If you’re not happy with the skin you’re in, Dr. Amarpaul Sidhu of Foothill Cosmetic Surgery Center in Rancho Cucamonga and Glendora, CA offers photodynamic therapy to get your skin back to beautiful.
What Is Photo Dynamic Therapy?
Photodynamic therapy or PDT is the name of a procedure designed to kill cancerous or damaged cells. It utilizes a specific type of medication and light to attack and destroy the cells. The FDA has approved this therapy to treat several types of cancer or precancerous conditions, including non-small cell lung cancer, esophageal cancer, actinic keratosis, squamous cell skin cancer, basal cell skin cancer, and more. It’s also used to treat acne and damaged skin cells.
How Exactly Does It Work?
Photodynamic therapy in Rancho Cucamonga and Glendora, CA contains two important steps. First, the patient is given a medication called a photosensitizing agent, usually through the skin. The patient will then have to wait anywhere from hours to days for the drug to take effect.
During this time, the medication is absorbed into the cells. After some time, it will leave the healthy cells, making its home only in the cancerous or damaged cells.
At the end of this interval, light from either a laser or LED equipment is applied to the targeted area. The medication reacts to the light, forming an oxygen radical that kills the cell.
Benefits of Photo Dynamic Therapy
In addition to killing damaged cells, PDT provides several other benefits. Some of these benefits include the following:
- There’s no cutting involved, meaning you should have no scars from the treatment.
- It’s safe enough to be repeated as often as needed to kill the abnormal cells.
- It’s usually done as an outpatient treatment, takes little time, and typically requires no downtime.
- It can refresh your skin’s appearance, addressing acne, fine lines, and wrinkles.
Am I A Good Candidate?
While it’s a beneficial and effective treatment, it’s important to know that it’s not the solution for everyone due to the following:
- PDT is a targeted method, so it’s not effective when someone has cancer that has spread too far.
- It cannot target cells that the light can’t reach. Therefore, if the cells are deep inside of organs or tissues, PDT might not be the answer.
Some types of illness or blood disease might also prevent you from being able to get PDT. A visit to Dr. Sidhu can help you determine if you’re a good candidate for this treatment.
If you’re interested in photodynamic therapy in Rancho Cucamonga or Glendora, CA, schedule a consultation with Dr. Sidhu at Foothill Cosmetic Surgery Center by calling (626) 661-6400.