One of the advantages that CO2 laser resurfacing offers is the heat that is generated during the procedure. This heat actually causes the collagen within the skin to shrink and contract. This is why patients get a "mini-lift" from this procedure. While it doesn’t achieve a true facelift (where skin and fat are surgically lifted), it can, in the appropriate patient, provide good shrinkage of the skin. This is different than other lasers such as the erbium: YAG laser, which does not provide collagen contraction.