|
Applications of Levulan and Blu-U
2006-11-30
Q: Dear Dr. De Pieri, I have been living in the Okanagan for years and I have been a sun worshipper all my life. I have a number of flat dark spots on my face and hands, as well as a lot of fine wrinkles and broken capillaries on my face that my family doctor tells me are caused by sun damage. Is there anything that can be done to treat this?
A: You are a good candidate for photorejuvenation of the skin. This is a procedure where intense pulsed light (IPL) is used to eliminate blemishes, veins, and wrinkles from the face. It uses light in many wavelengths at high intensity without using any harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation. It involves about three visits several weeks apart for treatment and works best when the skin has as little tan as possible.
Q: I have had some white, rough patches on my forehead that my doctor tells me are precancerous. I’ve had liquid nitrogen treatments and have also used Efudex cream to treat them. If IPL can treat other types of sun damage, could it also get rid of those?
A: It sounds like you have a condition called actinic keratosis, which is a precancerous type of sun damage. IPL can be combined with a compound called alpha levulanic acid (Levulan) to treat these. Levulan is a light-sensitive molecule that changes structure when exposed to light, becoming toxic to the cells that absorb it. It is applied as a lotion to the treatment area and allowed to “incubate” for 1 – 4 hours. The precancerous cells soak up the Levulan during this time. The IPL treatment then activates the Levulan, killing the precancerous cells and eliminating the actinic keratoses. This results in a combination skin cancer prevention and facial rejuvenation. This IPL/Levulan combination often only needs one session and can be repeated every year or two – it is a very good option for someone who has extensive sun damage from years of tanning.
Q: Can Levulan kill any other abnormal cells in the skin?
A: Yes, Levulan can be used for a number of conditions. Acne is one of the first conditions that Levulan has been used to treat. In the case of acne, Levulan is activated by a Blu-U light, which is a gentler light than IPL and completely painless. Acne bacteria and overactive oil glands soak up the Levulan and are killed after the Blu-U activation. Two sessions of topical Levulan and Blu-U light can have effects better than Accutane with no toxicity, whereas Accutane must be taken internally for several months and requires monitoring for liver toxicity.
Another newer application for Levulan is for psoriasis. Bad cases of psoriasis have been treated with something similar to IPL and Levulan. Psoralen, a photosensitizing drug that is taken internally, in combination with UVA light (known as PUVA therapy) is still widely used, but there is increasing concern about its potential to cause skin cancer. IPL and Levulan is a topical treatment without harmful ultraviolet radiation and is a great alternative to PUVA, with the bonus of having cancer prevention effects. Yet another interesting application of Levulan is the treatment of chronic fungal infections, even those affecting the nails. Levulan and Blu-U treatment could help one avoid the use of potentially toxic drugs that have to be taken for months to kill fungal infections.
Recommended Links:
|
|
|
