CO₂ Facial
CO₂ Facial
Designed for Immediate Refreshment Without Recovery
Some appointments exist for the week you need to look well rested and have no time to recover from looking otherwise. Before a wedding, a reunion, a photograph you will keep. Something that leaves the skin looking better the same afternoon and asks nothing from you afterward.
That is what a CO₂ facial is for.
At Radiance Aesthetics, it is performed within a physician-led practice by Dr. Sharon Lawrence, a physician board certified by the American Board of Surgery with advanced training in aesthetic technique — which in this case means being told clearly what this treatment is, what it is not, and where its limits sit.
Patients visit Radiance Aesthetics from across North Arlington and the surrounding communities of Bergen, Hudson, and Essex counties.
Every plan begins with a Get to Know You Consultation.
Ready to Explore Your Options?
A Get to Know You Consultation is where your plan takes shape. Dr. Lawrence will assess your skin and tell you honestly whether a CO₂ facial fits your goals or whether your concerns call for something with more depth.
What Is a CO₂ Facial?
This is not laser resurfacing. That distinction matters more than anything else on this page, because the term “CO₂” is used for two entirely different treatments.
Fractional CO₂ laser resurfacing is an ablative laser procedure that removes layers of skin, involves significant downtime, and produces substantial change. It is not offered at Radiance Aesthetics and it is not what this page describes.
A CO₂ facial — also called a carboxy treatment — is a topical treatment. A gel and an activating mask are applied to the skin, and the reaction between them generates carbon dioxide at the skin’s surface. There is no laser, no needle, no heat, no ablation, and no removal of any layer of skin. There is no downtime because nothing is injured.
The proposed mechanism is that localized carbon dioxide at the surface prompts the surrounding tissue to release more oxygen into the area, along with a temporary increase in local circulation. This is why patients often leave with a flushed, awake appearance.
The goal is not to resurface your skin — it is to leave it looking refreshed and hydrated the same day, with nothing to recover from.
A note on what is and is not established. The evidence supporting topical carboxy treatments is limited, and effects are temporary and cosmetic. The gels and masks used are topical cosmetic products rather than FDA-approved drug treatments, and no claim of FDA approval applies to this treatment. Some patients see a noticeable same-day difference. Some notice very little. You will hear that here rather than after you have paid for a series.
What Concerns May a CO₂ Facial Support?
A CO₂ facial is used as a surface and appearance treatment for:
- Dull, tired-looking skin
- A flat or lifeless complexion before an event
- Skin that looks dehydrated
- Temporary lack of radiance
- General refreshment with no recovery time
What a CO₂ facial does not do. It does not resurface skin, fade established pigmentation or dark spots, improve scarring, soften lines caused by muscle movement, tighten laxity, or produce structural change of any kind. It is not a substitute for laser resurfacing, chemical peels, or microneedling, and the effect is temporary. If your concern is dark spots, acne scarring, texture, or expression lines, Dr. Lawrence will point you toward the treatments that actually address those.
Treatment Areas
Face
The standard treatment area.
Neck
Commonly included.
Décolleté
The chest and upper neck.
Under Eyes
A commonly requested area for a temporarily refreshed appearance.
Areas are confirmed during your consultation.
Benefits of a CO₂ Facial
- Visible same-day refreshment
- No downtime whatsoever
- No needles, no heat, no ablation, no peeling
- Comfortable and generally relaxing
- Gentle enough for sensitive skin in most cases
- Generally appropriate across skin types
- A practical option before an event
- Pairs easily with other treatments in your plan
What Patients Often Notice
- Skin that looks brighter and more awake immediately afterward
- A hydrated, plumper surface appearance
- A temporary healthy flush
- Skin that photographs better the same day
- A comfortable, calming appointment
Responses vary and are frequently subtle. The effect is temporary, typically most visible within the first day or two and fading over the following days. Some patients notice very little change. This is a cosmetic surface treatment with modest, short-lived effects, and it is described that way deliberately. If you are seeking correction of a specific concern, Dr. Lawrence will recommend a treatment matched to it rather than a series of these.
Treatment Timeline
- Treatment time
Generally 30 to 45 minutes.
- During treatment
A light tingling, bubbling, or tightening sensation is typical while the mask is active.
- Immediately after
Skin often looks flushed and refreshed. Makeup may be applied right away.
- Same day
Most patients return to normal activity immediately, including events.
- Duration
The effect is temporary, generally most visible for a day or two and fading over the following days.
- Frequency
May be repeated regularly, or scheduled ahead of specific events. Your recommended approach is set during your consultation.
