How a simple change to photodynamic therapy cuts patient pain

Administering blue light photodynamic therapy for actinic keratoses immediately, rather than waiting the usual hour, is as effective and can “dramatically” reduce patient pain, a small study suggests.

Under current photodynamic therapy regimens, blue light is used an hour after applying a photosensitive drug to patients’ skin.

But patients frequently report a stinging sensation during illumination that can be so bad they fail to return for a second treatment, say the authors from the US academic medical centre, the