For every other laser at this practice, sorted by the problem each one treats, see laser treatment Singapore.
Laser resurfacing in Singapore: fractional laser options compared
Laser resurfacing in Singapore covers several lasers that injure the skin in a controlled way so that it heals smoother and lays down new collagen. They differ in how much tissue they remove and how deep they reach (Alexiades-Armenakas 2008). A fractional laser treats microscopic columns and leaves intact skin between them; it can be ablative, like CO2, or non-ablative. The table sets out where the DEKA SmartXide Tetra Pro sits among them.
| Option | How it works | Tends to suit | Recovery and pigment risk | At this practice |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fully ablative CO2 or erbium resurfacing | Removes the whole surface layer across the treated area | Marked lines and sun damage, mainly in lighter skin | The largest wound; the highest pigment risk in Fitzpatrick III to V skin | Fractional CO2 or FSX used here instead |
| Fractional CO2 (10,600 nm) | Vaporises microscopic columns through the surface into the dermis, with intact bridges between them | Deep ice pick and boxcar scars, texture and pores | An open healing phase with crusting; pigment risk managed by density and spacing | Yes: the S3 Resurfacing Lift on the DEKA Tetra Pro |
| Fractional erbium:YAG | Ablative columns with less surrounding heat than CO2 | Textural scars and fine lines | Usually a lighter wound than CO2; pigment change still possible | Not one of the acne scar protocols described on this site |
| Non-ablative fractional (1540 nm erbium glass, 1927 nm thulium) | Heats columns of dermis while the surface stays intact | Superficial scars, texture and post-acne marks | Redness that settles; a shorter recovery than S3 | Yes: FSX Laser |
| Picosecond laser (fractional mode) | Very short pulses act mainly by a pressure effect near the surface | Flat brown marks and fine texture in pigment-prone skin | Brief redness; does not change scar depth | Used for marks, at 785 nm on the DEKA TORO |
| RF microneedling (not a laser) | Radiofrequency delivered through insulated needles at a set depth | Shallow rolling scars and texture, often in darker skin | Pinpoint marks and redness; the surface is largely spared | Yes: Secret DUO |
Depth and skin type decide between them, and no laser releases a tethered scar, which is why subcision comes first where a scar is pinned down. A systematic review of energy-based acne scar treatments found larger improvements with ablative lasers, at the cost of more pain, recovery and pigment risk (Kravvas and Al-Niaimi 2018). Which laser suits which scar is set out on laser acne scar treatment, and the healing stages on CO2 laser downtime.
FSX Laser vs S3 Resurfacing Lift: which protocol for which scar?
Both protocols are Dr Sin Yong’s, and both run at this practice, so the choice between them is clinical rather than commercial. This table sets the FSX Laser against the S3 Resurfacing Lift on the DEKA Tetra Pro feature by feature. Scar depth at examination decides which one is used, and some faces need both at different stages.
Depth decides the laser: a superficial scar does not earn an ablative wound, and a deep one is not fixed by a gentle pass.— Dr Sin Yong
| Feature | FSX Laser (Flawless Smooth Skin) | S3 Resurfacing Lift (Stack, Scan, Sculpt) |
|---|---|---|
| Energy and platform | Non-ablative wavelengths, including erbium glass and thulium, that heat the dermis without removing the surface | Fractional CO2 at 10,600 nm on the DEKA Tetra Pro, with pulse shape chosen per scar |
| Scar depth it suits | Superficial scars and texture change | Deep ice-pick and boxcar scars with walls and floors to rebuild |
| The surface | Left intact | Ablated in fine columns between intact bridges |
| Place in the SCAR3 sequence | Texture work once release is complete, or where ablation is not wanted | Resurfacing after subcision and TCA CROSS, so the skin is free to remodel |
| Recovery pattern | Redness that settles | Oozing, crusting and peeling that are visible and not concealable |
| What it cannot do | Rebuild a deep boxcar wall | Release a tethered scar; a laser cannot cut a band |
The protocols are described on FSX Laser and S3 Resurfacing Lift; release methods are on subcision and TCA CROSS.
What a CO2 laser treats beyond acne scars, and what it does not
A CO2 laser at 10,600 nm is absorbed so strongly by water that it vaporises tissue in a controlled way. Used fractionally, it removes fine columns of skin and leaves bridges between them, which is how it resurfaces scars. Used as a focused point, it can remove a small growth layer by layer with little bleeding. That is why the same platform appears on pages about acne scars, skin tags and under-eye bumps, and why it is never the answer for pigment or melasma. The table sets out where it is used and where something else is chosen.
| Concern | Role of CO2 laser | When something else is chosen |
|---|---|---|
| Boxcar and deeper atrophic acne scars | Fractional resurfacing within the S3 Resurfacing Lift, after subcision and TCA CROSS where needed | Superficial scars and texture often suit the non-ablative FSX Laser |
| Syringoma under the eyes | Point ablation of each bump on the Tetra Pro, or erbium:YAG | Diagnosis first, because syringoma is often mistaken for milia |
| Skin tags at sites where precision matters | Ablation in controlled layers, for example near the eyelid margin | Fine tags on a narrow stalk are often snipped or treated with electrosurgery |
| Benign raised moles and seborrhoeic keratoses | Ablation once the lesion has been confirmed as benign | Anything atypical is excised and sent for histology instead |
| Numerous or recurrent milia | Fine ablation of the roof and contents | A few isolated milia are usually extracted with a sterile point |
| Enlarged pores within scarred texture | Fractional resurfacing, accepting more recovery | Oil-driven pores often suit RF microneedling or medical treatment |
| Brown spots, melasma, redness | Not used | Pico laser, R2T2 or medical treatment, after diagnosis |
Fractional CO2 is an ablative treatment, so there is a healing phase: redness and swelling, then fine crusting and peeling, then a pink phase that fades. In Fitzpatrick III to V skin, temporary darkening afterwards is the main concern, which is why settings, skin preparation and strict sun protection are part of the treatment. Lesion work is quicker to heal than full-face resurfacing, but every site still forms a small crust. The CO2 laser in Asian skin guide explains how that risk is managed.
