Blue Light Therapy & PDT
What Are The Benefits of Blue Light Treatment?
Blue light treatment is a safe and effective treatment option for precancerous lesions such as actinic keratosis. It can even be helpful for preventing some forms of skin cancers. Recently, it’s even been used in some cases of acne, enlarged sebaceous glands, and rosacea.
There are two options when it comes to blue light treatment:
Blue Light Therapy
This variation of treatment is used without the photosensitizing agent, and is being researched as a treatment for less aggressive conditions such as acne and rosacea.
PDT
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a treatment to reduce pre-cancerous skin lesions. This form of treatment consists of using a topical medication, aminolevulanic acid (ALA), and a blue light to activate the medication. This combination of the photosensitizer with the particular wavelength of light, is capable of killing precancerous skin cells.
What Is The Treatment Process?
- Both variations of the treatment begin by prepping the skin with a thorough cleansing.
- When undergoing PDT, the photosensitizing agent aminolevulinic acid, is applied and allowed to absorb for 30 minutes to an hour.
- Then, a blue light source is focused on the prepped area, and the area is treated for approximately 60 minutes (more or less depending on the protocol, target condition, or area being treated).
- After treatment, sunscreen and sun protection is required as the treatment will leave the skin more sensitive to sun damage.
What are the side effects?
There are anticipated outcomes to this treatment that will be reviewed by your treatment provider. Some include redness, stinging, pain, peeling, discomfort, and skin irritation.
What are the benefits of PDT?
• Selectively treat only the desired area of skin damage
• Easier to use and offers quicker recovery than alternatives such as cryotherapy
• Reduced scarring for treatment of actinic keratosis