Recovery Weeks After Ablative Laser Treatment

Two sources quote recovery after laser resurfacing as two different ranges of days. This page lines up two published ranges and notes where they differ. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons also keeps a page on laser skin resurfacing for the procedure itself.

Two published ranges

Cleveland Clinic says that in general the areas heal in five to 21 days, depending on the nature of the condition that was treated and the type of laser used.

WebMD says healing typically takes 10 to 21 days, depending on the problem that was treated.

Reading the two ranges line by line

The upper end matches at 21 days. The lower end does not, since Cleveland Clinic starts at five days and WebMD at 10.

Cleveland Clinic ties its range to both the condition and the laser type. WebMD ties its range to the problem treated and does not mention the laser type in that line. Neither line says which laser lands at which end of the range.

WebMD adds a day-by-day detail. It says five to seven days after laser resurfacing, your skin will become dry and peel. It says once the skin heals, you can wear oil-free makeup to minimize redness, which usually fades in two to three months.

For readers who want a clinical paper, a PMC article on nonfacial skin rejuvenation of the neck, chest and hands using laser techniques covers laser techniques beyond the face.

Pinning down your own recovery

Ask which of the two ranges applies to the exact laser and the exact condition on your plan. A clinic that can answer with a specific number of days is giving you more than either source does in the lines above.