What is a CO2 laser? CO2 fractional laser vs fully ablative
A CO2 laser is a carbon dioxide laser that emits light at 10,600 nm, a wavelength absorbed so strongly by water in the skin that it vaporises tissue in a controlled way.
How that energy is delivered decides the treatment. Fully ablative CO2 removes the whole surface across the treated area, so healing is long and the risk of complications is higher. A fractional CO2 laser, also called a CO2 fractional laser, vaporises microscopic columns and leaves bridges of untouched skin between them, so the skin heals from those bridges. A focused CO2 beam, the third use, removes a single small growth layer by layer.
The trade-off matters in Asian skin. A 2017 review of fractional resurfacing in Asian patients concluded that post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation is the main complication, and that lower-density settings with wider intervals between treatments carried the lowest risk of it. A 2017 retrospective study from the National Skin Centre in Singapore, covering 210 fractional CO2 treatments for acne scars in 107 patients of Fitzpatrick skin types II to V, recorded adverse events in 16 patients (15%), chiefly hyperpigmentation, then blistering and crusting.
At the clinic on Orchard Road, Singapore, Dr Sin Yong uses fractional CO2 on the DEKA SmartXide Tetra Pro for boxcar and shallow rolling acne scars within the S3 Resurfacing Lift, and a focused beam for small benign growths once they have been examined. Superficial scars and texture often suit the non-ablative FSX Laser instead. The healing phase is set out on CO2 laser downtime, and pigment planning on fractional CO2 in Asian skin.
Who should not have Tetra Pro CO2 laser resurfacing?
Fractional CO2 resurfacing creates a wound that has to heal, so it is postponed during pregnancy, over an active skin infection, and while acne is still active; acne is generally brought under control before scar work begins. Anyone who has had cold sores should say so, as antiviral cover is commonly advised before ablative laser on the face. Freshly tanned skin is not treated, and photosensitising medicines and recent isotretinoin are discussed, as advice on the interval varies.
Conditions that slow or disturb healing call for caution or a different plan: a tendency to keloid or hypertrophic scarring, poorly controlled diabetes, immunosuppression, smoking, previous radiotherapy to the area, and active vitiligo. Darker skin is not excluded, but ablative resurfacing carries a higher risk of post-inflammatory pigment change in Fitzpatrick III to V skin, and settings are planned around that. Anyone who cannot accept a period of visible healing may be better served by a gentler option. Suitability is decided at consultation, after scar mapping and a medical history.
Fractional laser in Singapore: where a fractional CO2 laser fits
A fractional laser in Singapore is any laser that treats the skin in microscopic columns and leaves untreated bridges between them, so the skin heals from that intact tissue. Fractional describes how the energy is delivered, not which laser it is. A fractional CO2 laser is ablative: it removes each column of skin. Non-ablative fractional lasers, such as erbium glass and thulium, heat the dermis and leave the surface intact.
Who it suits. A CO2 fractional laser tends to suit boxcar and shallow rolling acne scars once acne is under control, and coarse texture within scarred skin, in people who can accept a visible healing period. Superficial scars and texture change often suit a non-ablative option such as the FSX Laser instead.
How Dr Sin Yong assesses it. He maps the scars by type and depth and takes a medical history before any laser is chosen. Tethered scars and ice-pick tracts are usually released first with subcision or TCA CROSS, so the laser resurfaces skin that is free to remodel. Where deeper scars need it, fractional CO2 runs on the DEKA SmartXide Tetra Pro within the S3 Resurfacing Lift.
What to expect. Fractional CO2 creates a controlled wound, so redness, swelling, oozing, crusting and peeling are part of healing. In Fitzpatrick III to V skin, temporary darkening is the main risk, so settings, skin preparation and sun protection are planned around it. Whether a fractional laser is advised at all is decided at consultation.
Is fractional CO2 laser safe? The risks to know
Redness, swelling, pinpoint bleeding, oozing and crusting are expected after fractional CO2 and are part of healing rather than complications; how long they last depends on the depth and density used. Temporary darkening of the skin is the risk most relevant to Asian skin and can take weeks to months to fade.
A retrospective study of 490 deep fractional CO2 treatments in patients of Fitzpatrick skin types I to IV recorded adverse events after 13.6% of treatments, most often acne-like eruptions, cold sore outbreaks and bacterial or yeast infections, with hyperpigmentation after 1.2%. Rarer risks include scarring, redness lasting beyond a month, and lightening of the skin. Risk is reduced by scar mapping before treatment, pulse shape, depth and density chosen for each scar and skin type, antiviral cover where indicated, careful wound care, and strict sun protection while the skin heals. Any infection, unexpected pain or delayed healing is reviewed promptly at the clinic.
