Call: (07) 5450 1222
Book Appointment

Photodynamic Therapy for Skin Cancer –
What is it and What to Expect

Home / Photodynamic Therapy

Everything You Need to Know About Daylight Photodynamic Therapy and LED Photodynamic Therapy

Here at Body Scan Skin Cancer Clinic on the Sunshine Coast in Buderim, our dedicated skin cancer doctors provide photodynamic light therapy to treat pre-cancerous spots (solar keratoses or actinic keratoses) as well as select, thin skin cancers.

We offer both light photodynamic therapy and LED photodynamic therapy. A consultation with one of our skin cancer doctors is required before booking for photodynamic therapy for skin cancer. 

contact us

What is Daylight Photodynamic Therapy

Daylight photodynamic therapy is a single dose, non-invasive solar keratoses treatment used to treat solar keratoses on the face, ears, balded scalp, lips, neck and upper chest. It is not effective at treating other areas such as arms and legs.

This treatment can be a gentler, quicker alternative to prolonged treatments such as fluorouracil cream. Do not undergo solar keratoses treatment if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or have a light sensitivity disorder.

Bookings at our Sunshine Coast skin cancer clinic are only available between 8am and 2pm daily so that there is adequate time for sunlight exposure. 

What to Expect on the Day of Daylight Photodynamic Treatment 

Do not apply makeup or sunscreen to the treatment areas prior to coming in. Our skin cancer doctors will ask you to read and sign a consent form.
We prepare the skin by dermabrading it with an abrasive pad, cleansing it with a face wipe, then applying a chemical (non-metal) sunscreen to protect from ultraviolet radiation (sunburn). We then apply a medicated cream called 5-ALA to the skin. Careful to not touch or rub off the cream once applied.

Our skin cancer doctors will advise you to go outside and expose the treated skin to natural light for 2 hours. Most people prefer to go home to do this.

You should start the daylight exposure within 30 minutes of the 5-ALA being applied. Avoid spending more than 2 hours outside as you may get a more severe reaction. Do not wear a hat or sunglasses as it will shade treated areas. Full sun exposure is desired but you can retreat under partial shade for a break if needed. If it happens to rain or get heavily overcast, get under cover but remain outdoors, and add an extra 30 minutes of exposure.

Afterwards, the treated area needs to be washed thoroughly with soap/cleanser and water. Then a mineral sunscreen must be applied and you should avoid any significant sun exposure.
On the day of your photodynamic therapy for skin cancer, please wear suitable clothing that will keep the treated skin sun exposed. If you have long hair, please bring a headband to keep your hair from shading your face.

If your treatment day is expected to have significant rain, your photodynamic skin treatment
appointment will need to be postponed; we will call you as soon as we open to let you know. We may be able to offer LED PDT therapy skin cancer treatment instead.

What to do After Photodynamic Light Therapy

The treated skin is expected to develop redness later the same day. Further swelling and redness may develop on days 2 and 3 followed by peeling and scabbing of the solar keratoses. Most people are recovered 7-10 days after photodynamic light treatment.

Strong reactions with swelling, crusting and weeping can occur so please budget up to 14 days for your skin to fully recover. It is important to protect the treated area from sunlight and strong artificial lights during recovery and especially for the first 48 hours.

If you are prone to cold sores, photodynamic treatment can cause an outbreak and a doctor can prescribe you an antiviral medication to take after treatment to prevent this occurring.

What Products to use on your Skin After Photodynamic Treatment for Skin Cancer

Immediately after treatment, and every subsequent morning, please apply a mineral (zinc or titanium dioxide) sunscreen to your treated skin. Use a bland ointment such as Vaseline jelly or a soothing balm such La-Roche Posay Cicaplast or Avene Cicalfate 3 three times a day to keep your skin moistened. When you shower use a gentle cleanser and a clean washer to clean the treated skin. Our Sunshine Coast skin cancer clinic recommends you schedule a quick checkup with your skin cancer doctor about 3 days after treatment. Advantan fatty ointment may be prescribed to hasten recovery if you have had a strong reaction.

What is LED Photodynamic Therapy?

This treatment is similar to daylight photodynamic therapy except the 5-ALA cream is activated by red or blue light from a powerful LED light machine.

The pros include that it is not weather dependent and no sunscreen is needed. It can be used as a solar keratoses treatment to treat areas of solar keratoses anywhere on the body, and it can also be used to treat some thin types of skin cancers (2 doses required).

LED PDT therapy skin cancer treatment can be used to treat the following types of skin cancer (a biopsy required): squamous cell carcinoma in situ / intraepidermal carcinoma / Bowen’s disease, superficial and thin nodular basal cell carcinoma. The cure rate for these skin cancers is about 80%. If your cancer is not cured (doesn’t clear with treatment or grows back at a later stage) then an alternate treatment will be recommended, usually surgical excision.

Many people are comfortable to have their cancers cut out giving a >95% cure rate, and pathology results are provided and help confirm cure. LED photodynamic therapy for skin cancer is usually attractive for people who want to avoid a surgical scar on a cosmetic area such as the face or upper chest.

Contraindications and Precautions of LED PDT Therapy Skin Cancer Treatment Include

Pregnancy, breastfeeding, light sensitive epilepsy, photosensitivity disorder, oral isotretinoin (3-6 month break prior), oral doxycycline (1-2 week break prior), topical Retin A / Retrieve / Tretinoin (1-2 week break prior). Contact lenses need to be removed prior to the LED exposure.

What to Expect on the Day of your Photodynamic Treatment

Do not apply makeup or sunscreen to the treatment areas prior to coming into our Sunshine Coast skin cancer clinic you will be asked to read and sign a consent form.
We prepare the skin by dermabrading it with an abrasive pad and cleansing it with a face wipe. Your skin cancer doctor will apply a medicated cream called 5-ALA to the skin. Be careful to not touch or rub off the cream once it is applied.

If treating a skin cancer, we will apply clear film over it to occlude the cream. You will then be instructed to leave the clinic and return 3 hours later. During this time, please keep the treated skin out of strong sunlight.

You may wish to go somewhere local for a yummy long lunch such as the Buderim Tavern, Montana’s, or Dee Den restaurant! On your return, your skin cancer doctor will have you lie down on a bed, get you to put on goggles and ask you to close your eyes. We will then start the LED light exposure which is generally about 15 minutes, and can cause tingling, heat, burning, or pain to the treated skin.

Studies show that the best distraction for discomfort is air blowing over your skin, so we have some handheld fans for this. We can pause for breaks if needed. After LED photodynamic skin treatment our advice is the same as for daylight photodynamic therapy.

If you are having a skin cancer treated, you will need to return to our Sunshine Coast skin cancer clinic for a second treatment ideally 2-4 weeks after the first.

If you have any more questions about photodynamic treatment for skin cancer or would like to book in to get a skin check, please contact us..