It is a minimally invasive procedure in which microscopically small areas of skin are removed in a controlled and shallow manner. The head of the CO2 laser is used to make many tiny holes, barely visible to the naked eye, in a defined area of skin, leaving the rest of the skin surface completely intact.

The treatment begins with the application of a local anesthetic ointment or, if desired, with local anesthetic injections. A reddening of the area usually occurs during the treatment. For sensitive skin types, this can increase over the following days to become clearly visible irritation (redness, swelling, crust formation) and can last up to 10 days. The treated areas should be protected from the sun for four weeks.