Photodynamic Therapy

Photorejuvenation using intense pulsed light (IPL) is now the gold standard of non-ablative skin treatments. The most recent development in photorejuvenation, known as photodynamic skin rejuvenation, combines photodynamic therapy (PDT) with IPL. At Spa Lumina in Barrie, Ontario, we use this versatile treatment to help clients from Collingwood, Orillia, Newmarket, Innisfil, and other Central Ontario communities address a variety of conditions such as wrinkles, precancerous skin lesions, and acne.

Photodynamic skin rejuvenation involves the application of Levulan, a photosensitizing agent, which is then activated with IPL. This results in significant improvement in precancerous conditions such as actinic keratoses (AKs), actinically damaged skin, sun damaged skin, moderate to severe cystic acne and potentially superficial skin cancers. Additionally it improves wrinkles, pore size, skin texture, pigmentation, rosacea, sebaceous hyperplasia, and potentially prevents the development of skin cancer.

Levulan is revolutionizing how we perform skin rejuvenation and how we treat sun damaged skin.

Photodynamic Therapy with Levulan is used for:

• Removing precancerous skin lesions
• Preventing skin cancer
• Improving wrinkles
• Improving pores
• Improving skin texture
• Improving pigmentation
• Treating moderate to severe cystic acne

How does it work?

The Levulan Photodynamic Therapy system is a 2-part process that utilizes both the Levulan Kerastick topical solution and IPL (intense pulsed light) treatment.

The first step is to have a Levulan Kerastick topical solution applied to the acne and other lesions on the skin. This solution makes the lesions more sensitive to light, which prepares the skin for the second step in the process.

After leaving the topical solution on the skin for 60-90 minutes, therapy continues with an IPL Treatment. The IPL treatment session lasts up to 20 minutes and can cause minimal discomfort because of the nature of the Levulan Kerastick topical solution. This discomfort usually improves immediately after treatment and ends within 24 hours.

After treatment is completed, almost all clients experienced some temporary reddening and some clients experienced minimal swelling of the acne, actinic keratoses and the surrounding skin. Generally, all reddening disappears within 4 weeks of treatment and swelling is reduced or non-existent after 1-2 days.

Levulan acne therapy can even work in clients who have failed accutane. Accutane also targets the sebaceous gland but Accutane has fairly toxic side effects. Levulan is a very safe alternative to Accutane treatment.