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Home / Treatments & Pricing / Light CO₂ Resurfacing
Highline Aesthetics · Boulder, Colorado
At our Boulder studio, Highline Aesthetics performs light fractional CO₂ resurfacing on the Alma Hybrid laser. It's designed to improve the look of fine lines, sun damage, uneven texture and pores, with considerably less downtime than traditional, more aggressive CO₂ resurfacing.
Highline uses the Alma Hybrid, not the Tetra laser on which branded CoolPeel® is performed. The comparison further down this page explains the difference.
Quick answer
Treatment
Light fractional CO₂ laser resurfacing, similar in approach to CoolPeel®
Technology
Alma Hybrid fractional CO₂ laser (10,600 nm), with an optional 1,570 nm non-ablative wavelength
Location
Highline Aesthetics, 637 S. Broadway #P, Boulder, Colorado
Treatment time
About 30–60 minutes, depending on the area treated
Downtime
Typically 2–3 days of redness and dryness; can vary with treatment intensity and your skin
Best for
Fine lines, uneven texture, sun damage, enlarged pores, mild acne scarring and overall skin quality
Results
Build progressively as skin heals and collagen remodels
Treatments needed
Individualized to your skin condition and goals
The basics
CoolPeel® is a branded light CO₂ laser treatment performed on the Tetra CO₂ laser from Cartessa Aesthetics. Highline Aesthetics in Boulder does not use the Tetra laser. Instead, we perform light fractional CO₂ resurfacing on the Alma Hybrid, choosing settings for a similar low-downtime approach to fine lines, texture, pores and sun damage.
A CO₂ laser delivers energy that is absorbed by water in the skin. In fractional resurfacing, that energy is delivered as tiny, evenly spaced columns rather than across the entire surface. Treated columns are surrounded by untouched skin, which helps the area recover faster than when the whole surface is resurfaced at once.
CoolPeel® describes a specific protocol on a specific laser. What matters most for your skin is the depth, density and heat of the treatment, and whether your provider adjusts them to your skin. The Alma Hybrid lets Highline treat at a light, CoolPeel-style intensity, or step up to Hybrid or deeper CO₂ resurfacing when more correction is appropriate.
Concerns
Light fractional CO₂, the approach behind CoolPeel®, is used to improve the appearance of several common skin concerns. It does not eliminate any condition, and results vary from person to person.
Can soften the appearance of fine lines, especially around the eyes, mouth and forehead. Deeper, static wrinkles may need a stronger setting or a combination plan.
Can improve the look of sun-related roughness, dullness and some brown spots as fresher skin replaces damaged surface cells.
Can smooth the look of rough or bumpy texture as the skin heals and collagen remodels.
May help pores look smaller and more refined. Pore size is partly genetic, so improvement varies.
Can improve the appearance of mild, shallow acne scarring. Deeper or pitted scars usually need a stronger or combined approach.
May improve the look of thin, crepey skin in suitable areas. At light settings, change is usually gradual and modest.
Can improve the look of some uneven tone and sun spots. Some pigment conditions, such as melasma, need careful assessment first because heat can make them worse.
Many patients use light CO₂ as periodic maintenance for skin that looks brighter and smoother.
Our approach
Highline performs laser resurfacing in Boulder on the Alma Hybrid, a platform that pairs a 10,600 nm fractional CO₂ laser with a 1,570 nm non-ablative laser. The two can be used on their own or together.
Light CO₂ resurfacing is not a single universal setting. Depth, density and energy all change how much the skin is treated and how long it takes to heal. Your provider selects these settings for your skin and your goals, and can adjust them from one visit to the next.
Because one device covers light, hybrid and deeper resurfacing, we can recommend the level that fits your concern rather than fitting you to the one treatment we happen to offer.
Compare your options
All three are performed on the Alma Hybrid at Highline's Boulder studio. They differ mainly in how intensively the skin is treated, which shapes both the correction per session and the recovery time. General comparisons only; your own plan depends on your skin.
On a phone, scroll the table sideways to see every column.
No option is universally better. Highline chooses the resurfacing approach based on how much correction you need and how much downtime you are comfortable with.
You don't need to decide before you come in. At your consultation we'll look at your skin, talk through your goals and downtime, and recommend an approach.
Your visit
A light CO₂ appointment at Highline follows four steps.
Step 1
We review your skin, goals, health history, medications and past treatments, confirm whether you're a candidate, and choose a treatment level.
Step 2
Your skin is cleansed and prepared. Your provider will explain any comfort measures used for your treatment.
