Photodynamic Therapy with Lasers and Intense Pulsed Light

For many physicians, photodynamic therapy has become a routine part of using lasers and light sources to improve the outcomes of photorejuvenation therapies. Aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy (ALA-PDT) was first used in the treatment of actinic keratoses in the United States. It quickly became evident that PDT therapy for actinic keratoses had an additional cosmetic benefit, and clinical trials have confirmed the effectiveness of ALA-PDT in treating photorejuvenation with or without associated actinic keratoses. This article reviews the peer-reviewed literature regarding ALA-PDT in photorejuvenation and also summarizes the author's own techniques in using this new and exciting therapeutic method.