How effective is CO2 laser resurfacing for sebaceous hyperplasia?

Sebaceous hyperplasia consists of enlarged oil glands that appear as small, often skin-coloured or yellowish bumps. A CO2 laser removes or vaporises targeted surface tissue so the raised area can heal flatter. It treats the appearance of selected lesions rather than changing the tendency of oil glands to enlarge, so new bumps may develop later or treated areas may return. Redness, swelling, crusting, and altered pigmentation can occur during healing, with the risk influenced by treatment depth and your natural skin tone.

Have a dermatologist confirm the diagnosis before treating a bump, particularly if it is changing, bleeding, or unlike your other lesions. During consultation, discuss whether ablative CO2 treatment suits the number, size, and location of your lesions, and ask about alternatives such as electrosurgery or other lesion-directed methods. Follow the aftercare plan closely: keep treated skin clean, avoid picking crusts, protect healing skin from sunlight, and use only products recommended for the area. Eyelid and eye-adjacent treatment requires careful protection.

Contact the treating clinic if pain, swelling, warmth, discharge, or redness is worsening rather than settling, or if you develop fever or spreading irritation. Seek prompt assessment for a lesion that grows quickly, repeatedly bleeds, ulcerates, becomes very dark, or changes in a way that was not expected. These features need diagnosis rather than another cosmetic session.

Ask how the diagnosis was confirmed, what degree of flattening is realistic for each lesion, how your skin tone affects pigment-change risk, what eye protection is needed, and what signs would suggest recurrence or infection.