Step 3
Everyone in the room wears laser-safe eye protection. Your provider treats the area with settings chosen for your skin. Treatment usually takes about 30–60 minutes, depending on the area.
Step 4
You leave with written aftercare instructions, skincare and sun-protection guidance, and a way to reach us with questions while you heal.
Recovery
Most people have about 2–3 days of visible recovery after light CO₂ resurfacing at Highline. Downtime varies with treatment intensity, the area treated and how your skin heals.
In the first few days, you may notice:
Stronger settings, sensitive areas and individual healing can lengthen recovery. If you have an event coming up, tell us at your consultation so we can plan the timing.
Timeline
Some improvement in texture and brightness may be noticeable once your skin has healed from treatment. Collagen remodeling continues over the following weeks and months, so results build gradually.
Light treatments produce more modest change per session than deeper resurfacing, which is why a series is often recommended. Your provider will suggest a plan based on your concerns.
Results and timelines vary from person to person. Daily sun protection and a good skincare routine help maintain your results, since the skin continues to age and respond to sun exposure.
Results
Real Highline Aesthetics patients treated at our Boulder studio. Each photo notes exactly what was done, including when light CO₂ was combined with another treatment.
Light CO₂ resurfacing, face.
Light CO₂ resurfacing, neck.
Light CO₂ on the face, with Hybrid resurfacing around the mouth. Before on top, after below.
Light CO₂ combined with a biostimulator treatment.
Light CO₂ combined with a biostimulator treatment, about six months apart.
Photos are shared with each patient's written permission and have not been retouched beyond cropping and labeling. Individual results vary; lighting, makeup and angles can differ between photos.
Treatment areas
At our Boulder studio, we offer light CO₂ resurfacing for the face, and you can add the neck, chest or hands. Settings and candidacy differ by area. Thinner skin, such as around the eyes and on the neck and chest, is usually treated more conservatively than the rest of the face.
Candidacy
Light CO₂ resurfacing suits many adults who want smoother, more even-looking skin with limited downtime, but it isn't right for everyone. A consultation is the only way to know whether it's appropriate for you.
At your consultation, we review:
Depending on what we find, we may recommend a different setting, a different treatment, preparation before your laser treatment, or waiting until a better time.
Other options
Light CO₂ is one of several ways to improve skin quality. Each option below is generally aimed at a different primary concern.
Best when your main concern is fine lines, texture, pores or dullness and you want limited downtime.
Pairs CO₂ with a 1,570 nm non-ablative laser for more correction of texture, tone and lines than light CO₂ alone. Recovery is usually longer.
Heats tissue beneath the surface without removing it. It aims at texture and collagen with less visible downtime, usually over several sessions.
Intense pulsed light targets brown spots and redness rather than resurfacing texture. It's often chosen when uneven color is the main concern.
Uses fine needles, not heat, to stimulate collagen. It's commonly used for texture and acne scarring and can suit some skin types that need extra caution with lasers.
A medical-grade chemical peel that renews the surface layers. It's often used for tone, texture and some pigmentation.
See every treatment and price on our Boulder treatments & pricing menu.
Pricing
Light CO₂ resurfacing at Highline in Boulder is $800 per treatment for the face. You can add the neck, chest or hands for $400 each.
Face (including around the eyes and mouth): $800 per treatment
Add the neck, chest or hands: +$400 each
If you're not sure which areas to treat or how many sessions you'll need, we'll go over your plan and the total cost at your consultation before anything is booked.
FAQs
CoolPeel® is a branded light fractional CO₂ laser treatment performed on the Tetra CO₂ laser from Cartessa Aesthetics. It uses gentle, shallow CO₂ settings to improve texture, fine lines and pores with limited downtime. Highline does not offer branded CoolPeel®. We offer light fractional CO₂ resurfacing on the Alma Hybrid, which follows a similar approach.
Yes. CoolPeel® uses a fractional CO₂ laser at light settings. Highline's light resurfacing also uses a fractional CO₂ laser (10,600 nm), on the Alma Hybrid platform.
Most people have about 2–3 days of redness, dryness and a rough, sandpaper-like texture after light CO₂ resurfacing at Highline. Downtime depends on treatment intensity, the area treated and how your skin heals, so we'll give you a personal estimate at your consultation.
Comfort varies from person to person. Light CO₂ is less intensive than deeper resurfacing, and your provider will explain what to expect and which comfort measures are used for your treatment at your consultation.
Treatment usually takes about 30–60 minutes, depending on the area. Allow extra time for check-in and skin preparation.
It depends on your concerns and goals. Light treatments make more modest change per session, so they are often done as a series. Your provider will recommend a plan after assessing your skin.
