Is Laser Resurfacing Worth It?
Yes, laser resurfacing and laser skin treatments can be worth the investment—when the technology matches the concern you're actually trying to correct.
Someone trying to improve mild uneven tone doesn't necessarily need the same treatment as someone with significant sun damage, deeper wrinkles, or acne scarring. And a patient who wants minimal interruption to their routine may make a very different choice from someone willing to accept more recovery for more intensive correction.
At The Skin Chic in Virginia Beach, that distinction matters. Treatments range from Clear + Brilliant Touch and PicoSure Pro to CoolPeel and deeper fractional CO2 resurfacing, giving your aesthetician the ability to recommend treatment based on your skin rather than forcing every patient into the same laser protocol.
What Makes a Laser Treatment "Worth It"?
The value of laser treatment isn't simply determined by how dramatic the before-and-after photos look.
A treatment is worth it when the expected improvement aligns with your concerns, budget, recovery tolerance, and long-term skin goals.
For example, you may value a treatment that allows you to return to your routine quickly, even if improvement develops more gradually. Someone else may prefer a more intensive resurfacing treatment because they want to address several established signs of aging at once and are comfortable planning around recovery.
That makes four questions particularly important:
- What are you trying to improve?
- How much correction are you looking for?
- How much downtime are you comfortable with?
- Are you looking for maintenance or more significant resurfacing?
Those answers help determine which technology offers the best value for you.
What Can Laser Skin Treatments Actually Improve?
Different laser technologies interact with the skin differently, but collectively, the treatments available at The Skin Chic can address concerns including:
- Fine lines and wrinkles
- Uneven skin texture
- Sun damage
- Unwanted pigmentation
- Acne scars
- Uneven skin tone
- Enlarged-looking pores
- Redness
- Dullness
- Loss of firmness and other signs of aging
Some treatments primarily target pigment or overall tone. Others create controlled resurfacing to stimulate collagen remodeling and improve texture.
That's why asking "What's the best laser?" isn't particularly useful without first asking "What are we trying to treat?"
When Is CO2 Laser Resurfacing Worth It?
For patients seeking more significant correction of skin texture and signs of aging, fractional CO2 resurfacing can offer some of the greatest potential for visible improvement.
CO2 laser resurfacing creates controlled thermal injury within the skin, triggering a healing response and new collagen production. Depending on treatment depth, it can address multiple concerns simultaneously, including wrinkles, acne scarring, sun damage, uneven texture, and overall skin quality.
The Skin Chic offers several levels of fractional CO2 treatment, allowing treatment intensity to be adjusted rather than using the same resurfacing protocol for everyone.
CoolPeel
CoolPeel uses CO2 technology with a more superficial approach than deeper fractional resurfacing.
It can be a strong choice for someone who wants to improve skin texture, fine lines, sun-related changes, and overall skin quality without committing to the recovery associated with deeper CO2 treatment.
Think of CoolPeel as an option for patients who want meaningful resurfacing with a more manageable recovery commitment.
Mild Fractional CO2
Mild Fractional CO2 moves further into corrective resurfacing.
It may be appropriate when you're beginning to see more established texture changes, fine lines, sun damage, or other signs of aging that warrant greater correction than a lighter treatment can provide.
Moderate and Deep Fractional CO2
Moderate and Deep Fractional CO2 are designed for patients pursuing more intensive resurfacing.
These treatment levels may be considered when concerns such as deeper wrinkles, more significant texture irregularities, acne scarring, or advanced photoaging require a stronger approach.
Greater treatment intensity also means greater recovery considerations.
That's an important part of determining whether CO2 is "worth it." The deepest treatment isn't automatically the best treatment. The appropriate level is the one that provides enough correction for your concerns without creating unnecessary treatment intensity or recovery.
When Is PicoSure Pro Worth It?
PicoSure Pro makes more sense when your primary concern is unwanted pigment rather than significant resurfacing.
The technology delivers ultra-short pulses of energy and is used for aesthetic applications including pigmented lesions and acne scars.
At The Skin Chic, PicoSure Pro may be considered for concerns such as:
- Unwanted pigmentation
- Sun spots
- Uneven skin tone
- Pigmented lesions
- Acne scarring
- Overall skin clarity
This distinction is important.
If you're primarily bothered by visible areas of unwanted pigmentation, you may not need an aggressive CO2 resurfacing treatment simply because it's capable of producing more dramatic overall skin renewal. A technology designed around the concern you're actually trying to correct may offer better value.
When Is Clear + Brilliant Touch Worth It?
Clear + Brilliant Touch occupies a different place in a long-term skin strategy.
The Clear + Brilliant Perméa treatment offered at The Skin Chic is optimized to improve skin tone and texture and address pigment concerns. Following treatment, increased skin permeability also allows topical skincare products to be applied as an immediate booster.
Clear + Brilliant may make sense if you're concerned with:
- Mild pigmentation
- Uneven tone
- Uneven texture
- Dullness
- Early signs of skin aging
- Maintaining overall skin quality
It's particularly appealing when your goal is progressive improvement with less disruption to your routine, rather than the more substantial correction and recovery associated with fractional CO2 resurfacing.
That doesn't make Clear + Brilliant "less effective." It means it's designed to accomplish a different job.
What About Glass Skin?
The Skin Chic's Glass Skin treatment provides another approach for patients who aren't necessarily looking for traditional resurfacing.
Glass Skin combines an Elite IQ laser treatment with a curated chemical peel.
The laser targets pigmentation, redness, and fine lines while stimulating collagen, while the chemical peel exfoliates and renews the skin's surface. The combination is designed to improve multiple components of the complexion simultaneously, including tone, texture, and radiance.
