My Second PDT Treatment

Heart is doing fine and I am one month away from my cardiologist appointment!  It will be 3 years & 3 months after my open heart surgery!  A lot has happened!  Now the latest on my second PDT Treatment!

Here is my skin care journey:

1 - Sept 7, 2013 - diagnosed with skin cancer

2 - Sept 24, 2013 - Squamous Cell removed

3 - Nov 20, 2013 - First PDT Treatment

4 - Dec 17, 2013 - Basal Cell removed

5 - Feb 11, 2014 - Second PDT Treatment

As a review - what is PDT Treatment?

PDT Treatment

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a treatment that uses a drug, called a photosensitizer or photosensitizing agent, and a particular type of light. When photosensitizers are exposed to a specific wavelength of light, they produce a form of oxygen that kills nearby cells.

Each photosensitizer is activated by light of a specific wavelength. This wavelength determines how far the light can travel into the body. Thus, doctors use specific photosensitizers and wavelengths of light to treat different areas of the body with PDT.

This time I took pictures at 24hrs, 48hrs, 72hrs, & 96hrs!  Have a look:

24 Hours

After 24 hours the treatment feels & looks like a severe sunburn!  Your skin is painful to touch.  You are  not allowed to be in sunlight, OR a lot of indoor lighting!  Did not take any pain medicine, but there is some pain during the first 24 hours!

48 Hours

Still a lot of redness!  The skin is still raw to the touch!  Using a lot of skin moisture cleanser.  Must still avoid sun exposure!

72 Hours

The redness is now disappearing.  And showering & cleaning face does not have as much pain!  Still have not shaved and will probably not shave for at least 2-3 more days!

96 Hours

The skin is starting to flake!!  I am losing the skin that was treated!  And the skin is itchy & starting to come off!  

The entire concept of the the treatment is to destroy the "pre-cancer" cells!  Hope it works!