Photodynamic Therapy (PDT)

PDT can be used to treat:

• Sun damaged skin
• Superficial skin cancers
• Actinic keratoses
• Superficial BCC
• Bowens disease
• Aged skin
• Skin discolouration
• Rosacea (redness)
• Large pores
• Acne

PDT offers some advantages such as:

• Non-invasive
• Suitable for all
• skin types
• Less scarring
• Lower downtime
• Faster recovery
• Can be repeated
• Great clinical & cosmetic results

While PDT can be used by a wide variety of people, the following cases may prevent you from taking the procedure:

• Allergies (mainly from the cream’s formula)
• Medications (e.g. antibiotics, antifungals, antipsychotics, etc.)
• Pregnancy

As with any treatment, it is important to discuss your medical history and circumstances with the doctor.

It’s generally recommended to minimize sun exposure 2 weeks prior to your treatment. We also recommend to bring a hat, sunglasses or any other sun protective gear to cover the area after treatment. It’s also best to arrive without any makeup or cream on the target area.

There 4 major stages with PDT:

• Preparation
  • The target area is cleaned and undergoes preparation to maximise absorption of the cream.
• Application
  • The cream is applied and stays on for 3 hours allowing the cells plenty of time to absorb it. During that time, you are free to leave the clinic but try to avoid putting the area under direct sunlight.
  • Within the three hours, you must return to the clinic to begin the next stage.
• Illumination
  • Once 3 hours have passed, the target area is exposed to lights to initiate abnormal cell death.
  • Due to the intense luminosity of the lights you will be given goggles to cover the eyes.
• Review
  • After treatment, the doctor will discuss aftercare steps and will review the results of your treatment within a couple of weeks.
  • Upon review, your doctor may recommend more treatments if necessary.

During treatment, you may experience a mild burning or stinging sensation which indicates that the reaction is happening as intended. In most cases, this sensation is minor and tolerable. However, a more intense pain is experienced by a small percentage of patients. For such cases, we provide an air blower machine that delivers ice-cold air to produce a cooling effect to relieve pain.

After the PDT session, common symptoms include a mild burning and stinging sensation which may persist for a couple of hours. It’s also normal for skin in the target area to peel and appear sunburnt. In some cases, scabbing and blistering may appear around the treated area. These reactions are normal and means the treatment has worked by destroying sun damaged cells.

It’s generally advised to avoid sunlight during the first 48 hours and to apply a cold compress to soothe any posttreatment discomfort. Keeping the area clean and regularly applying sunscreen as well as some soothing creams are also recommended. Precautions to avoid scratching or any activities that might dislodge a post-treatment scab are also advised. Treatments are usually performed on the scalp/face, however, for procedures on the limbs it’s recommended to limit strenuous activity for an extra few days.

In any case, your doctor will review, answer your questions and describe any extra steps that are required to care for your individual needs.