Blue Light Treatment For Precancerous

When combined with light therapy levulan is highly successful in treating the cancerous and precancerous growths.

Blue light treatment for precancerous.

Blue light therapy also called blue light treatment or blue light photodynamic therapy is a treatment performed by dermatologists to combat pre cancerous lesions like actinic keratosis. The treatment might be a good alternative for people who have 20. These lesions are typically found in areas of the body that are frequently exposed to the sun including the face head and arms. Blue light therapy on its own without the photosensitivity drugs added is safe and has very few risks.

During the treatment we apply a topical photosensitizing drug to the skin. Levulan known scientifically as aminolevulinic acid hcl can help treat common skin problems such as actinic keratoses precancerous lesions and early stage carcinomas. Light therapy for precancerous skin lesions. Aks are precancerous skin lesions a small proportion of which may develop into squamous cell carcinoma scc the second most common form of skin cancer.

Blue light therapy is an fda approved in office treatment for actinic keratoses precancerous lesions. Insurances typically cover the full cost of the treatment but this varies by insurance. For widespread aks located on the face and scalp a light sensitizing topical agent is applied for a period of time followed by exposure to blue or red light to kill cancer cells. Aks are a marker of cumulative sun damage.

Blu u treatment for skin cancer overview faqs. The initial approval was specifically for the treatment of actinic keratosis of the face and scalp with application of the photosensitizer followed by a timed exposure to a special blue light source. But it s more painful time consuming than common treatment dermatologist notes. Photodynamic therapy pdt is especially effective as a one and done treatment to destroy lesions without harming healthy tissue.

Blue light therapy for actinic keratosis can help treat and reduce the number of precancers potentially reducing the number of full fledged skin cancers and helping in photo rejuvenation. Pdt has also used for acne rosacea thin nonmelanoma skin cancers sun damage enlarged sebaceous glands wrinkles warts hidradenitis. If left untreated an estimated 10 percent of these precancerous lesions may eventually evolve into a type of skin cancer called squamous cell carcinoma.