How Long Does Redness Around the Eyes Last After Active FX?

ACTIVE FX resurfacing is a very safe technology but complications can occur.  As Dr. Maas pointed out, redness usually subsides within a few weeks.  And so the fact that you have persistent redness this far out is concerning and may suggest that you have something else going on.

Your best plan of action is to call your doctor and have he/she evaluate you to determine a course of treatment.

I hope this helps!

Prolonged redness can occur with laser resurfacing.  Although with Active Fx this should be much less common.  If there is some tenderness, itching, and the redness is persisting and it begins to become more raised, you could be developing some scarring.  High dose steroids would be helpful in this case.  Contact dermatitis can occur if you are starting some creams that could be irritating your skin at this crucial stage. I would then consider holding off on those topicals and stay with some gentler products.  The other possibility is that the doctor was more aggressive around your eyes which could lead to prolonged redness which is common after traditional resurfacing.  I would see your doctor to have him figure out this. He will know his settings to determine what is going on with the setting of your physical exam.

Redness after an Active Fx is normal and usually lasts a couple of weeks.  When redness lasts longer than that it is called "persistent erythema" and could indicate a potential scar.  It also could simply be that you are allergic to the hydrocortisone cream.    It would be best to stop the cream and have your physician evaluate the area.