Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) for Sun-Damaged Skin: What to Expect

Lying out in the sun during the warm summer months can give many of us a golden, sun-kissed glow. For others, the sun exposure leaves us with a nasty sunburn. But no matter how your skin superficially responds to the sun, exposure to the sun’s rays with no protection is damaging, causing changes in cells’ genetic material. 

These changes happen deep in the dermis layer, meaning you won’t see any signs of sun damage until years later. Eventually, you can end up with brown spots, wrinkles, and uneven skin texture — all indicators of sun skin.

Another result of sun-damaged skin is actinic keratosis, lesions or dry, scaly patches that develop on your skin and can turn cancerous if not treated. A common way to treat actinic keratosis and other precancerous spots is through photodynamic therapy (PDT).

At Thomas Dermatology, our team offers PDT for the treatment of actinic keratosis to protect you from full-blown skin cancer. This month’s blog explores what PDT is and what to expect when you get PDT at our practice.

What is PDT?

PDT is a medical treatment that uses a photosensitizing medication and a light source to eliminate precancerous skin growths such as actinic keratosis. While actinic keratosis doesn’t always lead to skin cancer, having multiple lesions puts you at a greater risk. 

On their own, the photosensitizing drug and the light source won’t do anything. However, once the light source is directed toward the medication, the drug activates and starts destroying nearby targeted cells.

This treatment procedure is often chosen over other alternatives such as liquid nitrogen or excision since it’s not painful or invasive.  

What happens during PDT?

When you get PDT at Thomas Dermatology, you go through three different treatment stages. 

The first stage is the application stage. During this first step, you’re given the photosensitizing drug. It may be given orally, topically, or intravenously depending on where the spots are located and how severe they are. 

Next is the incubation stage. The medication needs time to build up in the abnormal cells so it will effectively respond to the light. This period can range from several minutes to a few hours, depending on the type of photosensitizing medication given. 

After the medication has accumulated in the target areas, a specific wavelength of light is directed toward those abnormal cells. The medication then emits oxygen that’s toxic to the cells, thereby destroying them. 

What comes after PDT?

PDT doesn’t require any downtime, although you may experience some redness and flaking on your skin for about a week. Make sure you wear ample sunscreen and cover up your skin as much as possible for about 48 hours afterward, since your skin will be extra sensitive during that time. 

While PDT effectively eliminates actinic keratosis, if you’ve had a lot of sun exposure over the years, you may find that new lesions pop up later on. You’ll need repeat sessions of PDT to address these new lesions as they develop to keep your risk of skin cancer down.

To learn more about PDT or to schedule a skin cancer screening, simply call your nearest office location, or book online today. We proudly serve the Las Vegas and Henderson, Nevada, and Lake Havasu City, Kingman, and Bullhead City, Arizona, areas.