Photodynamic Therapy ( PDT) is a new and widely used option for the treatment of sunspots on the face and/or scalp particularly if there`s a big area of sun damage dski nthat needs to be treated.
After preparing the area that needs treatment at the clinic ( by your doctor or nurse) , a cream is applied ( methyl aminolevulinate or 5-ALA) , then it is activated by Daylight ( or LED ).
The cream used is highly selective for cancerous and pre-cancerous cells. This means that side effects such as scarring are minimised, and healthy tissue surrounding the lesion is not usually affected.
It works by destroying pre-cancerous cells . It does this with the help of daylight Or LED exposure. This is why your treatment session will be scheduled for a day where you are able to stay comfortably outdoors, exposed to daylight. Alternatively a brief LED light session can be done.
This can treat both the visible sun damage as well as the invisble damage which would eventualy progress and in doing so we reduce the risk of skin cencer development.
PDT is also used to treat certain types of early skin cancer without the need for surgery.
The doctor will provide you with the full details of the treatment , what to expect and answer any questions you may have.
