A professional CO2 laser is a 10,600 nm ablative laser that vaporises microscopic columns of skin so new collagen and fresh epidermis replace sun damage, scars, wrinkles and stretch marks. Alma supplies two CO2 systems to Australian clinics: Alma Pixel CO2, one of the most widely used CO2 platforms in the world, and Alma Hybrid, Alma’s top-tier model, which does everything Pixel CO2 does and adds a non-ablative 1570 nm laser fired side by side with the CO2 beam, so results and downtime can be tuned patient by patient.
What a professional CO2 laser is
Which CO2 system is for your clinic
A dermatology or cosmetic practice that wants fractional resurfacing plus a surgical laser? Alma Pixel CO2 is the dedicated CO2 platform, used by dermatologists and cosmetic doctors in clinics worldwide. Its RF-excited 10,600 nm laser drives the LiteScan scanner, a microprocessor-controlled flash scanner that sets the beam parameters automatically for each indication and covers large areas fast, for fractional resurfacing, scars, striae and sun damage. That is how almost every Australian clinic configures it. For dermatologists and skin doctors, optional Focus applicators in two spot sizes add cutting and coagulation in one setting for lesion removal, eyelid work and other surgical indications. It is consumable-free.
A skin clinic where downtime is the objection and scars are a core service? Alma Hybrid is Alma’s top-tier model. It does everything Alma Pixel CO2 does and adds a non-ablative 1570 nm laser: it is the only laser platform that fires the ablative CO2 and non-ablative 1570 nm beams side by side in the same pass, fully customisable in ratio, or in sequence when the case calls for it. Its HyGrid mode sets that ratio in a single matrix of micro-dots, so an aggressive resurfacing for deep acne scars and a low-downtime rejuvenation for a first-time patient run on the same machine with the same ProScan applicator. The IMPACT ultrasound applicator then enhances the penetration of skin-approved topicals through the micro-channels the CO2 laser has just opened.
Compare the Alma CO2 range
| Alma Pixel CO2 | Alma Hybrid | |
|---|---|---|
| Laser | RF-excited CO2, 10,600 nm | CO2 10,600 nm plus non-ablative 1570 nm, fired separately or combined (HyGrid) |
| Applicators | LiteScan scanner (standard configuration); optional Focus surgical applicators in two spot sizes for skin doctors | 2: ProScan automated scanner with cooled tip (lases CO2 and 1570 nm), IMPACT ultrasound for trans-epidermal delivery |
| Treatment modes | Fractional and fully ablative via the scanner, including Pixel Peel™ mode; continuous, single-pulse and repeat surgical modes with the optional Focus applicators | Everything Pixel CO2 does, plus the 1570 nm laser: ablative, coagulative and thermal in one pass, in any ratio (HyGrid), including Pixel Peel™ mode; presets by indication |
| Pixel Peel™ | Yes | Yes |
| Indications | Skin resurfacing and rejuvenation, scars and acne scars, striae, pigmentation and sunspots, fine lines, surgical applications | Skin rejuvenation and resurfacing, scars (acne, surgical, burn, keloid management), fine lines, striae, skin laxity, benign lesions, acne |
| Downtime | Flexible, set by applicator and depth | Flexible; the ablative ratio is the downtime dial |
| Skin types | Per protocol; CO2 is used with care on darker skin | I–VI (depending on treatment) |
| Consumables | None | None |
| Best fit | Practices that want a proven, widely used CO2 platform for fractional resurfacing, with surgical applicators as an option | The top-tier choice: clinics that want the full range on one console, CO2 and 1570 nm side by side or in sequence, plus IMPACT topical delivery |
Both systems come from the same manufacturer, are installed and serviced by Alma Lasers Australia, and share the same training pathway, so a clinic that starts on one is not locked out of the other later.
Results with Alma Pixel CO2
Skin rejuvenation with Alma Pixel CO2, treated with the LiteScan scanner.
Before-and-after images are supplied to Alma by practitioners who use the system. To the best of our knowledge they show the result of the treatment described, but Alma cannot confirm whether other treatments, skincare or methods were combined, or the time between photographs. Individual results vary and all treatments carry risks.
Alma Pixel CO2 brochure
The brochure has the full technical specifications: laser type, wavelength, power, operating modes, electrical requirements, dimensions and weight. Leave your details and we will email it to you.
How to choose a CO2 laser system
Fractional or fully ablative?
