Photo-Dynamic Therapy (PDT)

Key Points

• Exciting new treatment for skin cancers and sun damage
• NO cutting or stitches
• Minimal or no scarring
• Only abnormal cells treated
• Especially ideal for head, face and hands

PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY: 21st century, nonsurgical removal of skin cancers and sun damage

Dr Beulink’s Personal Comments – Photo Dynamic Therapy (PDT)

For me personally, this is a very exciting and innovative treatment. Developed in the UK through the 1990’s, this has very much become a 21st century, nonsurgical, techno-treatment, leaving the dark ages of cutting and scarring behind.

This treatment is especially effective for all areas of the face and head, as it requires no stitches and minimises scarring. 

Photo dynamic therapy is target selective. That means, only the abnormal cells receive and are affected by this treatment, leaving the good cells to help with healing in the treated area. The difference between a non selective treatment, such as liquid nitrogen zapping of sun spots, and selective photodynamic treatment, is kind of like the difference between the old Napalm blanket bombing of 1960's warfare (taking out not only the bad guys but destroying the entire surrounding forest with it!) compared to the target selective directness of newer cruise missile technology of today. Target selective treatment means minimising collateral damage, and hence maximising healing.

^{On the left, a large area of sun damage and pre-cancer, that has had numerous previous treatments with liquid nitrogen. This has resulted in areas of permanent white scarring plus numerous inclusive fragmented areas of recurrence of abnormal cells. Deciding what to  treat and how hard or deep to treat with traditional non selective methods, is doomed to ongoing failure. On the right, six months after the area was treated with selective Photdynamic Therapy. This patient was so happy with the result, further PDT was performed to other surrounding areas.} 

This treatment minimises tissue disruption and scarring, resulting in better healing and a much improved cosmetic result.

This treatment is an outpatient procedure. It is relatively simple and relatively painless. Aftercare is straight forward simple wound care (like caring for a graze).

Photo dynamic therapy is fantastic for people who have had earlier, more destructive procedures to rid sun damage or skin cancers, only to find they later develop a recurrence in the same treated area. This usually becomes a real treatment dilemma; what to re-treat and what to leave alone? The answer is now simple – target selective Photo dynamic therapy!