Summary of carbon dioxide laser usage in plastic surgery.

Pathophysiology and clinical usage of the carbon dioxide laser is reviewed. The unique light is capable of relatively bloodless excision when finely focused or vaporization and cautery when defocused. Malignant and infectious lesions can be resected and sterilized by the laser's heat. "Laserbrasion" can remove superficial lesions such as tattoos, xanthelasma, warts and other similar lesions.