Blue Light Therapy

Condition Treated

• Dermatologists frequently use blue light therapy to prevent skin cancer and treat precancerous and cancerous skin growth.

• The FDA has approved photodynamic therapy for the treatment of actinic keratosis, a type of pre-cancer that develops on the skin from years of exposure to the sun.

• Actinic keratoses appear as rough, scaly patches on the skin that may be light or dark tan, flesh-toned, red, or white in color.

• Photodynamic therapy is an optimal treatment for anyone who has multiple lesions since they can all be treated at once.

• In addition to treating and preventing skin cancer, photodynamic therapy is also used to treat sun damage, sun spots, and rosacea.

• Dermatologists also offer blue light for acne, and it has become a popular treatment option for acne sufferers who want to eliminate traditional topical treatments and medications.

Procedure

Blue light treatment sessions consist of three steps:

• The photosensitizing agent is applied to the skin.
• The medication is absorbed into the skin.
• The blue light is applied

When the photosensitizing agent is applied to the skin, it makes certain types of skin tissue more susceptible to the absorption of light wavelengths. Once applied, it takes time to absorb. This process can take a few hours, depending on the treated area. When the treated skin is exposed to blue light, it causes a reaction and destroys the targeted skin tissue. Only the skin that absorbed the medication is affected.