There is no downtime associated with a CO₂ facial.
What Happens During Your Visit
- Get to Know You Consultation
Dr. Lawrence evaluates your skin and reviews your health history, medications, allergies, and goals. This is where she determines whether a CO₂ facial serves what you are trying to accomplish or whether your concerns call for a treatment with more depth — and she will say so directly if that is the case.
- Preparation
Your skin is cleansed and any makeup removed so the gel makes even contact across the treatment area. Dr. Lawrence explains the sensation you should expect before beginning.
- Treatment
The gel is applied, followed by the activating mask. The reaction begins within moments and most patients describe a light tingling or bubbling sensation, sometimes with a feeling of tightness as the mask sets. The mask remains in place for a set period, then is removed and the skin is cleansed and conditioned.
The appointment generally takes 30 to 45 minutes and most patients find it comfortable.
- Aftercare Guidance
You will receive written aftercare instructions before you leave, including what to watch for and when to call the office. There is no recovery period. You may apply skincare and makeup immediately and return to normal activity, including the event you scheduled this for.
Daily broad-spectrum sun protection remains part of caring for your skin regardless of which treatments you are receiving.
How Much Does a CO₂ Facial Cost?
Cost depends on the areas treated and whether the treatment is scheduled on its own or added to another service.
Your investment is reviewed with you during your Get to Know You Consultation. Because the effect is temporary and cosmetic, Dr. Lawrence will be straightforward about whether a regular schedule is a sensible use of your budget compared with the treatments that produce lasting change.
First Time Considering Neuromodulator Treatment?
Come in with the right expectation and this treatment is genuinely satisfying. Come in with the wrong one and it will disappoint you.
What it offers: a comfortable, zero-recovery treatment that leaves skin looking refreshed and hydrated the same day. Excellent before an event. Easy to add to a plan.
What it does not offer: correction of anything. No pigment change, no textural change, no structural change, no lasting result.
The patients most satisfied with this treatment book it three days before something that matters. The patients who are disappointed booked a package hoping it would fix their skin.
Your consultation will place it accurately, or recommend against it if your budget is better spent elsewhere.
Maintaining Your Results
The effect of a CO₂ facial is temporary by nature. It is a refreshment treatment rather than a corrective one, and repeating it maintains the appearance rather than building on it. There is no cumulative structural benefit.
A CO₂ facial does not address pigmentation, texture, scarring, laxity, volume, or lines caused by muscle movement. Patients whose concerns fall into those categories will see substantially more improvement from peel treatment, microneedling, or neuromodulator treatment, with a CO₂ facial used occasionally for events rather than as the foundation of a plan.
Daily broad-spectrum sun protection continues to matter more than any single treatment.
Why Choose Radiance Aesthetics?
- Clear about what this is
The term CO₂ is used for two very different treatments, and patients are routinely confused between them. Here you will be told plainly that this is a topical carboxy treatment and not laser resurfacing, before you book rather than after.
- Planned by a board certified physician
Dr. Sharon Lawrence is board certified by the American Board of Surgery with advanced training in aesthetic techniques. Every treatment is placed within a plan.
- Honest about modest effects
This treatment is offered as a cosmetic refreshment with temporary results, because that is what it is.
- Recommendations that include no
If your budget belongs in a treatment that will actually change what is bothering you, that is what you will hear.
We are not here to let a name do work the treatment cannot. We are here to tell you exactly what this is, and to point you elsewhere when elsewhere is the answer.
Enhance Your Experience
A CO₂ facial refreshes the surface temporarily. The treatments below are the ones that produce lasting change.
VI Peel®
A light to medium depth peel addressing pigmentation, tone, and clarity, formulated for all skin types
Chemical Peels
Resurfacing to encourage cell turnover
Microneedling
Supports collagen production to refine texture and soften the appearance of scarring
Neuromodulators
Xeomin® treatment for lines created by facial movement
Hydrodermabrasion
Exfoliation, extraction, and hydration with no downtime
Red Light Therapy
A complementary addition to your plan
Not every service is appropriate for every patient, and some treatments cannot be combined in the same visit. Sequencing is planned during your Get to Know You Consultation, and results vary.
