Most patients feel brief warmth or mild stinging; a topical anesthetic is available. The area may look pink for a short time.
Laser Treatment in Payson, Utah
Cold Sore Laser Treatment
Cold sores that keep coming back in the same spot can be treated in minutes with a CO₂ laser—best at the first tingle.
Cold Sore Removal in Payson, Utah
What Is a CO₂ Laser?
A CO₂ (carbon dioxide) laser is a medical laser that emits a concentrated beam of light at a wavelength highly absorbed by water in the skin’s cells. Because our skin tissue contains a high percentage of water, the laser energy can precisely target and vaporize affected tissue without significantly impacting the surrounding healthy skin.
What Is Happening
The outbreak timeline and the laser window
Catching a cold sore at the first tingle is when laser treatment shortens the outbreak most.
Who It Helps & What to Expect
Is It Right for You • What Happens at Your Visit
Is CO₂ Laser Treatment Right for You?
Cold sores that come back in the same spot, especially caught early, are the best candidates. An evaluation with Dr. Gunnerson will tell you whether it fits your needs.
Good candidates
- Frequent or recurring cold sores in the same spot
- Cold sores caught at the first tingle or redness
- Anyone wanting a fast, in-office option
What the laser does: removes the infected surface tissue, reduces the concentration of virus at the site, stimulates the body’s natural healing response.
What Happens During Treatment
The procedure is typically performed in-office and takes only a few minutes, with attention to your comfort throughout.
During your visit
- Performed in-office in just a few minutes
- A topical anesthetic can be applied for comfort
- Most patients feel brief warmth or mild stinging
- The area may look slightly red or swollen briefly
Long-term benefits: may mean fewer recurrences in the treated area, does not remove HSV-1 from the body, can help disrupt the pattern of repeated outbreaks.
Ready When You Are
Catch It At The First Tingle
Timing matters: call as soon as you feel an outbreak starting rather than waiting it out. Reach us at (385) 446-4947 and we will tell you if laser treatment is a fit.
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions About Cold Sore Laser Treatment
At the first tingle or redness. The laser works best before the blister forms, though it still helps a developed sore.
No treatment removes HSV-1 from the body. Some patients report fewer recurrences at the treated site.