Active FX Healing- Will the Scratch on my Face Leave a Scar?

Question

Hello, my question is: I had Lumenis ActiveFX Fractional C02 Laser done 6 days ago and am noticing as my skin is fading from the overall redness, I am seeing areas/spots/lines that are very deep red in color. I have a couple that look like a scratch that are darker red.

	I'm afraid I've scratch myself unconsciously and am worried about scarring; will this heal by itself or should I be concerned? I can't submit a picture but hope this description is enough. Thank you for your comments.

Ali Ghafouri, MD · Answer

After any ablative skin resurfacing, the skin is very compromised and in need of delicate care. Unfortunately, some patients unintendedly may scratch their face while healing. The mark may remain for several weeks, but should eventually fade nicely.

Gregory A. Buford, MD, FACS · Answer

Deb~

	You essentially have two things going on.

	First, you really need to make sure that you are not scratching the skin following FX laser resurfacing.  While you will probably heal just fine, if you injure the delicate new skin, you could increase the overall depth of injury and end up with long term scarring.   Also, if you are itching more than usual, you might have an issue with either a light fungal or bacterial infection.  These can be easily treated but if left untreated will delay your overall healing.

	As for the redness, this may take up to a month to improve depending upon your skin type and the actual settings used for your treatment.

	The best thing to do is to contact whomever actually treated you.  Have them take a look and see if everything looks alright.  Active FX resurfacing is a very safe technology but complications can occur.  If they are addressed early, they can be easily treated and your long term results will still be very nice.

	I hope that helps!

William Ting, MD · Answer

You are most likely experiencing post-inflammatory redness which is transient but may last more than a couple weeks. Adhere to strict daily sun protection. Combination of gentle formulation of vitamin C and greentea serum may be helpful to speed out resolution of post-treatment redness.

Susan Van Dyke, MD · Answer

Red marks and lines can occur in the early stages of healing of Active Fx. This is generally not a problem and healing occurs normally.  Check with your physician to make sure if redness persists.

Pradeep K. Sinha, MD · Answer

After the skin is lasered, it can be easily damaged since much of the outer protective layer has been vaporized by the procedure. If you do have scratch, continue the skin care. Your doctor can prescribe other medications to help with itching to help prevent further scratching. If the scratching damages the deeper part of the skin, the marks may need further treatment.

Active FX Healing- Will the Scratch on my Face Leave a Scar?

Answers (5)