Cold-induced urticaria after fractional carbon dioxide laser resurfacing of the face.

The high-energy, short-pulse carbon dioxide (CO2) laser became one of the mainstays of cosmetic resurfacing after its introduction in the late 1980s. Its popularity is related to its unparalleled ability to treat deep facial rhytides, furrows, fine lines, scars, photodamage, and textural irregularities. Although these findings are impressive, it also came with well-documented risks such as dyspigmentation, erythema, edema, infection, scarring, and significant downtimeFfrom weeks to even months.