There's no fixed timeline. Collagen changes can last, but your skin keeps aging and responding to sun exposure. Daily sun protection, good skincare and periodic maintenance treatments help you keep your results longer.
It can improve the appearance of mild, shallow acne scarring. Deeper or pitted scars usually respond better to stronger CO₂, hybrid resurfacing or a combination plan that may include microneedling. We'll assess your scars at your consultation.
It can soften the look of fine lines, especially around the eyes and mouth. Deeper, static wrinkles often need stronger resurfacing or other treatments, such as injectables, alongside it.
Yes, it can improve the look of sun damage. Light CO₂ can soften sun-related roughness and dullness and improve the appearance of some brown spots. Any spot that is changing, irregular or new should be checked by a doctor or dermatologist before cosmetic treatment. Daily sunscreen is important afterward to protect your results.
Often, yes, when it's appropriate for your skin. The skin around the eyes is thin, so it is treated more conservatively, and appropriate eye protection is always used. Your provider will assess the area at your consultation and tell you whether it's a good fit.
Often, yes, with more conservative settings. Neck skin is thinner and can heal more slowly than facial skin, so it's treated gently and assessed carefully at your consultation.
The main difference is intensity. Traditional CO₂ resurfacing treats deeper and with more heat, which can produce more change in one session but usually means a longer recovery and more aftercare. Light CO₂, including branded CoolPeel®, treats more superficially, so downtime is shorter and change per session is more modest.
CoolPeel® is a light CO₂ treatment performed on the Tetra laser. The Alma Hybrid is a separate laser platform that combines a fractional CO₂ laser with a 1,570 nm non-ablative laser. Highline uses the Alma Hybrid for light CO₂ resurfacing, hybrid resurfacing and deeper CO₂, so we can match the intensity to your skin.
Often, yes. Light CO₂ is commonly paired with medical-grade skincare, injectables or other skin treatments as part of a wider plan. Timing matters, so treatments are usually spaced out rather than done on the same day. Your provider will recommend a safe order and schedule.
Preparation starts at your consultation. Avoid tanning and heavy sun exposure beforehand, and tell us about your medications, any history of cold sores and any recent treatments. We may ask you to pause certain skincare products, such as retinoids, for a few days. Follow the specific instructions your provider gives you.
While your skin heals, avoid direct sun, picking or scrubbing flaking skin, and exfoliants or strong active products until your provider says it's safe. Use the gentle skincare and sun protection we recommend. You'll leave with written aftercare instructions for your treatment.
Usually once the skin's surface has healed, often within a few days. The timing depends on your treatment intensity and how your skin recovers. Your provider will tell you when it's safe to go back to makeup.
Light CO₂ resurfacing at Highline in Boulder is $800 per treatment for the face. You can add the neck, chest or hands for $400 each. If a series is recommended, we'll confirm your total at your consultation before anything is booked.
Highline Aesthetics offers light fractional CO₂ resurfacing, similar in approach to CoolPeel®, at 637 S. Broadway #P, Boulder, CO 80305. Call (720) 784-4057 or book a consultation online. We perform this treatment on the Alma Hybrid, not the Tetra laser used for branded CoolPeel®.
Why Highline
Highline is a medical aesthetics practice focused on skin health and natural-looking results. Learn more about Highline and our team.
Treatment protocols on this page are reviewed and approved by Rachel Bacon, RN, BSN.
Every plan starts with a consultation and a look at your skin, goals, history and timing.
We take a conservative approach and would rather build results over time than overtreat.
Light CO₂, hybrid and deeper CO₂ on one platform, so the recommendation fits your skin.
Written aftercare, skincare guidance and a way to reach us while you heal.
Our studio is at 637 S. Broadway in Boulder, with weekday evening appointments available.
Visit us
Address
637 S. Broadway #P
Boulder, CO 80305
Phone
Hours
Monday – Friday: 9:45 – 5:00
Weekday evenings until 6:00 by appointment
Saturday: 10:00 – 2:00
You don't need to know whether light CO₂, Hybrid or another treatment is right for you before you book. We'll assess your skin at your consultation and recommend the approach that fits your goals and your downtime.
CoolPeel® is a registered trademark of Cartessa Aesthetics. Highline Aesthetics is not affiliated with Cartessa Aesthetics and does not offer branded CoolPeel® treatments; we offer light fractional CO₂ resurfacing on the Alma Hybrid laser. Alma Hybrid is a product of Alma Lasers. This page is for general education and is not a substitute for a medical consultation. Individual results vary.
