Does Photodynamic Work For Acne?

Of all the acne light treatments available in recent years, none has hogged the limelight so much than photodynamic therapy. Rapidly gaining more popularity everyday, short contact photodynamic therapy has become the new miracle treatment for people suffering from moderate to severe acne. Has a truly effective treatment for acne finally arrived at last?

What is Photodynamic Therapy?

Photodynamic therapy or PDT is a safe, non-invasive acne treatment that uses light sources in combination with the application of a photosensitizing substance, usually 5-aminolevulinic acid or ALA. 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) is applied to the surface of the skin, making the skin extra sensitive to light. After the photosensitizer is removed, light treatment is then given.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration earlier approved photodynamic therapy for cancer treatment. PDT is used a great deal today for the treatment of actinic keratosis and is being considered to be a dependable and effective method to treat acne.

PDT fights acne by reducing the size of the skin's sebaceous glands. This will greatly diminish the oil content inside the pores, which will, in effect, reduce blackheads and whiteheads. For people with moderate or severe acne that just won't go away through conventional topical or oral preparations, this could just be the one for you.

The ALA-PDT combination can also destroy the P. acnes bacteria that trigger acne attacks and promote the normal sloughing off of dead keratinized skin cells within pores and follicles. It also appears to enhance the overall texture of the skin, and could very possibly remove scars left by acne.

Photodynamic Treatment Procedure

Although a lot of patients who volunteered in early test runs during the introduction of PDT complained of tolerable to severe pain, the procedures used nowadays are nearly pain-free, owing to short contact therapy.

Short contact PDT treatments usually begin with microdermabrasion, to scrub off excess dead skin cells on the treated surface and to maximize ALA penetration. The ALA photosensitizer is then applied and given 15 minutes to an hour to set. After it sets, the photosensitizer is taken off and the skin's surface is treated, usually, with blue light.

A program consisting of three to five treatments is normally done at a two to four-week intervals, depending on the severity of the patient's acne. Patients can readily see some results right after the initial treatment.

PDT can be employed simultaneously with other acne preparations like salicylic acid or topical antibiotics.

The ALA-PDT acne treatment raves and reviews show a lot of satisfied users. Many patients reported substantial reduction in acne breakouts, enhancement of skin texture, and a marked decrease in acne scarring. Several users even claimed 50 percent to 75 percent of their acne were cleared. Photodynamic therapy can also be effective in treating stubborn or severe cystic acne. Their results can be similar to those who had been treated with Accutane.

The Side Effects of Photodynamic Therapy

Short contact photodynamic therapy does have a few side effects such as redness and peeling of the treated area, which have been described by patients as like having sunburn. It gave very little discomfort and went away quickly.

PDT costs more than your usual acne treatments and is rarely covered by insurance. On the other hand, systemic acne treatments like Accutane have severe side effects that photodynamic therapy does not.

Monica C. is an online medical researcher on acne treatment and skin care. For more information about www.10acne.com acne treatment, please visit her website www.10acne.com www.10acne.com/ now.