YAG, most clients are back to their routine in 4 to 7 days after a light treatment, and within up to 10 days after scar work.
In short: no method is "the best" for everyone. That is why we start with a diagnosis.
Why we chose Er:YAG
We work with the Er:YAG laser by Quanta System, Italy. It lets us control the depth of every pass: deeper on a scar, gentler where the skin is thin. Yana tested it on her own skin, and recovery was noticeably more comfortable than after other fractional methods.
What to expect
- Session: up to about 45 minutes, depending on the treatment, with numbing cream
- After: redness and light peeling for 4 to 7 days after a light rejuvenation treatment, up to 10 days after scar work
- Course: the number of sessions depends on the depth of the scars or wrinkles and is set individually at diagnosis
- Interval: 6 to 8 weeks between sessions
- Results: the skin keeps improving for several weeks after each session
Er:YAG is not done during an active acne breakout or on freshly tanned skin. We will tell you honestly if it is not the right method for you.
