Is Photodynamic Therapy a Good Acne and Rosacea Treatment?

PDT is a great treatment for acne and usually takes 4 treatments at 2 weeks apart at a cost of $350 per treatment. Levulan solution is applied to the skin for 45 minutes then a Blu U light is applied for 15-20 minutes. It is totally painless and very effective. You do look quite red for 2-3 days but it is so worth it.

Photodynamic therapy involves the pre-treatment with 8 aminolevulinic acid ( Levulan) before light treatment with the Blu-light or an equivalent light source. In other words the Levulan kerastick is applied to the intended area, there is an incuatiion period of one half hour and then a light treatment of approximately 16 minutes. This has proven to be an excellent treatment for actinic keratosis. Typically, I use this in severe cases of actinic keratoses: either numerous actinic... more

PDT works very well for acne.  Alternating red and blue light for a series of 8 treatments over 4 weeks is effective even without Levulan.  Topical retinoids and salicylic acid can be helpful in conjunction with this regimen.  A series of 8 treatments over 4 weeks tends to cost between $500-800.  Best results are achieves several weeks after the series of treatments.

While there is nothing that works better than Accutane, a series of PDT under the supervision of an experienced board-certified dermatologist can be a close second when combined with conventional therapies, e.g. oral/topical antibiotics, hormonal medication, topical acne creams. Photodynamic therapy otherwise known as PDT utilizes Levulan (levulinic acid, a naturally occurring breakdown compound of hemoglobin, part of red blood cells) and Blue light (~410nm wavelength). The effect of... more

The only approved FDA indication for Blu Light is for the treatment of Acne WITHOUT levulan. However, most dermatologists, if using blu light to treat acne will do so with the addition of levulan. It is felt that the levulan which is photoactivated by the Blu light results in better treatment of acne than Blu light without levulan. Either way in my experience the results are equivocal. Blu light for rosacea though not an FDA indicated use has been used by many dermatologists. There are... more

I have seen this treatment work well for acne and we use a system that employs Levulan and a special light (Called a Blu Light). The Levulan is absorbed by the skin and then activated by the light. This results in a significant decrease in bacteria and oil. Treatments are spaced out a month apart and require 2-3 to make a difference. Expect to be very red (imagine the worst sunburn of your life) for about a week. There is another drug calle Metvix out but I have no experience with it so... more