Levulan/blue Light Therapy for Precancer Lesions on the Face and Scalp - Hopkinsville, KY

After a month, I went back for my second session on my face and ears June 19th. The results get worse before they get better. I am on day two and getting redder. Bright sunlight is murder! I take Benadryl for the itch and Motrin and Tylenol. I am using aloe on my face now, but I found that after the pain subsides I can switch to antibiotic ointment with pain relief in it and it helps. I wash my face with oatmeal soap for exema and that seems to sooth, I don't go to the gym for the first few days because sweating hurts. The skin does seem to not have the same scaling after the first treatment, but not much healthier, so we'll see after this treatment. I go for the scalp in two weeks.

The redness has increased each day. I struggled with what helped. I tried Aloe based and just medicated moisturizers. Some peeling at the sides of the nose, but nothing else. I took Benadryl at night to help lessen the itching. I didn't shave until day 4 because that is what I was told to do, so I look pretty scruffy. Uncomfortable, but not unbearable. I am trying to stay out of bright sun and keep a wide brimmed hat on. Satisfied it is doing something so far.

I finally went to see a dermatologist for dry patches on my face and scalp. As I feared, they were precancerous lesions. I had my first treatment of the face today. First treatment of the scalp will be in two weeks, with a second one on the face two weeks after that, so a treatment every two weeks for four total treatments, if that makes sense. As most note, my face was cleaned with alcohol and then the Levulan Kerastick was applied. I waited for an hour and then went under the 16 minutes, 40 seconds blue activation light. Boring, with some warming and needle like sensations, but nothing too bad. I brought a hat, but it was a baseball cap and they want a wide brimmed hat, like a jungle hat or straw hat to cover all the face and ears. The one that comes from the drug company is not one size fits most...it is one size fits few, so bring your own straw hat and avoid looking goofy. Nurse gave me some sunscreen and sent me on my way. I did not see the doctor and had to find the after care on line. Probably my fault for not asking more questions. I went back to work with only minor itching and sunburn kind of pain. I saw on the aftercare instructions I printed off that I could wash my face to get the chemicals off, but not to use a wash cloth, so I did that and the pain is less. Seems that the office lights can trigger the photosensitivity that the chemical is supposed to do...and washing it off helped. I'm not too red, so I will comment more as the days roll on. I expect tomorrow to be worse, just based on other comments on the site, but will wait to see.