Repetitive Daylight Photodynamic Therapy Reduces Photoaging, But Not Useful for Prevention of Actinic Keratoses

Repetitive daylight photodynamic therapy reduces several signs of photoaging and has few side effects, but the prevention of actinic keratoses could not be proven, according to recent trial results reported in Acta Dermato-Venereologica.

“The aim of this study was to investigate the preventive potential of field-directed repetitive daylight photodynamic therapy for actinic keratoses,” explained the study authors.

Researchers performed a randomized trial that included 58 patients with five or more actinic keratoses on photodamaged facial skin, who received either five full-face sessions of daylight photodynamic therapy within a period of 2 years or lesion-directed cryosurgery. The primary outcome was the mean cumulative number of new actinic keratoses developed between the second and sixth visit.

After daylight photodynamic therapy, signs of photoaging, such as fine lines, pigmentation, roughness, erythema, and sebaceous gland hyperplasia, were significantly reduced. These were not reduced after cryosurgery. Participants who received daylight photodynamic therapy also reported less pain and fewer side effects than during a cryosurgery.

“This study found that repetitive daylight photodynamic therapy had photorejuvenating effects,” concluded the study authors. “However, the prevention of actinic keratoses by this therapy could not be proven in a statistically reliable manner,” they added.

Reference
Karrer S, Szeimies RM, Philipp-Dormston WG, et al. Repetitive daylight photodynamic therapy versus cryosurgery for prevention of actinic keratoses in photodamaged facial skin: a prospective, randomized controlled multicentre two-armed study. Acta Derm Venereol. 2021;101(1):adv00355. doi:10.2340/00015555-3717