Photodynamic therapy done incorrectly?

I have had the Levulan with IPL treatment 3 times over the last three years. The first two times were by the same office and my face reacted the same way - very red, swollen and then a peeling period for about 6/7 days. The results were amazing.

This last time was by another office and my face was barely red for an hour and there was no swelling and very little peeling - the peeling was finished after 3 days.

Do you think the last treatment was adminstered incorrectly?

1 answer to “Photodynamic therapy done incorrectly?”

A: Hard to know

Vishal  Kapoor, MD

Obviously something was different - perhaps the concentration of the levulan or the settings on the IPL. See if you can find out what was done previously and let your doctor know.

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Comments

quinnmd
38 posts
27 Oct 2008

Many variables could have interfered in your treatment.  One possibility is that the Levulan did not incubate long enough. Too short of an incubation could be a factor. Also, it depends on which light source the office used to activate the Levulan. All IPL's are not created equally.  If your skin was exposed to additional light (example: the sun in the peak of summer) at the other PDT sessions, this could have caused a more inflammatory reaction.  

qweenofhear
1 post
7 May 2009

I have been suffering with moderate acne for almost 8 years now. I am considering laser acne treatments for my active acne and acne scars. Which acne procedure would you recommend for active acne and scars?

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