Fully ablative CO2 removes the whole surface layer and gives the largest single-treatment change, at the cost of a week or more of downtime. Fractional CO2 treats a grid of micro-columns and leaves the skin between them intact, so healing is days rather than weeks and the treatment can be repeated. Almost every Australian clinic runs fractional as the everyday setting and keeps fully ablative or surgical modes for specific cases. Both Alma systems do fractional; Alma Pixel CO2 can add the optional surgical Focus applicators.
What is Pixel Peel™?
Pixel Peel™ is a fractional mode on both Alma CO2 systems that fires the laser beam in a randomised pattern across the treatment area instead of a fixed grid. Each micro-column’s neighbours get time to cool before the next shot lands nearby, so the tissue’s thermal relaxation time is respected, heat build-up is lower, and the patient gets the same coverage with less downtime.
CO2 alone, or CO2 plus a non-ablative laser?
A non-ablative 1570 nm laser heats the dermis to stimulate collagen without breaking the surface. On its own it means little downtime and modest change per session. Combined with CO2 in the same pass, as Alma Hybrid does, it lets the practitioner keep the ablative component small enough for a working patient while the thermal component does more of the work underneath. Australian dermatologists using Hybrid report treating with topical anaesthetic only and seeing quicker healing at higher energies than they expected.
What about scars?
Scars are where CO2 earns its place. Fractional CO2 is the standard energy-based treatment for atrophic acne scars and surgical scars, and published work on the Alma platform covers keloid management with a combined continuous-wave and fractionated CO2 regimen. If scar revision is a core service, Alma Hybrid’s ability to combine ablative and non-ablative energy in one treatment is the stronger tool; if scar work sits alongside lesion removal and eyelid surgery, Alma Pixel CO2 with the optional Focus applicators covers the wider surgical range.
The evidence
CO2 is the most researched energy-based skin resurfacing technology. Published work on Alma’s CO2 platforms includes Arellano-Huacuja (Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024) on keloid management with a combined continuous-wave and repeat fractionated CO2 regimen; Tsur Shenhav et al. on the safety and efficacy of the dual CO2 and 1570 nm laser for periorbital rejuvenation; Somji and Solomon (Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024) on the 1570 nm scanner for non-ablative face and neck rejuvenation; and Ma et al. (Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 2023) on laser combined with radiotherapy for keloids. All are linked from the product pages under Clinical Resources. Both systems are supplied in Australia by Alma Lasers Australia Pty Ltd as sponsor: Alma Pixel CO2 under ARTG entry 323941 (Dermatological carbon dioxide laser system, Class IIb medical device) and Alma Hybrid under ARTG entry 321320 (Class IIb medical device, the same entry as the Alma Harmony platform).
Cost, finance and support
How much does a professional CO2 laser machine cost in Australia?
We don’t publish list prices, because the right configuration depends on the applicators you need and whether you’re financing. Alma Pixel CO2 is sold with the LiteScan scanner, with the surgical Focus applicators as an option; Alma Hybrid comes as a platform with the ProScan and IMPACT applicators. Neither uses consumables, so there is no per-treatment cost beyond the practitioner’s time. Every quote includes installation, clinical training for your team and a 12-month factory warranty. Request pricing and we’ll come back with a configured quote for your clinic.
Is finance available?
Yes. Alma works with a range of Australian lenders and brokers, including Medfin, so you can compare equipment-finance options against your quote. Ask for a finance illustration and we’ll arrange it with the lender that suits your practice.
What training is included?
Installation and on-site clinical training for your team by an Alma clinical specialist, followed by ongoing protocol support and access to Alma Academy sessions. Fundamentals training for new staff runs regularly at Alma’s offices and is free of charge. A dedicated training day is $800 at an Alma location or $1,600 on site at your clinic, plus travel for regional locations. Prices in AUD and subject to change.
What about service and support?
Alma Lasers Australia is the manufacturer’s own subsidiary, not a distributor. Our service department runs 9:00 am to 5:30 pm on business days, with availability over the weekend for urgent issues. Engineers, spare parts and applicator repairs are based in Australia. Response times differ between metro and regional locations, and we’ll walk you through what to expect for your clinic before you buy. The same team covers New Zealand clinics; see Alma in New Zealand.
Do I need a licence to operate a CO2 laser in Australia?
Requirements differ by state, and they change. Our Laser and IPL Regulations page keeps the current position for every state and territory, and we walk each clinic through what applies to them before installation.
See the CO2 systems in your clinic
Book a demo and we’ll bring the system to you, or request pricing for the configuration that fits your treatment menu.
Explore each system: Alma Pixel CO2 · Alma Hybrid
Related treatments: skin resurfacing, scars, stretch marks.