Blue Light Photodynamic Therapy
-
If you go to a dermatologist for Liquid Nitrogen treatments you might hear something about Blue Light Therapy.
I used to get the Liquid Nitrogen spray in the face for an annual treatment for actinic keratoses (precancerous stuff)
The new dermatologist this year decided to use something different - Blue Light Photodynamic Therapy
If you are curious you can read about it here:
https://www.levulanhcp.com/blu-u.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Brand&utm_content=BLU U - Exact&utm_term=blu u&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI58yMz67m6QIVvey1Ch03agp2EAAYASAAEgIomvD_BwEThey wipe medicine on your face, or wherever, then you wait an hour while it soaks in.
Then the blue light.
I read that it was painless, I also read the it was very painful.
It was neither, it was extremely painful, kind of like a very bad sunburn with a couple hundred hot needles jabbing your face - for 16 minutes.
16 minutes!
The lady handed me one of those small battery operated fans to blow on my face. I thought that I certainly won't bother with that, I am a man for crying out loud. I turned the fan on after 5 seconds and left it on for 16 minutes.
The lady left the room just after turning on the machine, I think that was so I couldn't ask to turn the thing off. I was seriously considering turning off the machine (I had downloaded and watched the operating instructions video while I was waiting).
So if you are thinking about this treatment, this is one man's experience. I don't know what the results will be like yet.
I have to remain indoors (mostly in the dark) for at least 48 hours. The lady said that the sun will hurt more than the blue light. So there is no way I'll be going out.
And I have to repeat the full 16 minute treatment again a month from now.
So if you are considering this treatment, there is some information.
This is the machine
-
I had the follow-up Blue Light Photodynamic Therapy yesterday. It was painful, but not as bad as the first time. I think part of the difference was that I knew what to expect, also there wasn't as much skin damage since the first treatment had repaired some of it.
They say to stay out of the sun for 48 hours. But I had a lawn guy come to give me an estimate this morning, so I had to go out to talk to him.
It had only been about 20 hours and they were right. The sun started to burn pretty good after a few minutes.
So when they say to stay out of the sun after Blue Light Photodynamic Therapy, believe them.
-
And now 2.5 years later I have had the Red Light PDT.
As advertised, it hurts more than the Blue Light.
The Red Light torture device is smaller than the Blue Light device, so instead of a 16 minute treatment, I got 10 minutes on each side of my face.
The deal is, they put medicine on your face and give it an hour to soak in and find undesirable cells. Then the Red Light PDT hits those cells and blows them to bits. No more pre-cancer/cancer cells.
It takes a couple days for the medicine to dissipate. And the Sun can activate the medicine, just like the Red Light. So, I'll hide indoors for a couple days so we don't get unwanted exploding cells.
So, no golf for 2 days. I teed off 5 minutes before sunrise today, temp. 33, and played in non-stop rain yesterday. But at least I got 2 games in this week.
-
I’m supposed to get this. They building where there do it at Columbia flooded (plumbing problem) so they had to reschedule me. I’m not very excited about it.
Only non-witches get due process.
- Cotton Mather, Salem Massachusetts, 1692
-
I’m supposed to get this. They building where there do it at Columbia flooded (plumbing problem) so they had to reschedule me. I’m not very excited about it.
-
I’m supposed to get this. They building where there do it at Columbia flooded (plumbing problem) so they had to reschedule me. I’m not very excited about it.
@jon-nyc said in Blue Light Photodynamic Therapy:
I’m supposed to get this.
If offered, use the hand-held battery operated fan to cool your face during treatment.
The lady who did the treatment this time offered to spray my face with water a few times during the treatment. I don't think this was offered 2 years ago. Accept this offer.
