Secret Pro CO2 Laser: How This One Device Resurfaces and Remodels Your Skin

Every so often a device comes along that genuinely changes what I can offer in a single appointment. The Secret Pro by Cutera is one of those. We introduced it with a launch event where clients watched a live demonstration, asked their questions over drinks and canapes, and saw for themselves how one machine can tackle several things at once. The atmosphere was warm and the interest was real, because most people who came had spent years being told they needed one treatment for texture, another for lines and another for laxity.

The appeal of the Secret Pro is that it brings two proven technologies together. On one side there is fractional CO2 laser, the gold standard for skin resurfacing. On the other there is radiofrequency microneedling, which works far deeper to remodel the dermis. Used on their own, each is effective. Used through one carefully controlled platform, they let me treat the surface and the foundation of the skin in a way that suits the individual face in front of me.

This article walks through how the Secret Pro actually works, what a session involves from numbing cream to aftercare, the sort of downtime to plan for, and the concerns it handles best. If you have been researching skin resurfacing and feeling slightly lost in the acronyms, this should make things clearer.

Two technologies, one device

The reason the Secret Pro feels different is that it is really two treatments housed in one system, and I can use either part or both depending on what your skin needs.

The fractional CO2 laser works on the surface and the layers just beneath it. It delivers energy in a precise, fractionated pattern, meaning it treats tiny columns of skin while leaving the surrounding tissue untouched. Those untouched areas act as a reservoir of healthy cells that speed up healing. As the skin repairs itself, it sheds damaged outer layers and lays down fresh collagen, which is what smooths rough texture, softens fine lines and evens out tone.

The radiofrequency microneedling side does something quite different. Fine needles pass into the skin and release radiofrequency energy at a chosen depth, heating the dermis without stripping the surface. That controlled heat is what triggers deep dermal remodelling, the process of building new collagen and elastin where the skin's structure lives. Because the energy is delivered below the surface, this part of the treatment can reach areas and depths that a surface laser alone cannot.

Put simply, the CO2 laser refines what you see on top and the radiofrequency microneedling rebuilds what supports it underneath. Treating both at once is why people describe results that look smoother and feel firmer rather than just brighter for a week.

Why treating the surface and the depth together matters

Skin ageing does not happen in one layer. The surface picks up sun damage, pigmentation and fine crepiness, while deeper down the collagen scaffolding thins and loosens. If you only resurface the top, you improve texture but do little for laxity. If you only work at depth, you firm the foundation but leave surface concerns behind. Combining the two addresses the full thickness of the skin, which is why a single device like this can produce more complete, longer-lasting change than a one-dimensional treatment.

What happens during a Secret Pro session

I always begin with a consultation, because the settings for this device are highly adjustable and the right ones depend entirely on your skin type, your concerns and how much downtime you can accommodate. This is not a treatment I would ever run on a fixed recipe.

On the day, the first step is a thorough cleanse followed by numbing cream. About half an hour under the cream is usually more than enough to keep you comfortable, and it is a relaxed part of the appointment rather than something to dread. Once the skin is fully numb, I select the appropriate handpiece and settings.

The treatment itself is quick. Depending on the area and whether I am using the CO2 laser, the radiofrequency microneedling or both, the active part typically takes somewhere between thirty and sixty minutes. Most people describe a warm, prickling sensation with the microneedling and a hot, tingling feeling with the laser, both very manageable thanks to the numbing. Afterwards the skin looks flushed and feels warm, a little like sunburn, which is exactly what you would expect from a treatment designed to stimulate repair.

Building a plan rather than a one-off

Some people see a meaningful difference from a single session, particularly when texture and tone are the main concerns. For deeper remodelling, scarring or more advanced laxity, a short course spaced several weeks apart tends to give the strongest outcome. Because collagen production is gradual, results continue to develop over the weeks and months that follow, so the skin you see immediately after healing is not the final picture. I will map out a realistic plan at your consultation so you know what to expect and when.

Downtime and aftercare

Honesty about recovery matters, because the Secret Pro sits in the more intensive category of skin treatments. It is more involved than a facial or a light peel, and planning your diary around it makes the experience far smoother.