Glass Skin may therefore make more sense for someone whose goal is a brighter, smoother, more refined overall complexion rather than correcting deeper textural damage.
CO2 vs. PicoSure Pro vs. Clear + Brilliant: Which Is Worth It?
Instead of thinking about these treatments as good, better, and best, think about them according to the job they're being asked to perform.
If your primary concern is deeper wrinkles, acne scarring, significant texture changes, or more advanced signs of aging:
Fractional CO2 resurfacing may provide the level of correction you're looking for.
If you want CO2 resurfacing benefits with a lighter treatment approach:
CoolPeel may offer a better balance between improvement and recovery.
If unwanted pigmentation and visible sun spots are your primary concerns:
PicoSure Pro may offer the more targeted approach.
If you want progressive improvement in tone, texture, pigment concerns, and overall skin quality:
Clear + Brilliant Touch may make more sense.
If you're looking to address pigmentation, redness, fine lines, and overall complexion simultaneously:
Glass Skin combines Elite IQ laser treatment with a chemical peel for a more comprehensive complexion-focused treatment.
The most expensive or intensive option isn't automatically the one with the greatest value.
Is More Downtime Worth Better Laser Results?
This is one of the most important tradeoffs to consider.
In general, more intensive resurfacing requires more recovery. That's why choosing a laser shouldn't happen without discussing what you're realistically comfortable experiencing after treatment.
Someone with an important event approaching may prioritize a treatment with less downtime. Someone addressing established acne scarring or significant photoaging may decide that a more intensive recovery period is worthwhile for the degree of correction they're pursuing.
Your aesthetician can help balance results versus recovery rather than simply recommending the strongest treatment available.
How Long Do Laser Resurfacing Results Last?
There isn't one lifespan that applies to every laser treatment.
A corrective CO2 treatment that stimulates significant collagen remodeling is fundamentally different from a lighter treatment incorporated periodically into an ongoing skin-maintenance routine.
Your results can also be affected by:
- Continued sun exposure
- Daily SPF use
- Your skincare routine
- Natural aging
- Lifestyle
- The original severity of your concerns
- Maintenance treatments
Laser treatments can improve existing damage, but they don't stop your skin from continuing to age or prevent new sun damage from developing.
That makes protecting your investment just as important as choosing the treatment itself.
Is Laser Resurfacing Better Than Facials?
Neither is universally better because they serve different purposes.
Customized facials are valuable for ongoing exfoliation, hydration, skin maintenance, and addressing your skin's changing needs.
Laser treatments can reach concerns that a facial alone may not adequately address, particularly when the goal involves unwanted pigment, collagen remodeling, acne scarring, wrinkles, or more significant textural changes.
For many patients, the strongest long-term strategy isn't facials versus lasers.
It's using corrective treatments when appropriate and maintaining healthy skin between them.
How Much Do Laser Treatments Cost in Virginia Beach?
The cost depends substantially on the technology and treatment intensity.
Clear + Brilliant Touch Treatment Cost
| Clear + Brilliant Touch Laser | $600 |
| Clear + Brilliant | Nips Up! | $750 |
PicoSure Pro Treatment Cost
| Hands | $600 |
| Face | $750 |
| Face + Neck | $950 |
| Face + Neck + Chest | $1,400 |
| Body | Starting at $900 |
Glass Skin Treatment Cost
| Face | $550 |
| Face + Neck | $650 |
CoolPeel CO2 Treatment Cost
| CoolPeel | $800 |
| CoolPeel | Nips Up! | $1,100 |
Mild Fractional CO2 Treatment Cost
| Mild Fractional CO2 | $1,900 |
| Mild Fractional CO2 | Nips Up! | $2,200 |
Moderate Fractional CO2 Treatment Cost
| Moderate Fractional CO2 | $2,100 |
| Moderate Fractional CO2 | Nips Up! | $2,400 |
Deep Fractional CO2 Treatment Cost
| Deep Fractional CO2 | $2,300 |
| Deep Fractional CO2 | Nips Up! | $2,600 |
Pricing is current as of the date this article was published and is subject to change. Please refer to The Skin Chic treatment menu or schedule a consultation for the most current pricing.
So, Is Laser Resurfacing Worth the Money?
If you're looking for improvement that goes beyond what skincare products and routine facials can accomplish, the right laser treatment can be an excellent investment in your skin.
But value doesn't necessarily come from choosing the deepest CO2 treatment or the most expensive option.
Someone bothered primarily by unwanted pigmentation may get more value from PicoSure Pro. Someone interested in ongoing tone and texture improvement may prefer Clear + Brilliant. Someone with deeper wrinkles, acne scarring, or significant texture changes may decide the greater investment and recovery associated with fractional CO2 resurfacing are worthwhile.
The question isn't simply "Is laser resurfacing worth it?"
It's "Which treatment is worth it for what I want to change?"
Find the Laser Treatment That's Worth It for Your Skin
At The Skin Chic in Virginia Beach, you don't need to choose your laser before you walk through the door.
Every treatment begins with a personalized skin assessment. Your aesthetician evaluates your skin concerns, pigmentation, texture, treatment history, desired downtime, and long-term goals before recommending an approach.
That may mean Clear + Brilliant Touch. It may mean PicoSure Pro, Glass Skin, CoolPeel, or a deeper fractional CO2 treatment. And in some cases, a different treatment altogether may make more sense.
Glowing skin starts with understanding your skin.
Schedule a consultation at The Skin Chic to find out which treatment can provide the right balance of results, recovery, and investment for your skin.