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PDT/Bluelight For Photorejuvenation
PDT/Bluelight therapy is used to reduce photo damage in multiple ways. It can remove precancerous lesions, reduce oiliness of sebaceous skin, reduce sebaceous gland hyperplasia, minimize pore size, improve texture irregularities, as well as reduce fine lines. BLUE Light therapy can also be used in conjunction with additional pre-treatments. Most commonly, topical applications of ALA or Levulan® (aminolevulinic acid) are used with the BLUE Light source to help treat acne vulgaris. To better prepare your skin, the ALA solution, which helps increase photosensitivity, is applied and remains on the skin for roughly 30-60 minutes. The BLUE Light treatment is then delivered and lasts for approximately 6-10 minutes. The severity of your condition will determine the necessary amount, frequency, and duration of treatment. 
What are the benefits?
BLUE Light therapy is gentle, safe, and effective with rare, if any, adverse side effects or discomfort. The therapy was FDA approved in 2003 to treat mild acne. Is BLUE Light Therapy right for you? Call us to schedule a private consultation. MicroLaser Peel™ What is the MicroLaser Peel™? It is a minimal to full epidermal laser peel that precisely removes the outermost layers of the skin. The procedure is individually tailored to the nature of the problem to be corrected: wrinkles, scars, keratoses, or pigmentation problems. Who should consider a MicroLaser Peel™? The patient looking for better results offered by microdermabrasion or light chemical peels but the patient experiences minimal downtime. How is the MicroLaser Peel™ different from Microdermabrasion? Generally, microdermabrasion only removes the outer layer (stratum corneum, 10-15 microns) of the skin. Patients may become dissatisfied when the perceived results do not equal expense and the number of procedures required. The MicroLaser Peel™ is a minimal to full epidermal peel (20-50 microns). Because this procedure goes deeper into the epidermis, it is the perfect step between microdermabrasion and deeper peels. How often does a MicroLaser Peel™ need to be done? One procedure could be sufficient for at least 6 to12 months, but additional procedures can be performed as required. A package of three to four treatments may be best for you. Your physician will determine what is necessary. What can the patient expect? Smoother, healthier more vibrant skin. You will notice a significant and immediate change in skin texture and tightness when compared to microdermabrasion. What type anesthesia is used? A topical anesthetic such as Ela-max, Emla or Betacaine Plus is applied thirty to 45 minutes before the procedure. Do I have to wear any type dressing or bandage after the procedure? Your physician will prescribe an ointment such as Aquafore or Vaseline. This is used as a barrier to keep the air away from your skin while you grow new epithelium. You will probably use it for one to two days. After that, a moisturizer can be used. How long is the healing process? The healing process varies from patient to patient but will generally take from two to four days. The procedure can be performed on Thursday or Friday and you can return to work the following Monday. Immediately following the procedure you will feel as if you have bad sunburn. You will have minor sloughing and itchiness the following day. By day two, redness will begin to fade and by day three any redness can be easily covered by makeup. Deep Chemical Peels Men and women alike share a common desire to have healthy, youthful skin. Exposure to the sun and the elements in combination with adverse living habits contribute to the appearance of our skin. Chemical peels are increasingly popular with those who are unhappy about acne scarring, sun-damaged skin, age spots, freckles, fine lines, rough skin, and uneven pigmentation. A chemical peel is not limited to the face, and can be performed on the neck, chest, hands, arms, shoulders, and legs– just about anywhere! 
Who are candidates?
Your skin type and the results you are aspiring to achieve will determine if you are a candidate, as well as which class of peel is most appropriate for you. What are the benefits of a Chemical Peel? Chemical peels can enhance your appearance by reducing blotchy and uneven pigmentation, fine lines and wrinkles, freckling, age spots, sun-damaged skin, and acne scars in a relatively brief measure of time. Chemical peels accelerate the production of new cells. Enjoy fresh smooth skin–immediately after your first treatment! GentleLASE® For Photodamage www.candelalaser.com "Sun-damaged skin" actually refers to a variety of pigmentary and textual changes in the skin. The term "photoaging" is often used to describe the process from which multiple dermatologic conditions develop from chronic exposure to solar UV, including solar lentigines, seborrheic keratoses, telangictases, cherry angiomas, elastosis of the skin, and skin cancer. 
Despite numerous calls to use sun block and avoid direct sun exposure, and, to a certain degree, more compliant behavior from patients in this area, the effects of years of overexposure to the sun cannot be erased by simply avoiding the sun going forward.
The brown, patchy spots of skin -sun or age spots- and the other benign pigmentary lesions as a result of sun overexposure are common dermatologic complaints. There are several treatment remedies for melanocytic hyperpigmentation, ranging from fade creams, and retinoids that lighten the epidermal lesion to facial peels, liquid nitrogen freezing, and laser therapy. 
In particular, alexandrite lasers, long known for their hair-removal capabilities, in part because of their high melanin absorption coefficient levels, are also excellent at treating a variety of pigmented lesion, including age spots, melasma, freckles, and other signs of aging. Dr. Retief treats photodamage, including age spots, freckles, congenital moles, and melasma on the chest, neck, and face with the GentleLASE 755nm alexandrite laser. Treatments are typically repeated every three to six weeks for a total of three to four treatments. Results: Age spots, melasma, and freckles respond immediately and positively to GentleLASE treatments. Typically, there is slight popping of the skin and slight white-to-gray discoloration immediately post-laser pulse. This is followed by slight erythema. Scabbing can occur with severe sun damaged skin. In these instances, patients are instructed to keep the treatment area moist using ointment for two to three days following the laser treatment. The lesions will slough off naturally over time, with near-complete resolution typically occurring three to seven days after the procedure. Additionally, some skin tightening/toning is observed throughout the treatment area. This symbiotic effect is especially noticeable in the cleavage and upper-chest areas of treatment. VBeam™ www.candelalaser.com A combination of lasers used to reduce photodamage with minimal downtime. The Vbeam eliminates broken capillaries and ruddiness of the face, chest, and neck, while the Gentlelase removes pigmentation (age spots, pigmented scars, PIH, freckles, and melasma). Some patients need only one of the specific lasers, but most patients need a combination of both lasers during each treatment session. Rhytec® (Plasma Resurfacing) www.portrait-plasma.com A very new resurfacing procedure using electrified plasma gas to resurface the skin. This procedure requires a much shorter downtime than traditional resurfacing, but is not as aggressive. Results are very good, but inferior to Sciton laser resurfacing. Aimed at eliminating or reducing wrinkles, tightening the skin in general, and correcting surface pigmentation, sallowness, and pore size. Patients continue to get improvement in skin over 1 year. Does not leave skin lighter or shiny like traditional laser resurfacing. The skin generally heals in 7 days, but may stay pink for 2 weeks. Sciton Laser Resurfacing www.sciton.com A laser procedure that removes and heats the top layer of skin to produce tightening, correct surface pigmentation, and treat wrinkles. This is a very effective procedure, but has excessive downtime. Takes 2 weeks to recover, and may experience 3-4 months of redness. Medical treatment photos courtesy of Candela® Corporation,
Sanofi Aventis, and Allergan®.
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