Get the real deal on beauty treatments—real doctors, real reviews, and real photos with real results.Here's how we earn your trust.

See All Reviews
See All Reviews
POSTED UNDER Photodynamic Therapy Reviews

Worst Pain I Have Ever Felt! - Fort Campbell, KY

UPDATED FROM jovimom
2 months post

July 16th

jovimomJuly 16, 2013
time for an update I'm told ;) .... my skin looks amazing.... I still have 2 small discolored spots on my chin, from the blisters but my Dr says they should fade..... other than that, my skin is soft and even.. no blothciness no actinic spots (oops i do have 1 right on my forehead, right along my hairline that we missed) I had a few freckles on my cheeks from childhood... those are gone... the ones on my nose are gone.... I have been sunblocking my face for YEARS!!!! (over 10 yrs) so every spot on my face was from being a kid in Florida.... I just went away to Chicago for a girls weekend.. and was told over and over again that there was no way I was a Grandma.. :D so now after all the hell is over with.. it was worth it.... My Dr woould like to do 1 more treatment.. I still don't know if I'm willing to try again... we'll see in January how I feel... just got back from walking so after i cool off I'll post a new pic ;)

Replies (5)

EPP_Kshatriya
July 28, 2013
Did you know an inborn, genetic disease exists were people to accumulate the same biocemical product as used in PDT ? Its name is Erythropoietic Protoporphyria (EPP) and it causes the patients to go through all of this every summer, every day, from childhood on.
Nickienicnac
August 24, 2013
I just had this done yesterday and felt like my face was on fire the first 15 seconds into the light. The pain has been almost unbearable. Forget sleep....my face is on fire! My boyfriend has washrags in the freezer...my only source of relief so far. He had PDT done yesterday as well, but is not feeling ear the reaction as I am. I had to break out an older pain killer prescription at 4:30 this morning...there is just no relief that lasts. I can't see what my face really looks like yet because of the cream....will keep u posted.
Rittmrsh
November 5, 2013
I had this done yesterday and am getting along pretty well. It just feels like a bad sunburn. The cooling stick really worked. I don't think I could have done it without the cooling stick. Had trouble sleeping last night because I am not a back sleeper and my face burned a little, so my sleep was never very good. Hopefully tonight will be better.
jsflynn603
February 4, 2014
I must wonder. When you drove home for the two hour wait--did you receive any light exposure beyond a 100 watt light bulb? Sitting in a living room with reflected light off a floor or wall can activate the Levulan. If the drive home and back was only 8 minutes, unless you wore a sort of shield over your entire face you probably got more activation in the drive than you did in the office. I'll prove it too, and in a few days I'll post horrific photos of what happened to me. The problem was evident: As I drove to work, reflected light continued to activate the Levulan and well, the photos tell all. I was lucky, late in the day I actually started to go into shock but knew how to deal with it. Had you worn a sunproof shield of some sort (and sunglasses) I suspect that you would not have had the burning that you did.
Gingermac
May 4, 2014
I had the PDT on my face a few weeks ago. The Levulan was left on for 1 hour as I waited in the doctors office. After being under the light for 16 min 40 seconds, sunscreen was put on my face and I drove home. I was a little pink that night but the next day everything was back to normal. I never blistered or peeled. I'm really disappointed in my results. I think I needed more exposure under the light or a longer incubation period with the Levulan on......
jovimom
May 4, 2014
WOW!! maybe htey just didn't let it sit long enough.. or maybe you're lucky and have little to no sun damage on your face
jovimom
May 4, 2014
there was no outside exposure. they think the exaggerated response was partly due to the retinA and partly due to the 2 hrs with the levulan compared to an hour. and then a secondary infection on my chin from the steroids.
jovimom
May 4, 2014
I had sunglasses a hood and a double scarf over my face and my bedroom has blackout curtains.. and my bed is where I spent pretty much the whole week..... we just did another treatment (different type this time) a cream that I apply every night and wash it off in the morning... I was told to be prepared for paina nad redness.. over a 3 week period I only had 1 spot (directly above my left eyebrow... no pain and nor redness other than that... SOOOO much easier that the levulan
chrisr13
August 22, 2014
I am going through the treatment now, the Levulan was left on for 3 hours and under the light for 16min, only day three but certainly not back to normal
kennyuncle
July 16, 2014
I totally agree with you regarding the pain. I consider myself to have a pretty high level of pain tolerance, my dentist comments on that often. I had the treatment yesterday and it was very very brutal. I had it 20 minutes of light on my scalp, 20 minutes on left side of face and 20 on right side. I think it was way too much time under the lamp. I am still burning 24 hours later. Not sure if I'm going to do the recommended 2nd treatment.
jovimom
July 16, 2014
OMJ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! you did 60 min total????? I can not even imagine.... and I have not done a 2nd treatment.. My Dr offered me a different treatment which I did and had results NOTHING like the blue light.. I feel like it worked almost as well as far as getting rid of the few remaining actinic K's but ZERO pain!
kennyuncle
July 17, 2014
Do you remember the name of the alternative because there is no way in hell that I'm going through that again?
UPDATED FROM jovimom
17 days post

more pics

jovimomMay 27, 2013

Replies (5)

jovimom
May 27, 2013
finally an end in sight.. posted updated pics from the last 2 weeks I actually didn't take ANY for a week because it looked so awful.. I gave up on the steroid ointment he gave me for the blisters and started putting peroxide on them a couple times a day THAT is what finally started drying them up.. now I can actually leave my house without being stared at. My dr said he would like to do one more treatment but I told him this will never happen again I would rather go through another surgery than this
Kimmers25
May 27, 2013

Looking good!!  Thank you for the update and new picture.

Brooker1962
June 13, 2013
I had it done in early Feb 2013 and i will never have it done again ! It was exactly as she describes it above. You literally bounce your knees up and down to deal with the pain that feels like needles pricking your face. Way too intense ! And mu doctor never called to check on me or see how I was doing - I think it's all about the machine and making money.
jovimom
July 16, 2013
how are you now???
Rittmrsh
November 5, 2013
was someone with you the whole time during treatment? Did you get a cooling stick to use with your treatment?
Yankiwi
June 24, 2013
Am having it done tomorrow for the second time. Wish I hadn't read this post. Bought back memories.
Yankiwi
June 24, 2013
Have an appointment for a second go tomorrow. Wishing I hadn't read the above. Brings back painful memories, no pun intended. Swore I wouldn't get it done again last time, (3 years ago) but loved the results.
UPDATED FROM jovimom
17 days post

new pictures

jovimomMay 27, 2013

Replies (0)

See More Photodynamic Therapy Reviews
See All Reviews