Common skin concerns such as psoriasis or warts are issues that many people have to face. More harmful skin conditions, such as various forms of skin cancer, may also arise. Many people with such concerns are turning to an effective, non-invasive treatment method that can be used to treat a wide variety of different skin conditions. This revolutionary treatment is known as photodynamic therapy uses the power of lasers to target viruses, bacteria, and parasites on your skin. Our team are proud to offer this treatment along with our other effective services at Optimal Health and Wellness in Pasadena, CA.
What Is Photodynamic Therapy?
This treatment combines the power of multi-colored lasers with a light-activated cream or injectable solution to treat your skin. The targeted nature of this treatment allows infected areas of your skin to be treated without damaging the surrounding skin, tissue, or bone. As opposed to medications which can often only treat one concern at a time, this treatment provides wide-ranging benefits to your skin’s overall health and your immune system. This treatment can also be performed several times concurrently, improving a variety of conditions while boosting your skin’s health and your immune system.
What Happens During Treatment?
The first step in the process is to have one of our experts apply a special cream to the area of your skin that we’ll target. When activated by the lasers used later in treatment, the photo-sensitive agents in this cream will bond with cancer cells, bacteria, and other harmful bodies on your skin to break them down. If your concerns are under the surface of your skin, this photo-sensitive agent can instead be injected into your skin.
Different concerns can be treated with different types of lasers. The rejuvenation process begins as soon as the photo-sensitive agents are activated by the lasers, quickly working to heal your skin. Because everybody will respond to treatment differently, most patients benefit from a treatment plan that is personalized to their needs. Your general health will improve as a result of treatment, and the targeted harmful cells in your skin will be completely eliminated.
What Advantages Does This Treatment Offer?
There are a wide array of benefits to choosing photodynamic therapy. This treatment can be performed multiple times, is quick and convenient, and only involves a small amount of downtime. Because the bonding photo-sensitive agents will only attach themselves to cancerous or infected cells, this treatment also doesn’t damage other areas of your skin. Your immune system can also be supported and improved by this treatment, giving an overall benefit to your health.
What Concerns Can This Treatment Address?
Along with a range of fungal, viral, bacterial, and parasitic infections, this treatment is also used to treat a variety of different kinds of skin cancer. The following conditions are some of the most common concerns treated using photodynamic therapy.
Psoriasis
Known for the scaly, itchy patches of skin that it creates, psoriasis is a condition that causes skin cells to shed more quickly and build-up faster than normal. Over time, this therapy can improve your skin’s condition and manage the bothersome symptoms of psoriasis.
Warts
Causing both physical pain and embarrasment, warts are a troublesome form of viral infection of the skin. These troubled spots also have a reputation for being very difficult to treat or eliminate. By attaching to the affected skin cells, the bonding agent that this treatment uses can erase these troublesome warts from your skin.
Immune System Issues
Many immune system concerns and conditions can be improved through regular applications of this therapy because the lasers that are applied to your skin during treatment can stimulate and bolster the body’s natural immune responses. In order to determine if this treatment is right for your particular immune concerns, our experts will first perform a thorough evaluation of your unique situation.
Wounds and Inflammation
The body is more susceptible to infection when you’ve recently suffered from an injury. The natural healing process can be impeded as the wound becomes inflamed. Therapeutic laser treatments such as this therapy can accelerate the body’s natural healing process and improve your body’s immune system.
Damage from the Sun
Over 90% of all common skin concerns, from dark spots and wrinkles to more severe cases such as skin cancer, are estimated to be caused by sun damage. Actinic keratosis is one common issue that results from sun damage. This problem manifests itself on the face and scalp as dry, flaking skin, a painful lesion, or even skin cancer. Many external and internal issues caused by harmful sun exposure, including actinic keratoses, can be treated by using photodynamic therapy.
Skin Cancer
One of the most commonly-utilized benefits of this therapy is its ability to treat various types of skin cancer. Skin cancer can be treated quickly and effectively if detected earlier, but can worsen if not treated in a timely fashion. This affliction can affect any patient of every age. Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, basal cell carcinomas, kaposi sarcoma, intraepidermal squamous carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma are some of the types of cancer that can be treated. Your unique situation and health conditions will be taken into account as we determine whether this treatment is the right solution for your concerns.
What Types of Lasers Does This Treatment Use?
By harnessing multiple different types of laser energy, this treatment can alleviate a wide variety of concerns. Our expert team will be able to recommend the best combination of different lasers depending on the exact condition you wish to improve.
Ultraviolet
Some benefits of ultraviolet light include increased circulation, detoxification of the skin, and a boost to your body’s ability to produce hormones. This laser also eliminates fungi, viruses, and bacteria to increase oxygen intake in the area being treated.
Infrared
By penetrating through layers of your skin, infrared light can treat internal skin issues. Improved circulation, reduced inflammation, relief from chronic pain, and faster healing are just some of the benefits you’ll enjoy. An additional benefit many patients enjoy is a boost to their overall mood that results from more effective metabolic and circulatory processes.
Red
Working along with the other forms of laser, red light provides a potent source of energy for your skin. Healthy cell activity will be encouraged by coming into contact with this light. You’ll also see improvements to your blood flow and circulation as well as to your immune system’s functions. If you’re suffering from pain or discomfort, the accelerated healing this type of laser provides may be beneficial to you.
Blue
Valuable for their anti-bacterial properties, blue laser light is another useful tool that can be used to improve the health of your skin. As well as fighting bacteria, blue light can fight against the visible signs of aging, provide relief from painful wounds, and reduces inflammation.
Green
Working to increase the benefits that other forms of laser used in this treatment provide, green lasers can increase the oxygen volume in the tissue in the treated area. Your skin’s natural ability to rejuvenate itself will be improved, and you’ll notice a reduction in swollen or inflamed tissue as further benefits.
Yellow
Boost your mood with yellow light’s ability to stimulate the production of serotonin and vitamin D in your body. This light is also useful to boost your metabolism, as well as for fighting bacterial infections in your skin.
Is This Treatment Right for Me?
Anyone suffering from psoriasis, skin cancer, inflammation, sun damage, or a range of other skin conditions can benefit from this treatment. We’ll review your current health to see if receiving photodynamic therapy is right for you, including making sure that you don’t have any diseases which may interact negatively with this therapy.
If you are looking for a therapy to treat skin cancer, this treatment may not be right for you if the cancer has spread to other organs or tissue of your body beyond the upper layers of the skin. Our experts will consult with you to see if this treatment is the right next step to take towards your skincare goals.
Heal Your Skin with the Power of Light
Common skin irritations and even more concerning skin cancers are a burden you no longer have to live with. Take advantage of the revolutionary laser power of photodynamic therapy to heal yourself with a non-invasive treatment. Schedule a consultation with our team at Optimal Health and Wellness in Pasadena, CA today to start on your journey towards healthier, rejuvenated skin!