Comments on: be careful with Levulan (aminolevulinic acid) http://rosacea-support.org/be-careful-with-levulan-aminolevulinic.html Where the rosacea community meets to support each other Mon, 21 May 2012 12:07:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Kristen http://rosacea-support.org/be-careful-with-levulan-aminolevulinic.html/comment-page-1#comment-64822 Kristen Mon, 12 Sep 2011 08:03:56 +0000 http://rosacea-support.org/be-careful-with-levulan-aminolevulinic-acid.html#comment-64822 I had Photodynamic Therapy (levulin with blue light and IPL) done twice for melasma, but all the discoloration came back both times so it wasn't at all successful and I wouldn't do it again. The first time I had major painful breakouts on my chin only and they only lasted a month or two, but I was warned it might happen. However, it's been three months since my second treatment and I am having major painful breakouts all over my face. I am worried that my skin is not going to get better. Although I do still have faint red lines that mark where the levulin was applied, so my skin has not completely healed yet. Plus I had a really extreme reaction the second time (terrible pain and swelling for a week, and two weeks before I could go back to work or out in public), so maybe it's just going to be bad for while. My laser technician has been doing treatments for eight years, and she told me that everyone reacts differently. She said my discoloration might not go away, that it might go away and then come back, or that it might go away for as long as I kept out of the sun. She said I might get painful breakouts, or that I might not get any. In the end it sounds like everyone reacts differently. And at $750 per treatment all it did is give me painful breakouts. From reading the comments on the internet it seems to help some people and hurt others... I had Photodynamic Therapy (levulin with blue light and IPL) done twice for melasma, but all the discoloration came back both times so it wasn’t at all successful and I wouldn’t do it again.

The first time I had major painful breakouts on my chin only and they only lasted a month or two, but I was warned it might happen.

However, it’s been three months since my second treatment and I am having major painful breakouts all over my face. I am worried that my skin is not going to get better. Although I do still have faint red lines that mark where the levulin was applied, so my skin has not completely healed yet. Plus I had a really extreme reaction the second time (terrible pain and swelling for a week, and two weeks before I could go back to work or out in public), so maybe it’s just going to be bad for while.

My laser technician has been doing treatments for eight years, and she told me that everyone reacts differently. She said my discoloration might not go away, that it might go away and then come back, or that it might go away for as long as I kept out of the sun. She said I might get painful breakouts, or that I might not get any.

In the end it sounds like everyone reacts differently. And at $750 per treatment all it did is give me painful breakouts. From reading the comments on the internet it seems to help some people and hurt others…

]]> By: Nick m http://rosacea-support.org/be-careful-with-levulan-aminolevulinic.html/comment-page-1#comment-52752 Nick m Sat, 12 Mar 2011 02:22:13 +0000 http://rosacea-support.org/be-careful-with-levulan-aminolevulinic-acid.html#comment-52752 I had severe cystic acne for most of my life. Accutane,cortisone injections anti biotics you name it I tried it. I visited a Madison avenue doctor for a consultation. He was a young hollywood looking dude dressed like he was ready for clubbing. I was sad a =nd depressed. He looked at me and suggested levulan with vbeam laser a series of three treatments. He told me " Im going to completely clear your face, your going to look Like a million bucks when i get through with you. Boy I thought this must be the most cockiest bastard on the face of the earth, no medical professionals ever make garantees. HE DID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! After my first treatment , I cursed his ass out, I looked 100 times worse....... but after 5 days back to normal, well my normal. little by litte, my acne improved . big time. Finally a silver bullet for a life long struggle. Yes people it does work for acne if done by a M.D that knows what they are doing, stay away from boutiqe style spas after all , any one can buy lasers on the open market and open a laser spa. Dont do it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! any way I found out I am actually a good looking guy, old friends passed me on the street because they havent seen me in a while and did not recognize me. I loved to see thier expressions, freaking shock and awe. completely acne free for three years, and suddenly I developed rosacea, never had it before never seen anything like it. I went for a touch up laser treatment and bang , my face blew up. levulan and rosacea does not mix very well.. aint that a bitch, my silver bullet acne treatment the savior of my life, cant be used any more. so I have rosacea really bad and to top it off, MY CYSTIC ACNE IS BACK, And I cant do a damn thing about it. any suggestions????? I had severe cystic acne for most of my life. Accutane,cortisone injections anti biotics you name it I tried it. I visited a Madison avenue doctor for a consultation.
He was a young hollywood looking dude dressed like he was ready for clubbing.
I was sad a =nd depressed. He looked at me and suggested levulan with vbeam laser a series of three treatments. He told me ” Im going to completely clear your face, your going to look Like a million bucks when i get through with you.