Serving Patients in North Arlington and Nearby Communities
Radiance Aesthetics offers CO₂ facial carboxy treatments to patients throughout North Arlington, New Jersey, and the surrounding communities of Kearny, Lyndhurst, Rutherford, Belleville, Nutley, Harrison, East Newark, Bloomfield, and Secaucus, across Bergen, Hudson, and Essex counties. Patients searching for a CO₂ facial, carboxy facial, or no-downtime event facial near them can reserve a Get to Know You Consultation with Dr. Sharon Lawrence. Please note that fractional CO₂ laser resurfacing is a different treatment and is not offered at this practice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this the same as CO₂ laser resurfacing?
No, and this is the most important question on the page. Fractional CO₂ laser resurfacing is an ablative laser procedure that removes layers of skin, requires significant downtime, and produces substantial lasting change. It is not offered at Radiance Aesthetics. A CO₂ facial is a topical gel and mask treatment with no laser, no ablation, no downtime, and temporary cosmetic effects. If you came here looking for laser resurfacing, this is not that treatment, and Dr. Lawrence will discuss appropriate referral options at your consultation.
Who is not a candidate?
A CO₂ facial is among the gentlest treatments offered, but it is not appropriate for everyone. It is generally avoided in patients with an active skin infection, active cold sore outbreak, or open lesions in the treatment area; those with a significant active rosacea flare or severe inflammatory acne; those with sunburned or significantly irritated skin; and those with a known allergy to any ingredient in the gel or mask. Pregnancy and breastfeeding are discussed individually. Dr. Lawrence reviews your health history and allergies during your Get to Know You Consultation and will tell you directly if treatment should be avoided or postponed.
What are the risks?
Reported effects include a tingling, bubbling, or tightening sensation during treatment, temporary redness or flushing, and mild irritation or dryness afterward. Less commonly, patients experience an allergic or irritant reaction to an ingredient in the gel or mask, prolonged redness, or reactivation of the herpes simplex virus in those with a history of cold sores. Patients with reactive or rosacea-prone skin may experience more pronounced flushing. Your written aftercare instructions will tell you what to watch for and when to call the office.
What results can I expect?
Individual results vary and no specific outcome can be guaranteed. Any effect is cosmetic, surface-level, and temporary, typically most visible within the first day or two and fading over the following days. Some patients notice very little change. The evidence supporting topical carboxy treatments is limited. This treatment does not fade pigmentation, improve scarring, resurface skin, or produce structural change of any kind, and there is no cumulative benefit from repeating it.
Is it FDA approved?
No claim of FDA approval applies to this treatment. The gels and masks used are topical cosmetic products rather than FDA-approved drug treatments
Is there any downtime?
None. Makeup may be applied immediately and you can go directly to an event.
Does it hurt?
No. Most patients describe light tingling or bubbling with a sensation of tightness as the mask sets. Most find it comfortable.
How soon before an event should I schedule it?
Same day or one to two days before is typical, since the effect is most visible early and fades over the following days.
Is it safe for deeper skin tones?
Generally, yes. The treatment does not rely on light absorbed by surface pigment. Candidacy and skin reactivity are assessed during your consultation.
Will it help my acne, dark spots, or scarring?
No. Those concerns are addressed with peel treatment, microneedling, and appropriate skincare. Dr. Lawrence will recommend accordingly.
Can I combine it with other treatments?
Yes. Timing relative to other services is planned during your consultation.
Do you accept insurance?
No. A CO₂ facial is an elective cosmetic service and is not covered by health insurance. Radiance Aesthetics is a fee-for-service practice.
Do I need a consultation first?
Yes. All new patients complete a Get to Know You Consultation so that candidacy is confirmed and the treatment is placed correctly within your plan.
Medical Disclaimer
The information on this page is provided for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The CO₂ facial described on this page is a topical carboxy treatment. It is not fractional CO₂ laser resurfacing, which is a different procedure and is not offered at Radiance Aesthetics. Effects are cosmetic, surface-level, and temporary, the supporting evidence is limited, and some patients experience little or no visible change. The gels and masks used are topical cosmetic products and are not FDA-approved drug treatments. Individual results vary and no outcome can be guaranteed. Candidacy is determined only through evaluation by a qualified healthcare professional. Specific contraindications, risks, and realistic expectations are addressed in the Frequently Asked Questions above and reviewed with you in detail during your Get to Know You Consultation.
Radiance Aesthetics is a fee-for-service practice. Cosmetic treatments are elective and are not covered by health insurance.
VI Peel® is a registered trademark of Vitality Institute Medical Products. Xeomin® is a registered trademark of Merz Pharmaceuticals.
Radiance Aesthetics is operated by Radiance Aesthetics LLC. Treatments are performed by Sharon Lawrence, MD, a physician board certified by the American Board of Surgery.