Treatment glossary
What is Ablative vs Non-Ablative Laser?
Also known as: Ablative Laser, Non-Ablative Laser, Resurfacing Lasers
Ablative lasers remove the top layers of skin for deeper resurfacing with more downtime, while non-ablative lasers heat below the surface to renew skin with little to no recovery.
The difference comes down to whether the laser removes tissue. Ablative lasers vaporize the outermost layers of skin, which allows for more dramatic resurfacing of wrinkles, scars, and sun damage but requires more healing time. Non-ablative lasers leave the surface intact and instead deliver heat to the deeper layers, stimulating collagen with far less downtime.
Neither is universally better; the right choice depends on your concerns, your skin, and how much recovery time fits your life. UDERMA offers options across this spectrum, from gentle non-ablative renewal with MOXI to deeper hybrid resurfacing with HALO. A consultation helps match the approach to your goals.
