Cincinnati Photodynamic Therapy (PDT)

Photodynamic therapy (PDT), is a form of phototherapy using light and a photosensitizing topical chemical substance. When photo-sensitizers are exposed to a specific wavelength of light, including sunlight, a photosensitive reaction occurs treating both oil glands and precancerous cells.

This will depend on what area we are treating, but most appointments will be about 2 ½-3 hours. You can wait in the office while the medication incubates, or, if you prefer to leave and come back, you must protect the treated area from any sun exposure. Sun exposure will cause a phototoxic reaction that will take longer to heal.

PDT can cause mild to moderate pain during treatments. It is important for patients to avoid all bright light sources (including going outdoors, proximity to windows or skylights or even exposure to bright indoor lights) for 48 hours after treatment.

PDT can cause mild to moderate pain during treatments.

After each PDT session, you will experience some improvement in skin tone and texture. There will be a decrease in overall redness and flushing. Pre-cancers and sunspots will fade; pore sizes will shrink. Fine lines and wrinkles can gradually decrease in size as the new collagen forms beneath the skin. These improvements will continue to increase with each treatment.

After the treatment, mild to severe redness, blistering and scabbing can occur. These effects depend on how long the ALA solution is left on, how much light is used, and which light source is used to activate the ALA. The worst cases heal like a severe sunburn over a few days.

It is important for patients to avoid all bright light sources (including going outdoors, proximity to windows or skylights or even exposure to bright indoor lights) for 48 hours after treatment. Otherwise, you may resume normal activities immediately. After treatment, there may also be some discomfort. The skin may appear flushed, brown spots may be darker and tiny veins may be more visible. This will usually diminish over the next couple of days.

PDT may be right for you if you have pre-cancers (Actinic Keratoses). We can also use PDT to treat resistant acne for people who do not want to use accutane or are resistant to traditional therapies. It is best to schedule a consultation to learn more, as treatment regimens vary from patient to patient depending on the condition being treated.