Most people should allow a few days of visible recovery, and depending on how intensive the settings are this can stretch to around a week to ten days for the more aggressive treatments. In the first day or two the skin is red, warm and often slightly swollen. Over the following days you may notice a fine, sandpaper-like roughness or tiny bronze dots where the laser worked, and this crusting gradually flakes away as fresh skin comes through. It is tempting to pick, but leaving the skin to shed on its own is important for a clean result.

Aftercare is straightforward but non-negotiable. Keep the skin clean and well moisturised with whatever I recommend, avoid active ingredients like retinoids and acids until I say otherwise, and be gentle. Sun protection is the single most important step. Freshly treated skin is vulnerable to pigmentation, so daily high-factor SPF and staying out of direct sun for several weeks protects your investment. Skip heavy exercise, saunas and hot yoga for the first few days while the skin calms down. Makeup usually goes back on once the surface has healed, which for most people is within a few days.

Concerns the Secret Pro is well suited to

Because it works across the full depth of the skin, this device handles a broad range of concerns, which is part of why it drew such a crowd at our launch. It is a strong option for fine lines and wrinkles, for the loss of firmness that comes with thinning collagen, and for uneven texture and enlarged pores. It also performs well on sun damage and dullness, and it is one of the treatments I turn to for acne scarring and other textural scars, where the combination of resurfacing and deep remodelling is particularly valuable.

The face is the most common area, but the neck, decolletage and hands respond well too, since these are places that show ageing early and often get neglected. That said, it is not right for everyone at every moment. Active breakouts, certain skin conditions, recent sun exposure, pregnancy and some medications can mean it is better to wait or choose an alternative. Very deep tans are a particular reason to postpone. This is exactly what a proper consultation is for, and it is why I assess suitability carefully before booking anyone in.

How it compares to other resurfacing options

Traditional fully ablative CO2 laser produces dramatic results but comes with significant downtime, sometimes a couple of weeks or more, which puts many people off. Fractional approaches like the Secret Pro were developed precisely to bridge that gap, delivering serious resurfacing and remodelling while keeping recovery to a more manageable few days.

Compared with treatments such as Profhilo or polynucleotides, which hydrate and support the skin through injectable means, the Secret Pro is doing something more structural and more intensive. Compared with radiofrequency microneedling alone, the addition of the CO2 laser gives you surface refinement that microneedling on its own does not. None of these treatments is objectively best. The right choice depends on your skin, your goals and how much recovery time you can give. Sometimes the most effective plan combines a device like this with other treatments over the course of a year, and I am happy to talk that through rather than pushing a single answer.

Common questions about the Secret Pro

Is the treatment painful?

With numbing cream applied for around half an hour beforehand, most people find it very tolerable. You will feel warmth and a prickling sensation, but it is not the ordeal some expect. Afterwards the skin feels hot and tight, similar to sunburn, and this settles over the following hours.

How soon will I see results?

You will notice smoother, brighter skin once the initial redness and flaking have resolved, usually within a week or two. The deeper benefits from collagen remodelling build gradually and keep improving over the following two to three months, which is why patience pays off with this treatment.

How many sessions will I need?

It depends on your concern. Tone and texture may respond well to a single session, while scarring and more established laxity typically benefit from a short course spaced several weeks apart. I will give you a clear plan at consultation rather than a vague estimate.

Can it be used on darker skin tones?

Caution is needed with any laser resurfacing on richer skin tones because of the risk of pigmentation changes. The device is adjustable and the radiofrequency element in particular can be used thoughtfully, but this is precisely why an in-person assessment with an experienced doctor matters before treatment.

When can I wear makeup again?

Once the surface has healed, which for most people is a few days, makeup can go back on. I will guide you on exactly when based on how your skin recovers and which settings were used.

Ready to see what the Secret Pro can do for you

If your texture, fine lines or firmness have been bothering you and you want a treatment that works on the surface and the foundation of the skin at once, the Secret Pro is well worth a conversation. The best next step is a consultation, where I will look at your skin properly, talk through your goals and honestly explain whether this is the right route for you or whether something else would serve you better.

I would be glad to see you at our Cobham, Esher or Wimbledon clinics. Get in touch to arrange a consultation with me, and I will help you build a plan that fits your skin and your life.