POSTED UNDER Photodynamic Therapy Reviews
Redheaded 36 Yo Floridian Got PDT (Blue Light) Last Week
UPDATED FROM tami33487
21 days post
Three Weeks Post Procedure
$450
I am now three weeks out and appear to be fully recovered. There is no more peeling, I am back to regular activity and my skin seems to have settled into it's new "normal." There was light peeling through week two, mostly when I showered and could feel little rolls of dead skin coming off. I am using my regular SPF moisturizer in the morning (EltaMD UV Clear) but using the Vani Gentle Face Wash in the evening then the Vani Light Moisturizer. I usually use a more abrasive face wash but don't want to push my luck; I also have NEVER used a moisturizer before bed due to most of them being greasy, but I love love love the Vani Light Moisturizer and am very pleased with how my skin feels.
I have noticed no difference in fine lines, wrinkles, or pore size on my face - boooooooo! That was supposed to be one of the side effects of the PDT and was one of the things I kept in mind while holding frozen peas on my face for two days. Didn't happen. However, I do not have any rough patched of skin, so I believe all my AKs have been burned off and that was the number one reason for getting the blue light. There is no reason to think my skin tone will change so this will probably be my last update unless someone has a question. The full face pic below was taken this morning, exactly 21 days from the date of the procedure. The close up of my nose is a response to maria0765's request to see the "after" of my mohs surgery. I will post more info for that in the comments section. All in all, I believe the PDT treatment was worth the discomfort.
I have noticed no difference in fine lines, wrinkles, or pore size on my face - boooooooo! That was supposed to be one of the side effects of the PDT and was one of the things I kept in mind while holding frozen peas on my face for two days. Didn't happen. However, I do not have any rough patched of skin, so I believe all my AKs have been burned off and that was the number one reason for getting the blue light. There is no reason to think my skin tone will change so this will probably be my last update unless someone has a question. The full face pic below was taken this morning, exactly 21 days from the date of the procedure. The close up of my nose is a response to maria0765's request to see the "after" of my mohs surgery. I will post more info for that in the comments section. All in all, I believe the PDT treatment was worth the discomfort.
ORIGINAL POST
I had been getting AKs frozen off for years, but...
I had been getting AKs frozen off for years, but last year I went through my first MOHS surgery and skin graft for cancer on my nose. My dermatologist recommended getting PDT (blue light) treatment but, after reading horror stories online I kept putting it off. I finally decided to go through with it after one spot kept coming up over and over and my dermatologist said it was possible it would develop into cancer.
I want to start by saying that I was really freaked out about this procedure. To the point that I had an anxiety attack at the office. I really should have taken a Xanax and just chilled. Instead I had two cups of chamomile tea and let them get to work. My face was cleaned with alcohol, then acetone, then the Levulan was applied. My face felt like a strong, astringent face wash had been applied. I then waited in a room for three hours where I was able to sit and read a book with literally nothing else to do.
When the time came, they brought me into a seperate room with the light. I was given what looked like swimming goggles, a small hand held fan and control over the music channels in the room. I found some good tunes and told myself "It's just going to be five songs."
The light went on and my face immediately started to feel puckered. After 30 seconds it started to prickle, after a minute I was getting a full burn effect. At about 3 minutes (one song down, four to go) I felt as if my face was over an open oven. At about 9 minutes I felt like I had a sunburn on my face and had still gone back out in direct sunlight with no sunscreen. The burning was intense, but not to the point where I wanted to give up. At about 10 minutes the pain hit a plateau. It didn't get worse, but it definitely didn't get better.
Once the treatment was over my face felt hot and stretched tight. The MA cleaned the solution off my face, slathered on SPF 45 and sent me on my way. I had prepped before I got to the office and had a full line of Vani products (face wash, light lotion and SPF 35), a bag of frozen peas, all the windows of my house hung with curtains and a full season of The Affair to watch. I also had a large straw hat and a thin scarf to wrap around me when I was leaving.
