Why We Added the Secret Pro CO2 Laser: Treating Skin Laxity and Fine Lines at the Source

There is a moment in a lot of my consultations where the honest answer is not more filler. I look at a face with lovely structure, good contour, plenty of natural fullness, and I realise the thing bothering the person in the mirror is not volume at all. It is the skin. The soft, slightly crepey texture. The fine lines that stay put when the face is at rest. The gentle downward drift along the jaw and cheeks that no amount of product will fix without making things look heavy and unnatural.

That realisation is exactly why we brought devices and energy-based treatments into the clinic. After seeing and treating a huge range of patients, men and women, every age group, every skin tone, a clear pattern kept repeating for me. Injectables are brilliant at what they do, but they were never designed to rebuild skin. When someone chases lines and wrinkles with filler alone, the usual result is a face that starts to look inflated rather than refreshed. The natural beauty gets lost somewhere under the effort to fill.

So we went looking for a machine that could tighten and lift by improving the skin itself, without altering the structures that make a face look like the person it belongs to. The one we chose is the Cutera Secret Pro. It combines fractional CO2 laser resurfacing with radiofrequency microneedling, which means it can work on the surface and the deeper layers of the skin at the same time. This post explains how it works, what treatment feels like, the downtime to expect, and how to know whether it is right for you.

When filler stops being the answer

Dermal filler replaces lost volume and rebuilds support where tissue has deflated or shifted. It is the right tool for a great many concerns. What it cannot do is change the quality of the skin draped over that framework. If the skin has lost collagen and elastin, if it feels thinner and less springy than it did a decade ago, then adding volume underneath does not restore firmness. It just stretches slightly softer skin over a larger cushion.

This is where a lot of the overfilled look comes from. Someone notices lines around the mouth or a loss of definition along the jaw, assumes the fix is more product, and keeps topping up. Each round chases the symptom rather than the cause. The cause, more often than not, is skin laxity and the early loss of tone that comes with age, sun exposure and the natural slowdown of collagen production. Treat the skin properly and the whole face reads as fresher, without the tell-tale puffiness.

The Secret Pro gives me a way to address that root problem. Rather than adding anything, it prompts the skin to remodel and rebuild its own collagen. The result is firmer, smoother, better-quality skin that still moves and ages like your skin should. Structure stays yours. Only the quality changes.

How the Secret Pro works

The Secret Pro is really two proven technologies housed in one platform, and they can be used separately or together depending on what your skin needs.

Fractional CO2 laser resurfacing

The CO2 laser delivers precise columns of energy into the skin in a fractional pattern. That word matters. Instead of treating the entire surface at once, the laser creates thousands of tiny microscopic treatment zones and leaves the skin in between untouched. Those small controlled injuries trigger the body's natural healing response, which clears away tired, sun-damaged surface cells and kick-starts fresh collagen and elastin production. The intact skin around each zone acts as a reservoir of healthy tissue, so healing is far quicker than it was with the old-fashioned fully ablative CO2 lasers of years past.

CO2 resurfacing is particularly good for surface concerns. Fine lines, uneven texture, dullness, sun damage, enlarged pores and rough patches all respond well because you are essentially encouraging the skin to renew its outer layers and lay down new collagen underneath.

RF microneedling

The radiofrequency microneedling handpiece takes a different route. Ultra-fine needles pass through the surface and deliver radiofrequency energy directly into the deeper dermis, where the structural collagen lives. That heat stimulates collagen remodelling from within, tightening and strengthening the skin at a level the laser alone does not reach. Because the energy is delivered below the surface, RF microneedling tends to be gentler on the top layer while still driving real firming and lifting.

Why combining them matters

Used together, the two technologies cover the full thickness of the skin in a single session. The CO2 laser refines the surface, the RF microneedling tightens the deeper layers, and the collagen response is switched on at multiple depths at once. The platform is genuinely customisable, so the depth, intensity and combination can be dialled up or down to suit your skin, your concerns and how much downtime you can spare. Someone wanting a light refresh with barely any recovery can have a gentle setting. Someone with more established laxity and deeper lines can have a more corrective treatment.

What a treatment involves

Every treatment at Wellface starts with a consultation. I assess your skin, talk through your medical history and your goals, and work out whether the Secret Pro is the right choice or whether something else would serve you better. This is not a treatment you should ever have without that conversation first, because the settings need to be matched to your skin type and concerns.

