Laser menus are confusing on purpose. Every device has a brand name, a nickname and a list of promises, and two treatments with completely different recovery times can sound almost the same when someone describes them over the phone. I have had two rounds of CO2 myself, and before I booked the first one I spent weeks trying to understand how it compared to everything else my friends were getting done.
So here is how I sort them now: from the gentlest treatments you can do on a lunch break to the strongest one that needs a week or two at home. Below the chart you will find what each one does in plain language, which treatment fits which concern, and the questions I would ask before booking any of them.
Three words that explain most of the menu
Ablative lasers remove the very top layer of skin while they heat the layer beneath it. CO2 and erbium are the classic examples. Because the surface has to heal over, they give the biggest change and need the most downtime.
Non-ablative lasers heat the skin underneath without removing the surface. Your skin turns pink, it may feel rough or swollen for a few days, and then it goes back to normal while new collagen builds over the following months. Clear + Brilliant, Moxi and Fraxel all work this way, which is why most of them come in a series.
Fractional means the laser treats a grid of tiny columns instead of the whole surface. The untouched skin between those columns helps everything heal faster, and almost every modern laser on this list is fractional. Halo is called a hybrid because it fires a non-ablative and an ablative wavelength in the same pass.
IPL (intense pulsed light) uses a broad range of light instead of a single laser wavelength, and BBL is a popular brand of it. It goes after brown spots and redness, and it is so often booked alongside lasers that it belongs on this list anyway.
The comparison chart
These are typical US prices for one full-face session. Prices vary a lot by city and provider, so treat them as a starting point for your consult rather than a quote.
| Treatment | Best for | Downtime | Sessions | Cost per session |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clear + BrilliantBaby Fraxel, mini Fraxel | Glow, pores and upkeep | Minimal | 3 to 5 | About $450 |
| IPL / BBLPhotofacial, BroadBand LightNot good for melasma | Redness, brown spots and sun damage | A few days | 3 to 5 | $300 to $900 |
| MoxiBaby Halo | Early sun damage and dull tone | 1 to 2 days | 3 to 4 | $600 to $1,000 |
| CoolPeelTetra CoolPeel, lunchtime CO2Not good for melasma | Texture, fine lines and dullness | 1 to 3 days | 1 to 3 | $800 to $1,200 |
| Fraxel DualNon-ablative fractional laser | Fine lines, texture and pigment | 3 to 5 days | 3 to 5 | $1,000 to $1,500 |
| HaloHybrid fractional laserNot good for melasma | Sun damage, texture and tone | 5 to 7 days | 1 to 2 | $1,050 to $1,620 |
| CO2Fractional CO2, CO2RE, DeepFXNot good for melasma | Deeper wrinkles, crepey skin and scars | 1 to 2 weeks | 1 | $2,000 to $7,000 |
Scroll sideways on your phone to see the whole chart. Heat can make melasma worse, so if you have it, talk with your provider before booking anything on this list.
Each one, in plain language
Clear + Brilliant
This is the gentlest fractional laser on the list, which is how it earned the nickname baby Fraxel. Your skin looks pink and feels a little like sandpaper for a day or so. It will not erase wrinkles, but it is a nice way to keep skin smooth and bright between bigger treatments, or to see how your skin responds to laser at all.
IPL and BBL
IPL is the treatment I think of as the surface cleanup. It targets brown sun spots and the redness and small broken vessels that build up over the years. The spots usually darken over the next few days and then flake off, which is the downtime. It works best on lighter skin that is not tanned, and it is not a good choice if you have melasma, because the heat can make it worse.
Moxi
Moxi is a gentle fractional laser from the same company that makes Halo, so people call it baby Halo. It is aimed at early sun damage and uneven tone, and it is often done as a series in the fall and winter. You look pink and rough for a day or two.
CoolPeel
CoolPeel uses a CO2 laser at shallow settings with less heat, so you get some of the resurfacing effect of CO2 without the long recovery. Expect a day or two of sunburn-like redness and some dry, flaky skin. Because it is still a CO2 laser, I would treat it with the same caution as CO2 if you have melasma.
Fraxel Dual
Fraxel Dual combines two non-ablative wavelengths, one for texture and fine lines and one for brown pigment. Plan on a few days of redness and swelling after each session, and a series of treatments for the full result.
Halo
Halo pairs a non-ablative wavelength with a light ablative one, so you get more change in fewer visits. For the first several days your skin looks bronzed and covered in a fine grid of tiny dots that flake off, and most people plan on about a week before they feel comfortable out in public.
CO2
Fractional CO2 is the strongest treatment here, and it is the one I have had, twice. It is the option for deeper wrinkles, crepey texture and acne scars, and it is often a single treatment. Recovery takes one to two weeks of redness, swelling and peeling, so it needs a clear calendar and a good aftercare plan. My post-procedure recovery guide covers the products I used across both rounds.
Which laser for which concern
- Brown spots and sun damageIPL or BBL for the surface, Moxi as a gentle series, and Halo for more change in fewer visits.
- Redness and broken vesselsIPL or BBL is the usual choice.
- Fine lines, pores and textureClear + Brilliant to start, then CoolPeel or Fraxel Dual for more.
- Deeper wrinkles, crepey skin and scarsCO2 is the strongest option, with Halo and Fraxel as steps below it.
- MelasmaGo slowly, because heat can trigger it. Chemical peels are a great option if laser is off the table for you, and gentle acids like mandelic have a lower risk of making pigment worse. My peel menu walks through which peels to start with, and the topicals in my pigmentation stack pair well with them.
Questions to ask before you book
A laser is only as good as the person running it, and the best way I know to judge a provider is to ask direct questions at the consult. These are the ones I would bring:
- Who will do the treatment?Ask about their license and how many of this exact treatment they have done.
- How much experience do you have with my skin tone?Medium and deeper skin tones have a higher risk of dark marks after some lasers, so this question is important for everyone.
- Which device and settings will you use?The same treatment name can mean very different strengths.
- What should I stop before, and for how long?Retinoids and exfoliating acids are usually paused for several days to a week, and a recent tan can mean waiting. If you get cold sores, ask whether you need medicine ahead of time.
- What does recovery look like, and what happens if something goes wrong?A good provider will answer both clearly and give you written aftercare.
- What is the total cost?Ask whether the price covers numbing, aftercare products and follow-up visits, and how many sessions they expect you to need.
The right laser is the one that fits your concern, your skin and your calendar, not the one everyone is booking this month.
The bottom line
If you are new to lasers, starting at the gentle end of the chart lets you see how your skin responds before you commit to more downtime. If you have one clear goal, like brown spots or deeper lines, match the treatment to that goal and plan around the recovery. And if you have melasma, talk with your provider before you book anything that uses heat.
For what to do after a treatment, my post-procedure guide and my piece on PDGF after microneedling and laser pick up where this one leaves off. If you are earlier in the process, the Start Here page walks you through building a routine first.
Prices were gathered in October 2026 from published clinic price guides and patient review sites. This article is general education, not medical advice for your own skin.