INDUSTRY INSIDER | LIGHT-BASED DEVICES | wavelength of 640 nm, which is
plastered directly to the skin lesion. The patient will keep it on for 3 hours with the light off and 3 hours with the light on. The manufacturer calls it 'therapy in motion'. Some northern European countries
are also experimenting with daylight-mediated
PDT.
Daylight-mediated PDT reduces the time a patient spends in a doctorÕs office and may serve as an alternative to conventional PDT. In a randomised study carried out in 2011, the Department of Dermatology at the University of Copenhagen showed that daylight PDT can be an effective and convenient treatment as there is no need for a medical light source for patients with multiple thin actinic keratoses. The procedures were easily performed and 2 hours of daylight exposure resulted in uniformly high response rates when conducted in the period from June to October in Nordic countries. All 20 patients enrolled in the study were given sunscreen. Sun-activated medical and non-medical therapies could become a very dynamic segment in the next 5 years. The medical PDT market is
growing, and a new actor is entering to challenge the two leading brands, Levulan from Dusa and Metvix from Galderma. The German pharmaceutical company Biofrontera is completing phase 3 clinical trials for its new drug BF-200 ALA, with an ALA concentration of 10% (lower than the leading actors, but with similar results according to companyÕs tests).
PDT is also being more researched to
treat skin ageing (fine lines and wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, rosacea) as PDTÕs most common side-effect is a local rejuvenation of the skin tissue that has been treated. Some studies have shown that dermal thickness increases, along with improvements in collagen and elastic tissue.
Blue light has been used by
dermatologists for many years to treat acne. A major
attraction is that it is a drug-free treatment
without the side-effects of conventional treatments.
LLLT Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) ® also referred to as photobiomodulation (PBM) ® is gaining momentum. LLLT is the application of light (usually a low-power laser or LED) to promote tissue repair, reduce inflammation or induce analgesia. The effects of LLLT can be explained by light absorption in the mitochondria, where it interacts with the mitochondrial protein cytochrome oxidase. Every cell in the body has lots of mitochondria, the job of which is to make cellular energy (ATP). Treatments with
LLLT
technologies ® especially the visible light and near infrared spectrums ® are growing in both the aesthetic and medical worlds. The majority of clinical evidence for LLLT is for treating musculoskeletal pain: neck pain, tendinopathies, osteoarthritis, and oral mucositis (post-radio/ chemotherapy). However, LLLT is also becoming a treatment for serious medical conditions. Harvard medical school is
working on traumatic brain injury, spinal- cord injuries, and the side-effects of chemotherapy, and MIT is working on US army amputees. The therapy is also
beginning to be used to treat strokes, depression, and pressure ulcers. Blue light has been used by
dermatologists for many years to treat acne. A major attraction is that it is a drug-free treatment without
the
side-effects of conventional treatments (i.e. antibiotics, topical creams and contraceptive pills). Consensus has held that visible blue light at a wavelength of 420 nm does not cause damage to the skin, but is effective in killing the bacteria that causes acne. Acording to the some recent research,
however, blue light is only really effective at killing bacteria in the lab, and its efficacy on the skin tissue in vivo is more questionable. The problem with blue light is said to be that it does not penetrate the skin deeply enough. Alternatives are therefore being sought. According to James Caroll of THOR Photomedicine Ltd, red and near-infrared light is showing good results in acne treatment. Indeed, there is a new generation of
at-home phototherapy devices for acne, such as LMS (Love My Skin) Spotlight 24, launched at Boots Pharmacies last autumn, that use only red light and infrared light. The primary effect of the red light therapy in LMS Spotlights is to penetrate the skin cells to force out nitric oxide and stimulate antioxidants. This has been shown to reduce cellular stress and increase cellular energy (ATP), leading to improved healing and repair of the skin in a wide range of medical conditions, including spots and acne. The device is easy to use and has short treatment times ® only 1 minute, three times per day, for optimal performance (LMS Spotlights have a built-in timer). The red and infrared wavelengths are
continuing to be popular to rejuvenate both the skin and the whole body. The Omnilux new-U is one of the few approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Clinical trials show that after eight 20-minute treatments over 4 weeks, three quarters of patients showed a significant improvement to fine lines and wrinkles. However, LLLT therapies are highly
14 ❚
controversial, with many experts challenging their claimed results. According to Dr Janis T. Eells, a specialist in LLLT and graduate program director for biomedical sciences at the College of Health Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, for LLLT to be effective, the various irradiation
January/February 2013 |
prime-journal.com
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