On the day, the skin is cleansed and a topical numbing cream is applied and left to work for a while so you are comfortable. The treatment itself is relatively quick for a resurfacing procedure. Most people describe a warm, prickling sensation, more noticeable with the CO2 laser and a deeper pressure with the RF microneedling. It is very manageable with the numbing in place.

Afterwards your skin will feel hot, a bit like sunburn, and look flushed. That is entirely expected and part of how the treatment works. I will apply soothing products and send you home with clear aftercare instructions.

Downtime and recovery

Downtime depends heavily on how intensively you are treated. A lighter RF microneedling session often settles within twenty-four to forty-eight hours, with redness and mild swelling being the main effects. A fuller CO2 resurfacing treatment asks for more patience. Expect redness, swelling and then a few days of the skin feeling tight, rough and sandpapery as it sheds and renews. This typically lasts several days up to about a week depending on strength.

The good news is that because the depth and intensity are adjustable, I can plan your treatment around your life. If you have an event or cannot take time out, a gentler approach with less downtime is possible. If you are happy to lie low for a few days to get a stronger result, that is an option too.

Aftercare that protects your results

Healing skin needs looking after. Keep the area clean and moisturised with whatever I recommend, and resist the urge to pick or scrub at any flaking. Sun protection is non-negotiable. Freshly resurfaced skin is vulnerable to pigmentation, so daily high-factor SPF and staying out of direct sun is essential in the weeks that follow. Skip heat, saunas, hot yoga, strenuous exercise and active skincare ingredients like retinoids and acids for a few days, and reintroduce them only once I say the skin has recovered.

Who it suits, and what results to expect

The Secret Pro suits people whose main concern is skin quality rather than volume. If you recognise the description of skin that has started to feel softer, thinner or less firm, or you have fine lines, crepey texture, sun damage, enlarged pores or early laxity, this is the sort of treatment designed for you. It can be used on the face, neck, decolletage and hands, all areas where skin ageing tends to show.

Results build gradually. Collagen remodelling is a slow biological process, so while skin often looks smoother and brighter once the initial healing settles, the firming and tightening continue to develop over the following weeks and months. For meaningful improvement a course of treatments is usually recommended rather than a single session, spaced several weeks apart, with the exact plan tailored to your skin during consultation.

It is worth saying that energy devices and injectables are not rivals. They often work beautifully alongside each other. Skin treatments like the Secret Pro, Profhilo, polynucleotides and skin boosters improve the canvas, while filler and anti-wrinkle injections address volume and movement where they are genuinely needed. The art is in knowing which problem is which, and treating accordingly.

Common questions about the Secret Pro CO2 laser

Is the treatment painful?

With topical numbing cream applied beforehand, most people find it very tolerable. The CO2 laser feels warm and prickly, and the RF microneedling feels like deeper pressure. Any discomfort is short-lived and fades quickly once the treatment finishes.

How many sessions will I need?

That depends on your skin and your goals. Some people notice a lift from a single session, but for laxity and more established concerns a course of treatments gives the best and longest-lasting results. I will recommend a realistic plan at your consultation rather than a one-size-fits-all number.

Can it be done on darker skin tones?

Skin type matters a great deal with any energy-based treatment, and settings must be chosen carefully to reduce the risk of pigmentation changes. This is exactly why a proper medical assessment comes first. I will advise on the safest approach for your skin, and in some cases will suggest an alternative that suits you better.

How is it different from Morpheus8?

Both use radiofrequency microneedling to remodel deeper collagen. The Secret Pro adds a fractional CO2 laser to resurface the surface at the same time, so it treats texture and tone as well as deeper firmness. Which one is right for you comes down to your specific concerns and skin type, something best decided in person.

When will I see results?

Skin usually looks smoother and clearer once the initial redness and flaking settle within a week or so. The firming and tightening from new collagen keep improving over the following weeks and months, which is why patience pays off with this kind of treatment.

Book a skin assessment at Wellface

If you have been topping up filler to chase lines that keep coming back, or you simply feel your skin has lost some of its firmness, a proper assessment is the place to start. I will look at what is actually driving the change and tell you honestly whether the Secret Pro, another skin treatment, or a combination will give you the most natural result. To arrange a consultation with me at our Cobham, Esher or Wimbledon clinics, get in touch with Wellface and we will help you plan the right approach for your skin.