Laser Skin Treatments for Sun Damage in Kelowna

IPL Light Treatment

 

As the population ages, ever-increasing numbers of people are interested in improving their appearance. IPL technology can be used to help restore the skin's youthful appearance.

IPL technology improves the appearance of photoaged skin, removes age spots (sun-induced freckles), most benign brown pigments, and redness caused by broken capillaries through a process called photorejuvenation for face and body. The process is ideal for patients with active lifestyles because the procedure requires no downtime and has a low risk of side effects.
The gentle, non-ablative treatments use broad spectrum light to treat the face, chest, neck and hands—virtually anywhere that sun damage shows.

Patient Satisfaction

 

Several appealing qualities of IPL Skin Treatments using Photorejuvenation which result in very high levels of patient satisfaction.

• The treatment is quick, gentle and non-invasive. There is no interruption of routine activities.
• By helping to remove the age spots the result is overall more even, luminous, younger looking skin.
• Patients can see dramatic results within a very short time.

 

 

 

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Levulan® Photodynamic Therapy for Actinic Keratoses

 

Actinic Keratoses (AK's), or solar keratoses, are pre-malignant cutaneous lesions that predominantly manifest in sun-exposed areas. They are one of the most common pathologies seen by skin specialists, preceded only by acne vulgaris and dermatitis as more frequent complaints.  AKs are clinically relevant lesions due to their potential to progress into a squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Additionally, they are considered a risk factor for the subsequent development of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC).

 

In the northern hemisphere, 11-25% of adults are believed to have at least one AK. These lesions are most commonly seen in the older fair-skinned population (Fitzpatrick skin phototypes I-III). Cumulative ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure and older age are the most important risk factors for this condition. Individuals who are immunocompromised or have certain genetic syndromes, such as xeroderma pigmentosum and albinism, are at greater risk.

 

Pathophysiology

UV radiation is involved in the pathogenesis of AKs through inducing cellular DNA mutations in the skin, which may affect cell proliferation genes, such as p53 and ras, or prompt evasion of apoptosis. Disruption of one of these genes may lead to the formation of atypical keratinocytes in the basal layer and development of an AK; all of these histopathologic changes are limited to the epidermis. The absence of further UV light exposure may result in resolution through repair mechanisms. However, additional UV light exposure may induce further DNA mutations, resulting in the development of an invasive SCC.

AKs typically manifest as small (1-3mm) erythematous scaly papules with a hyperkeratotic(rough, scaly) texture. As such, they are best identified with touch rather than visual inspection alone. AKs are characteristically distributed in sun-exposed areas, including the face, bald scalp, ears, neck, anterior chest, dorsal forearms, and dorsal hands. Surrounding areas may show evidence of solar elastosis, such as telangiectasia, blotchy hyperpigmentation, and yellow discoloration of the skin. The clinical variants of actinic keratosis include the cutaneous horn, lichen planus-like keratosis, pigmented actinic keratosis, and actinic cheilitis.

 

Over several years, these lesions can progress, becoming thicker and developing into a hypertrophic AK, Bowen’s disease (SCC in situ), or an invasive SCC. Unfortunately, the stages of this biologic continuum are clinically indistinguishable and a biopsy should be performed if a SCC is suspected. However, a presentation that includes pain, pruritus, induration, larger size, rapid growth, ulceration, bleeding, or resistance to treatment may point towards a more sinister pathology.

 

The natural history of AKs is variable and unpredictable. The lesion can follow one of three paths: it can persist, regress, or transform into an invasive SCC. It is impossible to predict which path any given AK may take. The risk of a single lesion progressing from an AK to a SCC ranges from 0.025-16% per year. Nonetheless, it is recommended that all AKs be treated as there are no reliable clinical predictors to discern an AK from a SCC. If a SCC is missed, it may become locally invasive and destructive; these lesions are capable of metastases(spreading to other organs of the body) and resulting in death.

 

Destructive Therapy

The most common therapies for individual AKs work destructively by physically removing the lesion. These should always be considered for isolated lesions or early presentations of AKs. Destructive therapies include liquid nitrogen cryotherapy, curettage with or without electrodessication, and shave excision. The main advantages of these procedures are that they are quick, procedurally simple, and provide adequate clearance of abnormal tissue. A major limitation of such targeted approaches is that they fail to address field cancerization.

 

Levulan® PDT(PhotoDynamic Therapy) is an advanced treatment for actinic keratoses (AKs), or rough-textured, dry, scaly patches on the skin that can lead to skin cancer. Levulan PDT, a 2-part treatment course, is unique because it uses a light activated drug therapy to destroy AKs.

Levulan® Kerastick Topical Solution is applied to the AK. The solution is then absorbed by the AK cells where it is converted to a chemical that makes the cells extremely sensitive to light. When the AK cells are exposed to the BLU-U® blue light illuminator, a reaction occurs which destroys the AK cells.

The short, 2-part treatment course is convenient and fits your lifestyle:

 

Low downtime
No prescription to fill
No daily medication to remember
Excellent cosmetic response
No scarring reported to date

 

 

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KTP / Erbium and CO₂ Laser for Seborrheic Keratoses

 

Seborrhoeic or seborrheic keratoses are very common harmless skin lesions that appear during adult life. Seborrhoeic keratoses may also be called basal cell papillomas, senile warts or brown warts. These lesions are harmless and rarely or never become malignant(cancerous)

 

What do they look like?

They begin as slightly raised, skin coloured or light brown spots. Gradually they thicken and take on a rough, warty surface. They slowly darken and may turn black. These colour changes are harmless but may result in the lesion looking like a melanoma.

 

Some pictures of Seborrheic Keratoses:

 

They appear to stick on to the skin like barnacles. Seborrhoeic keratoses appear on both covered and uncovered parts of the body. There may be one or many of them.

 

What causes seborrhoeic keratoses?

The cause of seborrhoeic keratoses is not known. The name is misleading, because they are not limited to a seborrhoeic distribution (scalp, mid-face, chest, upper back) as in seborrhoeic dermatitis, nor are they formed from sebaceous glands as is the case with sebaceous hyperplasia.

 

Seborrhoeic keratoses are considered degenerative in nature, appearing as part of the skin aging process. As time goes by, seborrhoeic keratoses become more numerous. Some people inherit a tendency to develop a very large number of them.

 

They are not generally caused by exposure to the sun, although they can follow sunburn or other irritating skin conditions including dermatitis.

 

Skin cancers are sometimes difficult to tell apart from seborrhoeic keratoses, so if you are concerned or unsure about any skin lesion consult your doctor.

 

Very rarely, eruptive seborrhoeic keratoses may denote an underlying internal malignancy. The syndrome is known as the sign of Leser-Trelat.

 

Pictures of Before and After treatment of SK

 

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