Treatments & Conditions
- Acne
- Allergies
- Children’s Dermatology
- Cryosurgery
- Dermatitis
- Eczema
- Folliculitis & Ingrown Hair
- Genital Issues
- Hair Loss - Female
- Hair Loss - Male
- Hyperhidrosis
- IPL
- Laser Skin Treatment
- Leg Ulcers
- Leg Veins
- Moles
- Mole Mapping
- Nail Disorders
- PDL
- PDT - Photodynamic Therapy
- Oral Disease
- Pigmentation
- Psoriasis
- Rash Diagnosis
- Rosacea
- Sexual Health
- Skin Lesions & Angiomas
- Sun Damage
- Toe Nail Fungus
- VariLite™
- Vitiligo
- Warts & Skin Tags
Photodynamic Therapy (PDT)
Photodynamic Therapy (PDT)
Skin cancer is now the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the UK and its incidence has doubled in the last 20 years. Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) is a non-invasive treatment for superficial (surface) skin cancers: basal cell carcinomas, actinic keratoses and Bowen's disease.
Treatment details
PDT works by the application of a drug, Metvix, which is specifically taken up by the cancer cells. A cream is first applied to the affected skin and left for about three hours, allowing Metvix to penetrate the cancerous tissue. The affected area is then exposed to red light for ten minutes, triggering a chemical reaction like a depth charge which destroys the cancer cells but leaves normal tissue undamaged. This makes it an attractive alternative to surgery, particularly for those with lesions on the face.
Although most patients feel itching or tingling sensations, the process is largely pain free. Healthy skin cells are not affected because they have not absorbed large amounts of the drug. As it dies, the cancerous lesion forms a crust, which falls off five to ten days later.
Hospital trials have shown that this treatment destroys more than 90 per cent of these common skin cancers. Usually it is pain-free and quick, with patients recovering within two or three weeks.