What should you put on your face after blue light treatment?

Photodynamic therapy is a medical treatment that utilizes a photosensitizing molecule and a source of light to activate the administered drug. Very thin superficial skin cancers called actinic keratoses and certain other types of cancer cells could be eliminated this way.
Make sure you review the best practices for applying your preferred cosmetics before, during, or after light therapy. Treatment sessions could be from 15 to 90 minutes long, with regards to the area being treated, what size it is, and when a topical medication has been applied. If it’s just one small area being treated, like a single spot of skin cancer, the affected area could have blue light put on it for about 17 minutes. In addition to treating skin conditions and cancer, blue light therapy can also be used as a treatment for depression. Blue light therapy doesn’t work for everyone, and it usually takes several sessions to get out if your acne is sensitive to blue light.

Your physician needs to know of any medical conditions that may affect your procedure or overall wound healing. During the exposure to light, there exists a moderately uncomfortable burning sensation that most patients appear to tolerate without additional pain medication. You may not be considered a good candidate for photodynamic therapy in case you have darker skin that will turn brown or discolor with certain light or laser light treatments.
Blue light therapy works mainly by targeting bacteria, that is how it treats and prevents acne. Red and infrared light, at another end of the visible spectrum, boosts cell regeneration. This causes your skin and tissue just underneath to grow more quickly, replacing dead skin cells and completing gaps that cause wrinkles. Acne-fighting devices may also use vibrations to gently massage the skin, while portable wrinkle-reduction devices are small enough to slip right into a purse or pocket for on-the-go use. Knowing the differences in how LED lights work and which devices fit your lifestyle will help you achieve the results you want. To treat cancerous or precancerous spots with phototherapy, a dermatologist first applies a photosensitizing medication to your skin.

  • For a lot of, two to four weekly treatments are enough.
  • Because these products are not regulated by the FDA, and because each person’s skin is a little different, your results may vary.
  • The question of whether someone has skin cancer isn’t always black or white.

No matter what your current skincare routine appears like, red light therapy may take it up a notch and increase the overall radiance of your skin. Blue light therapy becomes photodynamic therapy when it runs on the combination of photosynthesizing (or light-sensitive) drugs and a high-intensity source of light to activate them.

  • Photodynamic therapy for cancer treatment, however, will come with an increase of potential risks and complications with regards to the area of treatment.
  • It’s becoming more more popular as a very important treatment option for certain types of localized cancers .
  • Your dermatologist will explain how exactly to protect your skin to be able to get home.
  • You then will return for the next section of your treatment which include illuminating your treated lesions with the BLU-U® blue light.

Because this can be a non-invasive procedure, it’s essentially painless, & most patients think it is completely comfortable. Patients schedule for a while when they could be in doors for 48 hours following the treatment. A medicine called ALA is put on the face by one our experienced staff. After the medicine is applied, the patient then sits inside our waiting room for one to two hours while the medicine is absorbed preferentially into the pre cancer cells. Then the patient is placed under a rigorous blue light for 17 minutes.
It’s especially effective when treating major depressive disorder with seasonal patterns, formerly known as seasonal affective disorder . This condition is often partially due to dreary winter weather, darker days, and spending more time indoors. And because not everyone’s acne responds to blue light, purchasing a device may be a waste of money and time. Dermatologists can steer you toward the acne treatments which are most likely to do the job.
“That makes the treated area sensitive to damage by the light,” Dr. Benedetto explains. Continue steadily to apply ice packs or cool compresses as had a need to ease discomfort and swelling. Some patients could have a significant reaction with considerable swelling, redness and burning. Frequent soaks will usually be adequate and topical Hydrocortisone and oral Benadryl as listed above.
Patients may need to also advise their physician of any drug allergies such as for example topical anesthetics or other photosensitizers. Additionally, the surgeon might need to know of any bleeding or bruising tendencies, hepatitis, HIV/AIDS, or pregnancy. The photosensitizer liquid or cream is applied topically to the complete area being treated .
The light causes the drug to react and form a special sort of oxygen molecule that kills the cells. PDT might also help by destroying the arteries that feed the cancer cells and by alerting the disease fighting capability to attack the cancer. Through the blue light treatment you will experience sensations of tingling, stinging, prickling or burning of the treated skin. These feelings of discomfort should improve at the end of the light treatment. Avoid contact with light if you experience stinging or burning on the treated areas before blue light treatment.

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