What is Blu U- Blue Light Treatment?

Photodynamic Therpy (PDT)

Photodynamic therapy, also known as PDT, or Blu Light therapy, is a therapy available for individuals who suffer from chronic sun damage with multiple precancerous skin lesions or some forms of skin cancer.  PDT is an alternative treatment option to cryotherapy (liquid nitrogen) or topical chemotherapy.  PDT is a fast and effective way to treat an entire area of skin in one treatment, as opposed to cryotherapy, which only treats individual lesions.  Topical chemotherapy treatment also treats an entire area but is more time consuming (taking between 2-16 weeks, depending on the medication used).

How it works:

PDT is a 2 step process involving light energy and topical medication.  The topical medications used are aminolevulinic acid and methylaminolevulinate.  These medications are absorbed into precancerous cells and converted to a chemical that is sensitive to light.  Once exposed to the light energy, these cells are destroyed.  

Steps:

1.  The area being treated is washed and dried

2.  The topical medication is applied to the skin

3.  The medication is given time to incubate on the skin (1-2 hours typically)

4.  The treated areas are then placed under the light source for a specific amount of time

5.  Once the treatment time is completed, sunscreen is applied to the treated area

6.  Sun avoidance is recommended for the next 48 hours, as the medication is still active in the skin and sun exposure would lead to further skin irritation

Alternate treatment options:

While under the light source, there can be discomfort and burning sensations felt by the patient.  A different approach to the incubation and treatment time help reduce this discomfort.  This approach involves eliminating the incubation time but increased the time under the light source.  This method leads to almost no discomfort while under the light source without sacrificing any results.

Off-label uses:

1.  Basal cell carcinomas

2.  Squamous cell carcinoma in-situ

3.  Acne

4.  Rosacea

5.  Photoaging

6.  Sebaceous hyperplasia

7.  Warts