Photo Dynamic Therapy is a unique treatment for unhealthy sun damaged skin on the face and body. This treatment is particularly suited to those with roughened sunspots and pre-cancerous lesions.
Exciting results have are also achieved for those suffering from severe types of acne.
Above: Half Face PDT treatment to illustrate the difference in skin texture, pigmentation and luminescence before and after treatment. This particular case was treated with blue light and not IPL.
PDT Treatment
Amino Levulinic Acid (ALA) is applied as a lotion to the treatment area and allowd to soak into the skin for two hours. The ALA specifically targets sun damaged or unhealthy skin cells and is not attracted to normal, healthy skin cells. As a result, the damaged skin cells become extremely light sensitive. The ALA is then activated by Blue Light, which produces free radical molecules that destroy only the pre-cancerous and unhealthy cells. Large areas can be treated quickly and effectively with long lasting results. There is some discomfort at the Blue Light stage of the procedure.
If the skin is also pigmented, it may be beneficial to do a full face IPL treatment. This will even out the skin colour, tone and texture and reduce the appearance of blood vessels, freckles, lentigos and pigmentation.
Results can be seen after two to three treatments. Occasionally more are required. After treatment, the skin will look irritated, reddened and will peel. This usually resolves in 5 days, however may last 7-10 days.
It is extremely important to stay out of the sun for forty-eight hours after treatment. Exposure can result in burning and redness. Even a sunscreen will not protect against the photosensitivity of the skin at this stage. Most people stay home and watch movies and relax for 48 hours.
Photodynamic therapy is safe for all skin colours and types and is effective at all ages. It is safe to be treated while on other medications or treatments.
Other methods of treating these types of lesions include dry ice or surgical removal, both of which can leave nasty reddened scars. Severe acne can also leave disfiguring scars all over the face and body. The amazing thing about Photodynamic therapy is that there is no scarring once the skin heals, leaving it looking smooth and healthy.
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