Boy I thought this must be the most cockiest bastard on the face of the earth, no medical professionals ever make garantees. HE DID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

After my first treatment , I cursed his ass out, I looked 100 times worse…….

but after 5 days back to normal, well my normal.

little by litte, my acne improved . big time. Finally a silver bullet for a life long struggle. Yes people it does work for acne if done by a M.D that knows what they are doing, stay away from boutiqe style spas after all , any one can buy lasers on the open market and open a laser spa. Dont do it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

any way I found out I am actually a good looking guy, old friends passed me on the street because they havent seen me in a while and did not recognize me. I loved to see thier expressions, freaking shock and awe.

completely acne free for three years, and suddenly I developed rosacea, never had it before never seen anything like it. I went for a touch up laser treatment and bang , my face blew up. levulan and rosacea does not mix very well..

aint that a bitch, my silver bullet acne treatment the savior of my life, cant be used any more.

so I have rosacea really bad and to top it off, MY CYSTIC ACNE IS BACK, And I cant do a damn thing about it.

any suggestions?????

]]> By: Julianna http://rosacea-support.org/be-careful-with-levulan-aminolevulinic.html/comment-page-1#comment-32513 Julianna Wed, 27 Jan 2010 22:18:17 +0000 http://rosacea-support.org/be-careful-with-levulan-aminolevulinic-acid.html#comment-32513 I had 4 PDT treatements done and it was the worst thing I have ever done to my skin. I have aged my skin 10 Yeats and there are now tons of fine lines all overy skin and I only 21. Has anyone else experienced this? I look at my face and want to cry from the damage that has been done I had 4 PDT treatements done and it was the worst thing I have ever done to my skin. I have aged my skin 10 Yeats and there are now tons of fine lines all overy skin and I only 21. Has anyone else experienced this? I look at my face and want to cry from the damage that has been done

]]> By: David Pascoe http://rosacea-support.org/be-careful-with-levulan-aminolevulinic.html/comment-page-1#comment-21702 David Pascoe Wed, 30 Jul 2008 01:42:25 +0000 http://rosacea-support.org/be-careful-with-levulan-aminolevulinic-acid.html#comment-21702 Hi Liz, There is a rare condition known as phototoxicity to Photodynamic Therapy. There is a drug in development that might be useful in treating this condition. It is not available right now, but I thought you might find this information interesting. http://clinuvel.com/en/corporate/clinical-applications/PDT/ A google search for this condition might also lead you to some helpful information http://www.google.com/search?q=Phototoxicity+associated+with+Photodynamic+Therapy davidp. Hi Liz,

There is a rare condition known as phototoxicity to Photodynamic Therapy. There is a drug in development that might be useful in treating this condition. It is not available right now, but I thought you might find this information interesting.

http://clinuvel.com/en/corporate/clinical-applications/PDT/

A google search for this condition might also lead you to some helpful information

http://www.google.com/search?q=Phototoxicity+associated+with+Photodynamic+Therapy

davidp.

]]> By: David Pascoe http://rosacea-support.org/be-careful-with-levulan-aminolevulinic.html/comment-page-1#comment-21672 David Pascoe Mon, 28 Jul 2008 07:26:52 +0000 http://rosacea-support.org/be-careful-with-levulan-aminolevulinic-acid.html#comment-21672 Sorry to hear about your trauma Liz. We wish you all the best for your recovery. davidp. Sorry to hear about your trauma Liz. We wish you all the best for your recovery.

davidp.

]]> By: Liz http://rosacea-support.org/be-careful-with-levulan-aminolevulinic.html/comment-page-1#comment-21514 Liz Mon, 21 Jul 2008 15:59:57 +0000 http://rosacea-support.org/be-careful-with-levulan-aminolevulinic-acid.html#comment-21514 I had levulan and IPL tx on my face on April 2/08. They let me drive home 1/2 in the sun which I later realized you are not to do. Not post-instructions given. I had the tx for big brown spots and some blackheads. I now get cystic acne and have blackheads all over my face. They burned my face badly and i had little tic marks all over my face. I had a CT scan of my sinuses 9 days later - stupid. My face has aged by about 15 years. Those little tic marks expanded and look like wrinkles. My whole body went tanned, dry, edema, redness, itching. Within 4 days I could not work as a nurse anymore. My whole body was in severe pain. My skin on my body went loose and I was tanning through my clothes. People say it is impossible for Levulan to go systemic but anything can. If Levulan is originally designed as a cancer drug and you have ionizing radiation on top is this the result. I am undatable and my life has been ruined. I had levulan and IPL tx on my face on April 2/08. They let me drive home 1/2 in the sun which I later realized you are not to do. Not post-instructions given. I had the tx for big brown spots and some blackheads. I now get cystic acne and have blackheads all over my face. They burned my face badly and i had little tic marks all over my face. I had a CT scan of my sinuses 9 days later – stupid. My face has aged by about 15 years. Those little tic marks expanded and look like wrinkles. My whole body went tanned, dry, edema, redness, itching. Within 4 days I could not work as a nurse anymore. My whole body was in severe pain. My skin on my body went loose and I was tanning through my clothes. People say it is impossible for Levulan to go systemic but anything can. If Levulan is originally designed as a cancer drug and you have ionizing radiation on top is this the result. I am undatable and my life has been ruined.

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