What is the healing time associated with photodynamic therapy?


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My dermatologist has diagnosed me with basal cell skin cancers on my face and wanted me to do Carak Cream. I was then told about PDT . What is the healing time as compared to Carak Cream? What do I expect?

The information provided by medical professionals in the Q&A is for informational purposes only, and is not a substitute for individualized medical advice, diagnosis or treatment by a qualified health care provider.

Answers

Replied on 12/5/2009

By: Esta Kronberg, M.D. | Board Certified Dermatologist
Houston, TX

If you are treating actinic keratoses (pre-skin cancers) with the PDT (Photodynamic Therapy) it takes about 3-5 days. You will mostly be a little pink. If you are treating Basal Cell Carcinomas it takes about 7-10 days. The actual skin cancer will turn dark and scabby for about 1 week. The main thing is to remember to keep the areas treated with the chemical Levulan out of sunlight for that day and 2 more days. The treatment time with PDT is a lot shorter and easier to tolerate than Carak. PDT is a very nice way to treat sun damage, pre-skin cancers, and small non-melanoma skin cancers. If you treat your entire face with the Levulan you will need to be indoors for the remainder of the day and 2 more days. If you are spot treating lesions those areas could be covered with Band-Aids during the day. Also, if you are treating the whole face for pre-skin cancers you will also get some overall skin rejuvenation. The difference in the treatments is how long you keep the
Levulan on your skin before you go under the light.

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