For the next two days I stayed out of the sun like I was a vampire and kept my face moisturized like it was my job. The peas went on about every 2 to 3 hours and I think that really helped minimize the swelling. Day 3 (the second day after the treatment) was probably the worst and that consisted of my face being itchy, feeling tight and starting to get red bumps like acne. On Day 4 I left the house for the first time since the procedure, but I had my trusty hat and scarf with me in the car and basically went from house to car to building to car and back home.
I have included pictures from the day of the procedure and the days after that. I am now one week out and have pretty much passed the red, angry phase of recovery. You can see some peeling in the picture from today (Day 8) and my face still feels tight, but the worst is definitely over.
I believe the areas that became came red and raised (like acne) were the AKs responding to the treatment. They peeled first, but now my entire face is gently peeling. Nothing to write home about, although I use a moisturizing SPF in the morning (as usual) and the Vani light lotion at night. I will try to remember to post pictures at two, three and four weeks as well. Whether or not it was worth it, we'll see. If it took care of the multiple AKs and keeps me from having to constantly have things frozen off, I absolutely think it was worth it.
I want to start by saying that I was really freaked out about this procedure. To the point that I had an anxiety attack at the office. I really should have taken a Xanax and just chilled. Instead I had two cups of chamomile tea and let them get to work. My face was cleaned with alcohol, then acetone, then the Levulan was applied. My face felt like a strong, astringent face wash had been applied. I then waited in a room for three hours where I was able to sit and read a book with literally nothing else to do.
When the time came, they brought me into a seperate room with the light. I was given what looked like swimming goggles, a small hand held fan and control over the music channels in the room. I found some good tunes and told myself "It's just going to be five songs."
The light went on and my face immediately started to feel puckered. After 30 seconds it started to prickle, after a minute I was getting a full burn effect. At about 3 minutes (one song down, four to go) I felt as if my face was over an open oven. At about 9 minutes I felt like I had a sunburn on my face and had still gone back out in direct sunlight with no sunscreen. The burning was intense, but not to the point where I wanted to give up. At about 10 minutes the pain hit a plateau. It didn't get worse, but it definitely didn't get better.
Once the treatment was over my face felt hot and stretched tight. The MA cleaned the solution off my face, slathered on SPF 45 and sent me on my way. I had prepped before I got to the office and had a full line of Vani products (face wash, light lotion and SPF 35), a bag of frozen peas, all the windows of my house hung with curtains and a full season of The Affair to watch. I also had a large straw hat and a thin scarf to wrap around me when I was leaving.
For the next two days I stayed out of the sun like I was a vampire and kept my face moisturized like it was my job. The peas went on about every 2 to 3 hours and I think that really helped minimize the swelling. Day 3 (the second day after the treatment) was probably the worst and that consisted of my face being itchy, feeling tight and starting to get red bumps like acne. On Day 4 I left the house for the first time since the procedure, but I had my trusty hat and scarf with me in the car and basically went from house to car to building to car and back home.
I have included pictures from the day of the procedure and the days after that. I am now one week out and have pretty much passed the red, angry phase of recovery. You can see some peeling in the picture from today (Day 8) and my face still feels tight, but the worst is definitely over.
I believe the areas that became came red and raised (like acne) were the AKs responding to the treatment. They peeled first, but now my entire face is gently peeling. Nothing to write home about, although I use a moisturizing SPF in the morning (as usual) and the Vani light lotion at night. I will try to remember to post pictures at two, three and four weeks as well. Whether or not it was worth it, we'll see. If it took care of the multiple AKs and keeps me from having to constantly have things frozen off, I absolutely think it was worth it.
Replies (3)
Thank you for your report. I am also a redhead but about 30 years older. Doctor recommended this treatment for me. Just trying to figure out when I can hide in the house for two days!
That was difficult for me, too. You really do need to give yourself two solid days of no sunlight whatsoever. I think that made a HUGE difference in my healing process.
Hoping you will post another update. Your skin looks great. I'm also interested in your skin graft on your nose. I had mohs on my nose but let it heal without a skin graft..still waiting to see what it looks like when it's completely healed. I can't even see a spot on your nose where the skin graft might be..wanted to get your thoughts on that.
Hi maria0765! I posted a three week picture to update and I think it will be my last picture as I am now completely healed up!
