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Can Laser Resurfacing Make Under Eye Bags Worse?
Patients with darker skin may have issues with CO2 laser resurfacing. The laser targets water in your skin and is "an ablative" therapy actually causing superficial destruction of the top layers of your skin. It will not change the fat or any of the other contents below your skin. Complications can include changes in pigmentation and in very rare cases scarring requiring surgery. Make sure you see a board-certified plastic surgeon or facial plastic surgeon and have all of your questions addressed.
Clinical Context
CO2 laser resurfacing heats and resurfaces only the skin's outer layers, stimulating new collagen as it heals over several weeks. Because the effect is limited to the skin, it cannot remove or reposition the fat pads that cause true under-eye bags. Temporary swelling after treatment can make puffiness look more noticeable at first, but this settles as healing completes. If bags are caused by fat rather than skin laxity, a surgical consult can clarify options.
