Blu-Light therapy is helping hospitals and clinics as well as dermatologists around the country to help their patients stave off skin cancer. This is especially true with patients who are battling with actinic keratosis and other pre-cancerous growths.
Actinic keratosis is seen as small bumps that appear on damaged areas of the skin. These bumps are scaly and can be as small as a pinhead or can be as large as an inch. Patients may have them on their ears, on their lips, on their forearms or on the back of their head. If they are not treated, researchers estimate that there is a 10 percent chance that these pre-cancerous growths may actually turn into a form of cancer.
Blu-Light therapy has been used by the medical community to treat many patients, and it has been shown to produce a reduction in the number of skin cancer cases that develop in individuals who had pre-cancerous skin conditions.
This is a treatment that was first introduced to the world in Europe. The first part of the treatment involves using a light sensitizing solution on the area that needs to be treated. Then the treated area is exposed to light for a set amount of time. The photosensitive chemicals that absorbed into the skin via the light sensitizing solution react with the wavelength of Blu-Light. The result is the creation of reactive oxygen radicals. These reactive oxygen radicals actively seek out and destroy potentially cancerous skin cells.
One of the benefits of this treatment is its ability to treat large areas of a patient’s skin. The patient has very little to no discomfort during the procedure. Another nice thing about the treatment is that it can be used on people regardless of their skin type. A lot of skin treatments that use lasers or lights can only be used by individuals with pale skin. Individuals with darker skin often react negatively to laser treatments.
Blu-Light therapy is great for individuals who spend a lot of time outdoors and who don’t always use sunscreen. The therapy may make you temporarily more sensitive to sunlight, so it is recommended that you use sunscreen for at least a few days after treatment, depending on the situation.
Do you think you have any pre-cancerous growths on your skin? Talk to the team at Dr. Yeoman’s Dermatology Office to learn more information about Blu-Light treatment. Contact us today to book an appointment at our office in Poplar Bluff or Paragould.