I also posted a close up picture of my nose, but the mohs scar is hard to see. The doctor took a squamous cell carcinoma off the left flap of my nostril, leaving a garbanzo bean-sized hole in my nose. He then took a graft from my left cheek along the line of my ear and plugged the hole. I had a compression bandage on my face for nine days, then had the area covered to keep it clean for another week. At first the graft looked terrible, a grey pasty color, but as blood returned to the area you can see that the only real difference is a slight indention and the skin is a little more shiny where the graft has grown. The doctor finished the site by using very fine sandpaper and "shaved" it down until it was almost flush. I could have gone back to have him do it again and try to get the skin completely on the same level, but I didn't think it was that big of a deal and wanted to be able to resume all normal activity. It was traumatic in that it was cancer, and I had a skin graft, but the doctor and his staff were amazing and I am pleased with the finished result.
I also posted a close up picture of my nose, but the mohs scar is hard to see. The doctor took a squamous cell carcinoma off the left flap of my nostril, leaving a garbanzo bean-sized hole in my nose. He then took a graft from my left cheek along the line of my ear and plugged the hole. I had a compression bandage on my face for nine days, then had the area covered to keep it clean for another week. At first the graft looked terrible, a grey pasty color, but as blood returned to the area you can see that the only real difference is a slight indention and the skin is a little more shiny where the graft has grown. The doctor finished the site by using very fine sandpaper and "shaved" it down until it was almost flush. I could have gone back to have him do it again and try to get the skin completely on the same level, but I didn't think it was that big of a deal and wanted to be able to resume all normal activity. It was traumatic in that it was cancer, and I had a skin graft, but the doctor and his staff were amazing and I am pleased with the finished result.
Thanks - have had 3 cryosurgery and last one on nose did it for me. Went in because temple was scaly. The dr said AK and on nose too. Really - then aggressive treatment on nose - even bled on day 4 . So I asked what to do. Dr. Said cream for 2 weeks 2 times a day. Not really good for my schedule. Then referred to Dr. for PDT. Nervous going in April for treatment. Anxiety so bad at appointment instead of thanking Doc for consult - I hugged him. Why could I just say thanks - total embarrassed. Thanks again for your info! Best Wishes! Brenda
I was really anxious as well, but all in all I made it out to be WAY worse in my head than it really was. Yes, the light can be very uncomfortable; take some good music and ask them to put a fan on you while the light is on. Stay away from all light for 48 hours after, put ice (or frozen peas) on your face on and moisturize like you have stock in the company! You'll do great, and it definitely beats the reconstructive surgery I had last year!
Thanks you look great! I've heard skin is smooth after and pores look better. The Dr. recommends 2 treatments but may do second in Fall due to daylight - spring.
Hi tami33487, I am a skin type 1 also growing up with reddish blonde hair, always burned, never tanned. Around 2007 I discovered Melanotan 2 and gave it a try. It really changed my life! My face, neck, chest and shoulders do not tan very well, but would call those areas at least a skin type 2 now. From the nipples down I am at least a skin type 3 now and get really tan. I still use lots of sunscreen on my face as I have also had AK's burned off in the past and a spot on my hand cauterized out. In your pictures it looks like you tan "a little", maybe a skin type 1.5? Also, once I started to use Melanotan 2, my hair lost all of its red tone and went totally blonde. So I went from being a strawberry blonde with skin type 1 to a total blonde with skin type 2-3 after using Melanotan 2. I didn't get any moles like some people have with MT2, but usual side effects of slight nausea after injection and tired yawning the next day, but can be controlled with dosage and motion sickness pills. You seem like a good person and so I wanted to see if you had considered Melanotan 2 (MT2) or had used it? Anyway, I might try the PDT, but was concerned it would damage the melanocytes in my skin and not allow me to tan, even though I tan very little already on my face and neck. It's weird, even the tops of my arms don't tan very well, but the bottoms do. Basically, all the areas that got sunburned as a kid don't tan very well, but from the nipples down I get really brown on MT2 and my legs and feet tan almost like skin type 4, very dark.
Replies (5)