What is ALA (Aminolevulinic Acid?)

Levulan is a 20% solution of ALA. It is a natural substance found throughout the body as it is a processor for hemoglobin synthesis. Without ALA hemoglobin which carries oxygen to the body will not be formed.

What is PDT with Levulan indicated for?

• Removing pre-cancerous actinic keratosis
• Preventing skin cancer
• Treating moderate to severe acne
• Treating adult acne-rosacea
• Treating sebaceous hyperplasia
• Improving skin texture
• Improving pigmentation
• Improving pore sizes
• Improving wrinkles

What are the advantages?

• Side effects are minimal
• Rapid healing
• It is painless, easily performed and non invasive
• Reduced scarring and improved cosmetic results
• No surgical excisions are required
• As it is local treatment, no systemic side effects
• No prolong use of oral antibiotics and complicated oral drugs
• The PDT improves the skin treated creating smoothness of texture, improved suppleness and tone decreased oily skin and reduction of pores

What are the disadvantages?

• Treated area can appear red (erythematies), swollen (edema), with some peeling for 2-7 days.
• 1% may have extreme reactions with exfoliation and week of downtime, depending on the severity of skin damage.
• Pigmented spots can become temporally darker and then peels off in 7-10 days.
• It is very important to stay out of sun and even indoor light for 48 hours after the procedure. (Skin is very sensitive to light, sunscreen will not protect you, wear a wide brim hat.)
• Avoid extremes of temperature and wind.
• Avoid hot water or other potential irritants.
• Stinging can be decreased by using fans, ice and exposure to light.
• Dry, itching skin can be treated with soothing moisturizers.
• Re-treatments may be necessary.

What happens during the treatment?

• The affected skin area is gently washed with soap and water
• The affected area is then mildly scrubbed down with acetone
• Gentle Microdermabrasion can then be performed
• ALA is then painted on the entire skin
• ALA is allowed to sit on the skin for 30-45 minutes
• ALA is then gently washed off
• You my be given a topical anesthetic cream
• You will be given special goggles to wear to protect eyes during the treatment
• IPL Fotofacial or Blu-u light is then performed

PDT has become the gold standard in non-surgical skin repair and rejuvenation, treatment of acne and actimic keratosis. The procedure gives a remarkable improvement of skin color, texture, tone and reduction of pore size. Topicals can be used with Acne PDT.

What happens after the treatment?

• Minimal to variable erythematous reaction (redness)
• After 2-12 hours more redness my develop
• The amount of redness is not predictable
• Some swelling will may be noticed
• Some peeling for 3-4 days

Will I feel discomfort during the treatment?

• Many patients feel stinging and burning
• Stinging increases as you sit behind the light
• Swelling and temporary redness is experienced following the treatment
• Discomfort may persist 1-2 weeks

How effective is ALA PDT Blu-u treatments?

Treatment is providing very effective and long term results. Local treatments avoid side effects of long term use of oral antibiotics, as well as systemic side effects of topical creams and oral anti-acne medications

Who should not use PDT?

• If your skin is very sensitive to light
• If you have porphyria or known allergies to porhyines
• In patients with known sensitivity to any of the components of Levulan Kerastick for topical solution
• It is not used in pregnancy
• It is not used in nursing mothers
• If you have bleeding or clotting disorders

What other drugs or medications will affect Levulan Kerastick?

• Gruseofulvin
• Oral antibiotics
• Thorazine
• Proloxin
• Trilafen
• Serentil
• Sulfa containing medications
• Tebavyclines
• Minocin
• Vibramycin
• Water Pills

How many treatments will it take to see the best results?

A series of 3 treatments 3 weeks apart for PDT accelerated fotofacial. A series of 4 treatments once a week apart for acne

Would I need maintenance?

More treatments can be done at periodic intervals in the future to maintain the rejuvenated appearance of the skin.

 
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